VIEW: You can’t handle the truth?

[fatman17]

VIEW: You can’t handle the truth? —Afrah Jamal

Military men generally avoid wasting time mourning; instead they show resilience, value discretion and do not welcome criticism. During such a crisis, they tend to close ranks. They are basically men of action. But after the PNS Mehran tragedy, they also need to be men of reason.

The guard is on edge. He sits up warily as a small car pulls up by the PAF Museum. But it is just some good Samaritans who hesitantly walk over to the stone slab to deposit a bouquet. The tribute is for the martyrs of the PNS Mehran tragedy who have given their lives protecting their base just a few hours earlier. The onlookers are moved. A media man leaps up with his camera.

This little show of solidarity came at a time when the Pakistani nation needs major reassurances. A handful of men who can storm a major naval aviation base, take out its main surveillance capability, inflict heavy casualties and hold up the entire garrison for more than 16 hours not only challenge the military’s omnipotent status, they play havoc with its image.

While this is not the first attack on Pakistan’s armed forces, it is the first of its kind. There is a wave of sympathy for the fallen, buried under an avalanche of criticism for the top brass. Not just because they failed to thwart the attack but because they mishandled its aftermath.

Military men generally avoid wasting time mourning; instead they show resilience, value discretion and do not welcome criticism. During such a crisis, they tend to close ranks. They are basically men of action. But after the PNS Mehran tragedy, they also need to be men of reason.

The Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), said to be the highest national body on security-related issues, “expressed full confidence in the ability and the capacity of the armed forces and law-enforcement and intelligence agencies in meeting all threats to national security.” How nice. The media does not mirror their confidence.

Breaking into a military base is not supposed to be this easy. These places are heavily guarded at the best of times and in view of the deteriorating security situation remain on a near constant state of (yellow, orange and red) alert. The security around naval areas had been tightened further, especially since they seem to have been placed on a hit list since last month. The Navy’s procedures do not distinguish between visitors and residents. Even the pizza delivery guy’s privileges have been revoked.

While Pakistan’s military is putting up a brave face, the leadership is considering a pre-emptive strike policy against terrorist bases within Pakistan. But in their haste to assuage the public’s fears they have miscalculated the extent of their displeasure. For our military establishment, balancing ‘need to know’ with the public’s ‘right to know’ may be a new terrain but it needs to be conquered swiftly.

They can begin by admitting that it was a security lapse for a start. Even if it was not an SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) lapse, denying the breach ever occurred or shifting the responsibility on a fellow service men merely aggravates an already bad situation. The discrepancy in the number of attackers (oscillating between 6, 10 and 12) has added to the confusion.

Google Earth shows that PNS Mehran and PAF Faisal Base share a boundary wall. It is entirely possible that they came through the Faisal Base side but trying to pin the blame on a fellow service weakens all three. Engaging in blame games at such a critical juncture is counterproductive and what is worse, it makes the enemy very happy. There is a general consensus that this may have been an inside job besides being a massive intelligence failure.

The armed forces tend to live in a perpetual state of war and frequently undergo drills that recreate such scenarios. Some have adapted to the changing nature of warfare and utilise breaking in teams that envisage terrorist attacks, hostage taking, and suicide/car bombings during peacetime alongside enemy action by air raids during war. And yet, the walls were breached with frightening ease. What went wrong? Now, with the watchful eye of the media upon them, cover-ups would be unwise.

Meanwhile, people stand by helplessly as the foreign media terms this as a “brilliantly executed strike” that made the armed forces look “sadly amateur” (‘Unsafe Pakistan: Wishful thinking’, The Economist, May 26, 2011). They would like to set The Economist straight. Their only consolation is that by successfully rescuing the 17 foreign nationals, Pakistan narrowly avoided an international incident. But it is still a national tragedy.

The truth is that the attackers were neither better armed, nor better trained than the men they were confronting. Their sole advantage was that they had the element of surprise, had come prepared to inflict maximum damage, were on a one-way mission, and had darkness as an ally. Their prey, on the other hand, had to cover a large area while treading carefully lest they set off potential trip wires. Their job could not have been easy.

The commandos prevailed in the end but not before the terrorists had achieved their objective. Both the destroyed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft will be replaced. The loss to prestige will be harder to salvage from the wreckage. The military needs to rehabilitate its image. They need allies. For that all three services must be on the same page. Putting their house in order is the next logical step and while an inquiry will determine the extent of complicity, the way they handle this situation will shape the way Pakistanis perceive them in the future.

