Posted on 05/18/2002 10:30:32 AM PDT by HeliumAvid
Indian Army on six-hour alert
18 May 2002: The Indian Army has been put on a six-hour alert and the cabinet committee on security will today consider military options against Pakistani terrorism that revolve around air raids on terror camps and limited capture of strategic territory, top officials said.
Officials also said that the Indian Army has been put on less than six-hour alert in the northern sector where an Indian offensive is being planned against Pakistan.
Indian forces were so far on training mode.
India deployed the largest strength of troops since the 1971 Bangladesh War on the common border with Pakistan following the 13-December-2001 Pakistani terrorist attack on Indian Parliament.
Officials said that all non-field formations responsible for setting up supply routes have been pressed into action again.
“The focus is on a limited offensive in the northern sector,” an official said.
Military circles are widely discussing an old option to seize Haji Pir pass captured and returned in the 1965 war with Pakistan.
A captured Haji Pir will connect Uri to Poonch and limit cross-border terrorism.
In a winter offensive, India was planning to open a second front in the desert.
But officials said that most of the strike elements have been moved to Punjab.
Analysts said that this indicated that if the war escalates, India could open a second front in the plains of Punjab.
“Our understanding,” said an official, “is that if Pakistan does use the limited nuclear strike option against our troops, it would be better to face it in the scarcely-populated desert than in agriculturally-rich, densely-populated Punjab.”
This is one major drawback with opening a second front into Pakistan from Punjab.
Officials said that India expects the United States to come down heavily on Pakistan either if it escalates the conventional war (which India thinks it cannot win) or if it goes for a nuclear strike.
Here are a few links which detail some instances of anti-Christian violence carried out by Hindu extremists.
Indian PM Goes to Scene of Anti-Christian Violence
Bombay Churches In Protest Strike
Priest Killed In India
Christian Nuns Raped In India
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