[HeliumAvid]

Link to article

Army moves missile units to border

17 May 2002: The Indian Army has mobilised seven artillery units capable of firing short-range missiles in case of an intense conflict with Pakistan while initial reports suggest that four Pakistan army bunkers were hit by Indian troops retaliating against Pakistani firing in the Jammu sector, top officials said.

Officials said that the Indian Army and Air Force will conduct aerial surveys in the Jammu sector to block Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are now flying within Pakistani territory for the last two days.

Indian defence ministry officials said that all seven artillery units were deployed in the Bikaner sector of Rajasthan while two more units are likely to join them from Punjab.

The artillery units are equipped with long-range 155-mm and 130-mm guns besides anti- tank missiles and short-range surface-to-surface missiles that can hit Pakistani bunkers 40-50 km inside the Line of Control (LoC).

Officials said that artillery fire was being planned to be used to target terror camps in Gultari, Mangala and Skardu.

Officials refused to say when and if short-range missiles would be used.

Senior army commanders decided at a hurriedly-called meeting at Army Headquarters that artillery units were required since Pakistan was using mortars and 155-mm howitzers to attack Indian targets.

Officials said that army commanders have submitted a special plan to neutralise Pakistani firing in the Jammu sector where the Indian Army is disadvantaged.

The Indian Army is planning to use air surveillance to ascertain Pakistani positions deep inside Pakistani territory to overcome this disadvantage.

After the Kaluchak massacre, the Indian Army is first attempting to neutralise Pakistani artillery firing by deploying more artillery units in the Jammu sector and north of Pir Panjal.

The army also plans to consolidate its position on the upper ridges from Zojila to Turtuk and engage the Pakistan army in artillery exchanges in case it attempts to block national highway 1A.

[Principled]

The fact that another ("local") country feels adequately threatened to the point of military action means more death to the terrorists. Grin.

[crypt2k]

Just diplomatic posturing...nothing here folks...move along please...

[swarthyguy]

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

The wild card; will the US secure Pakistan's nukes when (hopefully) india hits? Is it a correct assumption for India to make? Pakistan has already said it would use nukes first....

[Siobhan]

FYI flag and ping for prayers....

[dr_who]

Kind of sounds like "The building is partially surrounded! Come out with one of your hands up!"

[Cold Heat]

Not good...........

[Cold Heat]

All of this crap started when India replaced their military commander.(don't recall his name)

On the surface, this guy appears to be a nut case and he worries me. This testosterone display is upsetting the balance of power and distracting the continued war on terror. The Indi's need to control this guys pissin contests.

[maquiladora]

Don't expect anything soon though, I've just read that the Indian PM is heading to Kashmir next week to visit the site of the terrorist attack and to talk to local officals.
We could be looked at something happening a few weeks down the line, maybe sometime in June.

[monday]

"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."

Sure the US would support India against Pakistan, but I am wondering just what India expects from the US. If I were Powell I would be telling India not to start anything it can't finish on its own.

I don't think anyone would bother coming to Pakistans aid, (Iran maybe) but if the US gets involved, China is just waiting for the US to be sufficiently distracted to launch against Taiwan. Don't want to encourage them.

[maquiladora]

Another article:

DGMO briefs PM on terror camps

18 May 2002: The director-general of military operations (DGMO), Lieutenant-General S.S.Chahal, has updated prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the location of terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and their operational strategy, top officials said.

The Union government is considering various options to retaliate against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and surgical strikes on terror camps across the border is one of them.

The army routinely tracks terrorist activities in PoK so that ground operations may be launched at short notice.

The Indian Army has been placed on high alert since the 13-December-2001 Pakistani terrorist attack on Parliament and the possibility of military action has increased after the Kaluchak incident.

[varon]

A captured Haji Pir will connect Uri to Poonch and limit cross-border terrorism....

Sounds like the same ol' Poonch and Judi show to me...............

[Stefan Stackhouse]

I assume that the 6-hour alert period was set because that's how long it takes the Paks to deliver a weapon via ox-cart to New Dehli?

[wretchard]

The campaign to take Kashmir from India is being waged on two fronts: one for national purposes by the Pakistani Army, using conventional means; another for Islamic purposes using terrorist tactics. The recent Indian response has been largely symbolic, probably because of a lack of political consensus and military preparation required to support a decisive response, and partly in the hope that the a 9/11 energized America could rein in the Pakistanis.

In recent months, the Indians may have redressed their operational deficiencies and gained strength. In the meantime, Musharaff has attained another term, the US has increased is presence in Pakistan and the Al-Qaeda have been penetrated; which is to say the agressive factions have lost strength.

The Indian buildup looks like preparation to administer a relatively short, but brutal incursion into Pakistani-controlled territory. The idea would be to humiliate the irridentist factions in Pakistan. It's success will critically depend on the performance of the Indian Army. They have to put the Pakistani Army on the ropes within a very short time without escalating to nuclear weapons to give the US a chance to step in and broker a settlement which will essentially oust the agressive elements of the Pakistani army and government.

This will be a hell of an act to pull off. The Indian Army is better known for its grinding power than its lightning tempo. It may soon be taking the stage to demonstrate how it can balance six spinning plates from a 30 foot pole. The real danger lies in two places: the possibility that the Indian Army will become bogged down and enhance the prestige of the irredentists; or the the chance that the cheap command and control mechanism of Pakistan will break down and fire off nukes. Then all the bets are off.

[marshmallow]

For a Christian, neither India nor Pakistan have been pleasant places to be, recently. Hindu militants have killed priests, raped nuns and desecrated churches, just as Islamic militants have done in Pakistan.

However, militant Hinduism is not the same threat to the west that militant Islam is, thus our inclination to make India the "good guys". I have a feeling that if this escalates, there will be carnage on both sides.