The plume of smoke was visible till 2am. Standing in front of the PAF Museum gate less than 24 hours later one cannot see any sign of the mayhem. But everything has changed. The guard, having given the harmless bunch of flowers a thorough once over has returned to his post. After today, nothing can be taken for granted.

The writer is a freelance journalist who blogs at Afrah Jamal. She can be reached at afrahjh@hotmail.com

 

[RPK]

Amid bombings, Pak turns to anti-India conspiracy theories

Amid bombings, Pak turns to anti-India conspiracy theories - Indian Express


Facing a surge in violence after the killing of Osama bin Laden, Pakistanis are taking comfort in conspiracy theories that allege Indian or American agents, not fellow Muslim countrymen, are behind the attacks, especially last week's brazen assault on a naval base.

Lawmakers, media pundits, retired generals and even government officials often hint at suspicions of a "foreign hand" in the violence, despite there being no evidence and often explicit claims of responsibility by militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban.

Aired on television talk shows and in newspapers, conspiracy theories are everywhere, underscoring the challenges facing the United States as it seeks to convince Pakistan's overwhelmingly anti-American population that it faces a shared enemy in the Taliban.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton fought back Friday against the stories flying around.

"America cannot and should not solve Pakistan's problems, that is up to Pakistan," she told reporters. "But in solving its problems, Pakistan should understand that anti-Americanism and conspiracy theories will not make problems disappear."

While tales of malign intervention by foreign powers exist in other developing countries, in Pakistan they come with a heavy price. They confuse the country as to who it is fighting and complicate efforts to defeat militants and counter their extremist ideology.

Shifting the blame away from Islamist militants and onto foreigners helps protect the powerful Pakistani army from an uncomfortable truth: its long association with militants that are now turning against the state.

Right-wing Islamists who support the Afghan Taliban and share the Pakistan Taliban's hatred of America and calls for strict Islamic law are also put in a difficult position by the terror being unleashed on the country. For them, it is easier to blame foreigners out to destabilise the country than acknowledge the slaughter carried out in the name of Islam.

No evidence is ever reported to back up the claims, but unsubstantiated rumours make it into media coverage: the bodies of suicide attackers were uncircumcised, for example, implying they were not Muslims, or Indian-made ammunition was found at the scene.

Ironically, the Pakistani Taliban share Clinton's dislike of the conspiracy theories but for different reasons.

"Those who are accusing us of working for anyone else's agenda should ask themselves what they are doing," Waliur Rehman, the Taliban's No. 2 commander, said.

"We are neither working for CIA, Mossad, RAW nor any other organisation," he said, referring to the Indian spy agency. "We work to get the blessing of God."

The attack on the naval base in Karachi was one of the most brazen in more than four years of militant violence. A team of gunmen infiltrated the base, destroying two US- made surveillance planes and killing at least 10 people during a 16-hour stand-off.

 

[Chogy]

Thanks, an important post...

Aired on television talk shows and in newspapers, conspiracy theories are everywhere, underscoring the challenges facing the United States as it seeks to convince Pakistan's overwhelmingly anti-American population that it faces a shared enemy in the Taliban.

While tales of malign intervention by foreign powers exist in other developing countries, in Pakistan they come with a heavy price. They confuse the country as to who it is fighting and complicate efforts to defeat militants and counter their extremist ideology.

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

VIEW: You can’t handle the truth? —Afrah Jamal

Military men generally avoid wasting time mourning; instead they show resilience, value discretion and do not welcome criticism. During such a crisis, they tend to close ranks. They are basically men of action. But after the PNS Mehran tragedy, they also need to be men of reason.

The guard is on edge. He sits up warily as a small car pulls up by the PAF Museum. But it is just some good Samaritans who hesitantly walk over to the stone slab to deposit a bouquet. The tribute is for the martyrs of the PNS Mehran tragedy who have given their lives protecting their base just a few hours earlier. The onlookers are moved. A media man leaps up with his camera.

This little show of solidarity came at a time when the Pakistani nation needs major reassurances. A handful of men who can storm a major naval aviation base, take out its main surveillance capability, inflict heavy casualties and hold up the entire garrison for more than 16 hours not only challenge the military’s omnipotent status, they play havoc with its image.

