Posted on 05/20/2002 8:04:47 PM PDT by Sawdring
New Delhi, May 20. (PTI): Union Home Minister L K Advani said the Army has been asked to consult the 'War Book' and the Merchant Navy has been brought under the operational command of the Navy.
The war book, a highly confidential document, contains the day-to-day records of past wars including battle plans, strategies and actions of both sides, and is maintained at the headquarters of all regiments. It is usually consulted only when the Army gets ready for war.
He also said that para-military troops "have all been brought under the Army command. Even the Merchant Navy has been brought under the Navy. This is an indication that we are moving in a certain direction."
He said the Kaluchak attack was of a "different level" as the attack this time was on the family members of the Army personnel.
"For long we have been fighting the war. So, either we fight the way we have been fighting all along or there will be a difference," Advani said.
The Home Minister said he will be reaching Srinagar on May 23 to attend the Unified Command meeting and will be joined by both Prime Minister Vajpayee and Defence Minister George Fernandes.
Earlier, Advani had a meeting with Punjab Governor Lt Gen (Retd) J F R Jacob.
LOL! This guy is a helluva lot better at "saying nothing" than U.S. Senators, Congressmen, and even some Cabinet Members. Some of our "leaders" should take notes. "Either we'll do what we've done before or we'll do something different!"
Er...Wouldn't it be useful to look at all the time, not just a few days before the balloon goes up?
I would hope that the Indians would have learned from that disastrous approach, but apparently not.
You're probably thinking of the Ramayana. Most people remember it for the monkey characters. That or the Mahabharata which I have only ever skimmed through.
LOL!
Indian General: "Ok, I want tank brigades pouring through these gaps here, here and ... What is it?"
Adviser: "Sir, the book says we have to use elephants mounted with archers"
Indian General: "Really? Here, let me see that..."
You never know what will be the straw that breaks the elephant's back.
Thats it Keri, thanks a million.
Modern wars are a national effort and fought by the whole nation, not by the armed forces alone. As an example, a division consisting of about 20,000 soldiers, when fighting a war, needs supplies, ammunition, petrol/oil and lubricants etc to the tune of 400 tonnes a day. With several divisions deployed on the border for war, the resources of the entire nation need to be mobilised. That procedure and process is contained in the War Book.
The War Book exists in all the concerned ministries of the central government as well as at state level, down to the district level. Various actions listed in the War Book are things like keeping hospital beds ready, requisitioning civil transport, ships, placing the airline staff under the orders of the Indian Air Force. The practice of keeping a War Book ready at all times dates back to the British days. The advantage of this system is that separate orders for each action are unnecessary and the whole government machinery is geared up with minimum fuss.
The armed forces have been mobilised for the last six months. What Home Minister L K Advani apparently meant was that the other ministries and government departments are also being activated.
The last time such an exercise was carried out by India was in 1971. Six months before the war started all deficiencies were made up. Typically, the armed forces function in peace time with close to 25 per cent deficiencies, but on mobilisation these are made up. Young readers may not know but in 1971 even before a shot was fired, the armed forces had began building Prisoner of War camps. Even the staff for them was earmarked. The State Reserve Police from states away from the border were deployed in Punjab. I still remember seeing the poor constables of the Mumbai police in their blue shorts shivering in the Delhi cold.
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