The greatest most expensive manhunt in history, employing man and material resources far beyond anything else in recorded times, culminated at about 3 am on Sunday May 1, 2011. With a shot to the head over the left eye, and maybe another one in the chest, Osama Bin Laden’s decade-long successful evasion of those seeking…
Bin Laden’s hideout in a mainly garrison town seriously compromised the credibility of our intelligence agencies and our Armed Forces (read “the Pakistan Army”). That he was not in some cave was no surprise, the embarrassing security lapse in failing to locate him within days and weeks, let alone nearly six years, was shocking. The…
Dear Readers, The killing of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad on May 2, 2011 by a raiding party of US Navy Seals who flew in undetected in stealth helicopters, accomplished their mission and flew out, has left many red faces in Pakistan. Pakistan was not informed about the mission for ‘security reasons’; it was only…
For a few heady hours following Hosni Mobarak’s exit from power after 30 years of dictatorial rule during which he (and his family) managed to “save” US $ 40 billion from the salaries paid to him as a public servant of an impoverished nation, the successful revolt in the streets sent hopes soaring about impending…
The recent upsurge in the streets of the Arab world has been force-multiplied by the planned (and unplanned) use of both internet and the media, Twitter, Facebook, Al-Jazeera, CNN, etc have all chipped in. Joining the dominos Tunisia and Egypt that have fallen, Yemen, Algeria and Bahrain are tottering, Libya is now in a state…
Hard Power has been used often in the context of national security by a number of States, if the aims have not been achieved it is primarily because of their inability to employ all elements of national power. The US national security system is grossly imbalanced and finds it easier to mobilize resources for Hard-Power…
“Soft Power” is the ability to make others do what you want, what they would otherwise not have done. Based on intangibles: i.e. less on what you own, and more on what you represent, others do what you want because of how they see you. What one wants can be done not just by States,…
A vast majority of people believe that Bhutto’s hanging was ‘judicial murder’, something that few would disagree with because of the controversial circumstances under which he was tried. The Supreme Court (SC) Bench that had heard the appeal gave a split verdict, yet Bhutto was executed. There are many who believe that Zardaris Presidential Reference…
The major factor fueling corruption is that public servants dread their life after retirement. Remaining honest and depending on their meagre savings and pension means they cannot maintain the same lifestyle they had been leading. Given today’s prices and rents, they are not wrong, their abiding fear of not having a roof over their head…
Dear Readers, One of the most outstanding officers of the Pakistan, and certainly one of the bravest, Maj Gen (Retd) Naseerullah Khan Babar, SJ & Bar died in January 2011 after a prolonged illness. Some personalities are non-conformist but they always seem to make a positive difference, both in peace and war, to the Army…