While this is not the first attack on Pakistan’s armed forces, it is the first of its kind. There is a wave of sympathy for the fallen, buried under an avalanche of criticism for the top brass. Not just because they failed to thwart the attack but because they mishandled its aftermath.

Military men generally avoid wasting time mourning; instead they show resilience, value discretion and do not welcome criticism. During such a crisis, they tend to close ranks. They are basically men of action. But after the PNS Mehran tragedy, they also need to be men of reason.

The Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), said to be the highest national body on security-related issues, “expressed full confidence in the ability and the capacity of the armed forces and law-enforcement and intelligence agencies in meeting all threats to national security.” How nice. The media does not mirror their confidence.

Breaking into a military base is not supposed to be this easy. These places are heavily guarded at the best of times and in view of the deteriorating security situation remain on a near constant state of (yellow, orange and red) alert. The security around naval areas had been tightened further, especially since they seem to have been placed on a hit list since last month. The Navy’s procedures do not distinguish between visitors and residents. Even the pizza delivery guy’s privileges have been revoked.

While Pakistan’s military is putting up a brave face, the leadership is considering a pre-emptive strike policy against terrorist bases within Pakistan. But in their haste to assuage the public’s fears they have miscalculated the extent of their displeasure. For our military establishment, balancing ‘need to know’ with the public’s ‘right to know’ may be a new terrain but it needs to be conquered swiftly.

They can begin by admitting that it was a security lapse for a start. Even if it was not an SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) lapse, denying the breach ever occurred or shifting the responsibility on a fellow service men merely aggravates an already bad situation. The discrepancy in the number of attackers (oscillating between 6, 10 and 12) has added to the confusion.

Google Earth shows that PNS Mehran and PAF Faisal Base share a boundary wall. It is entirely possible that they came through the Faisal Base side but trying to pin the blame on a fellow service weakens all three. Engaging in blame games at such a critical juncture is counterproductive and what is worse, it makes the enemy very happy. There is a general consensus that this may have been an inside job besides being a massive intelligence failure.

The armed forces tend to live in a perpetual state of war and frequently undergo drills that recreate such scenarios. Some have adapted to the changing nature of warfare and utilise breaking in teams that envisage terrorist attacks, hostage taking, and suicide/car bombings during peacetime alongside enemy action by air raids during war. And yet, the walls were breached with frightening ease. What went wrong? Now, with the watchful eye of the media upon them, cover-ups would be unwise.

Meanwhile, people stand by helplessly as the foreign media terms this as a “brilliantly executed strike” that made the armed forces look “sadly amateur” (‘Unsafe Pakistan: Wishful thinking’, The Economist, May 26, 2011). They would like to set The Economist straight. Their only consolation is that by successfully rescuing the 17 foreign nationals, Pakistan narrowly avoided an international incident. But it is still a national tragedy.

The truth is that the attackers were neither better armed, nor better trained than the men they were confronting. Their sole advantage was that they had the element of surprise, had come prepared to inflict maximum damage, were on a one-way mission, and had darkness as an ally. Their prey, on the other hand, had to cover a large area while treading carefully lest they set off potential trip wires. Their job could not have been easy.

The commandos prevailed in the end but not before the terrorists had achieved their objective. Both the destroyed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft will be replaced. The loss to prestige will be harder to salvage from the wreckage. The military needs to rehabilitate its image. They need allies. For that all three services must be on the same page. Putting their house in order is the next logical step and while an inquiry will determine the extent of complicity, the way they handle this situation will shape the way Pakistanis perceive them in the future.

The plume of smoke was visible till 2am. Standing in front of the PAF Museum gate less than 24 hours later one cannot see any sign of the mayhem. But everything has changed. The guard, having given the harmless bunch of flowers a thorough once over has returned to his post. After today, nothing can be taken for granted.

The writer is a freelance journalist who blogs at Afrah Jamal. She can be reached at afrahjh@hotmail.com

a nice article thanx sir. the problem with pakistan is of accountability.
the military is not accountable to any one. the only problem is some people blame still civilian govt for all the chaos not realising its the pakistani military that makes all the strategic decisions. now if a decision is wrong, who has the ability ot fire DG ISI/army chief. i say no one and there in lies the problem.

