India should explore military option if diplomacy fails: Brajesh Mishra

India and Pakistan are again at loggerheads after the terror strike in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Media on both sides of the border are predicting the chances of a war between the two neighbors. The political leaders at their level are trying to avoid a military conflict that could possibly trigger a nuclear threat.Amidst all this tension and war mongering, Zeenews.com’s Swati Chaturvedi in ‘Kahiye Janaab’ talks to former National Security Advisor in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, Brajesh Mishra about his views on the standoff. Here are the excerpts: Swati: Pakistan press is calling India a “friendly enemy”. In the current scenario is it right for Pakistan to create war hysteria? Brajesh: Democracy in Pakistan is mere eyewash. Pakistan Army, read General Kayani, is calling the shots in the country. Even before the Mumbai attack, Pakistan Prime Minister had said that the ISI will work under Interior Ministry, but the order was revoked the very next day. This clearly shows that army is mightier than the political leadership. The kind of statements that Pakistan politicians were making immediately after Mumbai attacks and the statements they making today clearly shows the shift in their stand. Swati: What should Indian government do in the current scenario? Brajesh: The current stance of Pakistan clearly shows that they are lying as per their habit. It is difficult for India to terminate all relations with Pakistan, as it is a neighboring country. Now, if we want to take military action against them then the time has come to attack Pakistan. But if we want to tackle the issue diplomatically, then it is very difficult to persuade Pakistan to take action against the terrorists.Swati: Do you think America is fully supporting India over this sensitive issue? Brajesh: America is only providing lip service rather than taking any concrete steps over this issue. America is capable of pressurizing Pakistan, but it is not doing that. The Indo-US nuclear deal was not only meant for nuke cooperation, but it was also a strategic deal. In spite of that, America is shying away from taking stern measures against Pakistan. It is a well known fact that Pakistan’s economic condition is such that it cannot survive without the help of US and Europe. This way US is capable of talking to Pakistan in firm terms, but it is not doing so because of its own strategic interests. Swati: Pakistan is probably the only nuclear power in the world that has a nuclear doctrine that says “nuclear blackmail”. How can we tackle this? Brajesh: Immediately after the Parliament attack in 2002, when army was deployed along Pakistan border, the Pakistan foreign secretary said that in case of a war, they can use any weapon clearly indicating towards their nuclear capability. I replied that if you are capable of destroying one of our cities say Delhi or Mumbai, then in the repercussion Pakistan can be erased from the world map. After that, they never talked about using nuclear weapon. Even now, they are not talking about a nuke war, but there are all sorts of possibilities in a war. It depends on the political leadership and how much control they have over the situation. That determines the course of a war.Swati: Do you think war is a possibility? Brajesh: India is trying to resolve the matter diplomatically for the last one month even though our Foreign Minister has himself admitted that they are not succeeding in isolating Pakistan over this issue. To succeed diplomatically, it is necessary for India to show its military might. This does not necessarily means attacking Pakistan, but showing the world community that India is capable of doing that. Swati: We always talk about attacking militant training centers across the border. In your opinion, should India go for surgical strikes? Brajesh: Since India has resorted to diplomatic methods to solve this issue, it should give some more time to Pakistan to act and take action against the disturbing elements and so called “non state actors”. This will give India an option to show the world community that military strike was the last option left in the scenario, in case India finally decides to go for surgical strikes. Swati: If you were the NSA, what would you have suggested your Prime Minister in the current situation? Brajesh: As I told you, I would have suggested that if initially we have not taken any military action against them and approached the issue diplomatically then we should give some more time to Pakistan to act, so that if in the future we resort to military means then the world community should know that it was the only option left with India. Swati: How do you see the change in US administration and its approach towards India amidst talks of a special envoy in Kashmir? Brajesh: If Obama appoints an envoy in Kashmir then that would see the end of Indo- US relationship that has developed significantly in the past 10 years. Obama needs to understand the ground reality of the region that any interference in Kashmir issue, that is primarily between India and Pakistan, will drastically hit the Indo-US relations.Adaptation By: Sharique N Siddiquie