By Srishti Chauhan:
The murder of the number 1 wanted man by the United States federal Bureau of Investigation turned the world upside down for a moment. The sheer enormity of the action accompanied by the secrecy of the operation to be conducted has given the world a stir.
Osama Bin Laden, the man responsible for one of the worst terrorist attacks in the world- The World Trade Center attack, had finally been killed. While celebrities from America tweeted about their satisfaction at getting the much needed closure, it gave the world a lot to think about- especially India.
The first thing that comes to mind is the absurdity of Pakistan’s claim of not being aware of the fact that Osama was residing at a place that is 1 hour’s drive from the capital city of Islamabad. Not only this, the city where Osama has been caught and killed was a military base for Pakistan’s Army. Can anything be more bizarre than this claim by the country who has a reputation for providing shelter to the world’s most wanted terrorists?
The second thing that comes to mind is the furor that is being created around the fact that USA had kept the operation a secret from the rest of the world. Even the most mentally bankrupt people can most visibly make out that had the US publicly announced its intentions, the target of killing their number 1 enemy would never have been successful. Is it not better to keep Pakistan in the dark and eliminate forces of terrorism if numerous attempts to get Pak to comply with anti-terrorism policies have failed miserably?
The third thing that attracts attention is the fact that the DNA tests of Osama were done and the body was quickly disposed off. The swiftness displayed by America in disposing off the body has roused much rumors. It has made many people regard this as a political strategy by President Obama. This theory is, however, quite flawed. No one shall disagree upon the point that being the President of the most powerful country, Obama has a lot of responsibilities on his shoulder. He simply cannot stage the killing of such an important man and get away with it. Would he not lose face if the world is confronted with another video tape of Osama claiming that he is, indeed, alive? Would Obama not have thought of this? Sounds foolhardy!
The questions that this raises for India are indeed extremely pertinent. Many experts have claimed with surety that the terrorists behind the 26/11 attacks are also residing in Pakistan. The claim, looking at history for conclusions, is pretty sensible and realistic. Pakistan has been known to harbor a sense of animosity against India and is hardly worried about the ill-effects on its economy arising from the image that it has built up about itself in recent times. Pakistan government does not care about the fact that student visas from Pakistani students are rejected in most countries around the world. It seems to be living a life of the myopic and is reveling in the short lived petty schemes against India.
The question that Indian government must answer is whether it is correct for us to be diplomatic and try to capture our criminals without use of force. United States of America has spent $10 billion to track down and kill Osama may have weakened its position financially but sure has had the required effect on the world economy. The idea that this rightful killing has emphasized for the world is that USA will not and shall not ever forgive or forget those who are against it. Of course, America is in a better position to do it, being the strongest nation in the world. However, sitting back and watching might lead to bigger and more intense problems that India shall face.
When Indian officials talked about doing an “Osama” in Pak against 26/11 culprits, Pak immediately replied with a warning stating that if India tries to do anything similar, the consequence shall be harsh. Ever heard of an ant telling an elephant that he shall be bitten? Ever heard of an elephant not realizing that one stamp of the foot and the ant is dead forever? I’m sure you have!
What do you think? Do comment in the section below.
The writer is a Special Correspondent of Youth Ki Awaaz and a student of University of Delhi.