 

[khurasaan1]

a nice article thanx sir. the problem with pakistan is of accountability.
the military is not accountable to any one. the only problem is some people blame still civilian govt for all the chaos not realising its the pakistani military that makes all the strategic decisions. now if a decision is wrong, who has the ability ot fire DG ISI/amry chief. i say no one and there in lies the problem.

To tell u the truth ...Pak is not under our govt ...or even the Army ..cuz they r the paid slaves of US and UK....so its is very obvious that US has the power and ability to fire DG ISI/Army Chief...without any doubt....They dont work for Pak pplz instead US/West....

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Fatman,

My only observation is the penchant for making money that is there in the Pak armed Forces - Pak Foundation etc.

I was shocked to learn that there was a Marriage Parlour inside this Base.

Marriage Parlour means civilians frequent the area.

Who the Dic.kens knows who is not carrying out a recce in the guise of a 'guest'?

The next point is that since civilians come in, the sentries are used to these chaps and become lax. You may not agree, but I have seen it wherever we have had civilian access.

Therefore, it is a moot point where the rot lies!

If the base had Orions and other strategic assets, it should have been out of bounds to unauthorised personnel and totally unauthorised for civilians and should never had a Marriage Parlour.

 

[HAIDER]

Recently talking to retired PN officer , his statement was shocking...according to him majority of PN officers are involved in part time businesses in Karachi. (or running Shadi halls in and around PNS mehran)For security they are the worst in armed forces. Extremely laid back staff. PAF is number one in security and screening., number two is PA.

 

[newdelhinsa]

Terrorists were facilitated from within: navy | Newspaper | DAWN.COM

 

[fatman17]

a nice article thanx sir. the problem with pakistan is of accountability.
the military is not accountable to any one. the only problem is some people blame still civilian govt for all the chaos not realising its the pakistani military that makes all the strategic decisions. now if a decision is wrong, who has the ability ot fire DG ISI/army chief. i say no one and there in lies the problem.

the DG-ISI offered to resign - the PM had the chance to accept and he shd have, but he didnt bcuz he had made a 'statement' earlier that the ISI works under the direction of his govt. in essence if he has accepted his offer to resign, then he would himself had to resign.

its not that simple. i see the 'indian bias' in this whole thread and it is 'understandable'

 

[fatman17]

Recently talking to retired PN officer , his statement was shocking...according to him majority of PN officers are involved in part time businesses in Karachi. (or running Shadi halls in and around PNS mehran)For security they are the worst in armed forces. Extremely laid back staff. PAF is number one in security and screening., number two is PA.

u may be right!

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

the DG-ISI offered to resign - the PM had the chance to accept and he shd have, but he didnt bcuz he had made a 'statement' earlier that the ISI works under the direction of his govt. in essence if he has accepted his offer to resign, then he would himself had to resign.

its not that simple. i see the 'indian bias' in this whole thread and it is 'understandable'

as far as indian bias is concerned, well i will speak for my self, the question of accountability i have raised is very genuine and is in no way related to bias.

 

[fatman17]

VIEW: The inconvenient truth — according to a little bird —Afrah Jamal


One can see why the Navy has been hesitant in owning up to this as it would mean that a large number escaped or melted back into the ranks. Either way, this has been a major setback.


Some new information surfaced immediately after I hit the send button on my first piece ‘You can’t handle the truth?’ (Daily Times, May 30, 2011) — information that casts new light on the events of May 22, 2011 when an indeterminate number of men stormed a naval airbase and targeted its prized assets. I say indeterminate because none of the officials seem to agree on a number.

This new information holds answers to some key questions — motive (why target the Navy?), the mystery surrounding the downgraded number of attackers (not 12) and determining who was really responsible for security on that fateful day when a surgical strike paralysed an entire base. Incidentally, it could be a brief extension of the same light the slain journalist, Saleem Shahzad, was trying to shine on the PNS Mehran tragedy.

A recent headline, ‘Navy blames PAF for security lapse’, may have deflected some criticism from the Navy but the death of Saleem Shahzad has pushed the Navy back into the unforgiving glare of the media spotlight. There is more to the Mehran disaster than meets the eye.

It began when a Navy man was court-martialled when his ties to an extremist faction were ‘discovered’. His ‘friends’ warned the Navy against taking further action against the traitor, adding that they would rue the day. It was a very specific threat and aircraft were mentioned.

