Shields up!
Posted on 05/22/2002 10:31:57 AM PDT by mhking
Tensions are certainly high, but with Jack Straw and Richard Armitage coming to the region in the coming weeks I don't think we'll see any major military action in the near furure, unless there is some sort of unexpected incident which snowballs of course.
Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but after hearing the Indian president last night/this morning, I truly wonder. I've been watching StarNews India off and on of late, and things look grim, indeed.
Congratulations! I just heard about the proposal yesterday.
Those must be the 2003 model Corvettes. Gonna have to get me one of those. :)
So if you're Mushariff in Pakistan, you've got al-qaeda infiltrating your Western border with Afghanistan (and half your troops deployed to stop them), al-qaeda infiltrated in your ISI security agency, al-qaeda stirring up trouble on your North-Eastern border with India, you're surrounded by some of the world's largest armies (China, India), you're outnumbered by India ten to 1 in men, tanks, fighters, bombers, and nukes; and you've got fewer than 20 of your own nukes (out of 80 Hiroshima-sized devices) on missiles (the rest being vulnerable to air or ground interception) to defend yourself with.You've got an Indian aircraft carrier and missile ships off of your Southern coast and an Indian army on your Eastern border.
Perhaps this is not the time for Pakistan to be playing the prima-dona regarding their claims to frozen wasteland in Kashmir.
It'll be somewhat sad to see Pakistan razed to the ground ala Carthage (delendo est) because Mushariff actually seemed to be playing ball with us (finally). Too bad. At least the Indians will be rather likely to insure that al-qaeda isn't operating in that region any longer.
And China? China isn't getting involved in this conflict. Why? Because they've been moving their surface to air and surface to surface missiles to the OTHER side of the country in their attempt to intimidate Taiwan, and without those anti-aircraft missiles near Kashmir, they aren't going to iritate the Indian air force.
One has to wonder just how stupid world leaders can become that they would play the hand that Pakistan has played in a game with such high stakes (and stacked deck), but perhaps the answer is that the al-qaeda infiltration of Pakistan not only influences policy but also doesn't give a whitt if Pakistan is vaporized...
Of course, India already has a substantial force in the West already, which includes the Viraat Class aircraft carrier.
...yah right!
Here's a pic of an Indian Air Force MiG-21, which are Korean War vintage. According to Jane's, the India has been developing it's own fighter since 1983. That's taken so long, the MiG-21's had to be upgraded with Israeli and Russian help. I don't have a clue as to their capability or the Pakistani Air Force's capability.
Here's a map of likely targets in Pakistan.
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