Now this version of events matches, to a degree, a report published by Saleem Shahzad who recently broke a story in Asia Times Online, exposing “sizeable al Qaeda infiltration within the Navy’s ranks” — only his analysis of the PNS Mehran saga goes deeper. It also provides a motive for these attacks, which he claims were “a reaction to massive internal crackdowns on al Qaeda affiliates within the Navy”.

Pursuing this line of inquiry can be hazardous for the health. Yet, the presence of potential al Qaeda loyalists within the Navy necessitates a re-examination of the ‘breach’ story. Two days after this report, Mr Shahzad disappeared and his subsequent death has given his final words added weight. The Pakistan Navy, which is currently in the process of exorcising its demons, took a bold stand against extremism and, as a consequence, has suffered from a serious blowback. Both these versions lean heavily towards an al Qaeda hit, and bolster the inside job theory. One of them holds the Navy accountable for its actions or lack thereof in this matter.

The brave men who died that day were facing multiple challenges. The first perimeter was breached not by four, six or 12 but by more than a dozen attackers. The first breach, as the Navy keeps insisting, was in the portion that fell under the PAF jurisdiction and hence was their responsibility.

In the Navy’s own words: “They were prepared but not specifically for Mehran.” People may well ask, why ever not? According to a report, there were more than 30 aircraft in the naval compound that day. Airbases generally have three layers of ground defences — the outer ring (walls/barbed wires/lights/cameras covering the entire outer perimeter), the inner ring (armed patrols, dogs, fortified bunkers) and, finally, point defence (each armed guard defending an individual aircraft). After the first line was ostensibly breached, was the second line in place? There is no mention of guards amongst the deceased. At what stage did the point defence guards spring into action?

The Navy had been forewarned, yet it was not forearmed. The bird has pointed to a strong likelihood of this being an ambush led by 20 or so men, some of whom might have been renegades from within the naval ranks. It is a damning number that squares with the odd behaviour of the prime minister who, when pressed on disclosing the true figure, mysteriously declared that some things cannot be shared with the media. That and the fact that a Navy man initially registered an FIR against 12 people — a Freudian slip perhaps?

One can see why the Navy has been hesitant in owning up to this as it would mean that a large number escaped or melted back into the ranks. Either way, this has been a major setback. The presence of a rift within begs the question of whether any amount of defensive measures can withstand an attack that comes from inside? This new knowledge gives rise to a new set of fears — fears that military men might want to address quickly.

They might also want to take a look at official naval accounts, which have done nothing for their image: “The terrorists were so well-trained in guerrilla tactics at night that they remained unharmed despite thousands of bullets being fired at them by naval and allied forces.” There is more: “For the sake of your imagination, I would say it was such an intense, swift, well-trained, and precise attack worthy of famous Hollywood movies such as Rambo.” One is tempted to quote another Hollywood flick (Thor): “You made my men look like minimum wage mall cops.”

Granted, May 22 was not our finest hour. Yet the people do not seek to pull down their defenders for sport nor do they doubt their resolve. Saleem Shahzad may have been viewed as someone who dared to encroach upon sacred turf (national security) but his quest to identify major faultlines within institutions once thought to be invincible could only lead to ‘better security and introspection’ as someone wisely pointed out.

The writer is a freelance journalist who blogs at Afrah Jamal. She can be reached at afrahjh@hotmail.com

 

[Jango]

one thing i cant really figure out is that why did the terrorists did not blow up the C130, fighter jets, munitions at faisal, but instead go for the orions?. They had ample rockets to do the job but even after passing through all those other machinery they dont blow them up.

 

[ramu]

one thing i cant really figure out is that why did the terrorists did not blow up the C130, fighter jets, munitions at faisal, but instead go for the orions?. They had ample rockets to do the job but even after passing through all those other machinery they dont blow them up.

The security forces may have averted them going on further rampage. Give some credit to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives and protected the foreign staff as well as remaining infrastructure.

 

[Jango]

The security forces may have averted them going on further rampage. Give some credit to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives and protected the foreign staff as well as remaining infrastructure.

the point i was trying to make is that they came in through faisal, and their are C130 there so when they passed through them they left them untouched but when they went to orions they blew them up, and they also left the Z-9 untouched, and in my opinion the Z-9 would have been a much greater loss.

there are reports that the terrorists were in 2 groups. one group made havoc and left while the other was in front trying to destroy the orions. meantime security arrived and cut off group two's escape. hence they got holed up in one building.