Of late, the Balochi tribesmen of Makkaran have been in the news because of their resentment and armed conflict against the Pakistani government. In India, not much is remembered about these people any more, particularly by the post-partition generation. In view of the security implications in our neighbourhood, it might be of interest to many to learn a little about the Balochis.
Most Indians find the Americans overbearing and unjust. They find the Americans fiercely self-obsessed and highly individualistic. Most importantly they find the American policy towards India a consequence of or an offshoot of American policy to “something else” and not a policy that is based on an independent recognition of India as moral power. They think that America is far too in love with Pakistan and unjustly gives them a long rope. Naturally, against this backdrop of this, it is becoming difficult for many to digest the latest Indo-American deal on nuclear power.
The arrest of three Babbar Khalsa militants on July 17 near Madhopur Chowk in Fatehgarh Sahab district of Punjab, along with assault rifles and explosives, have not only underscored the outfit’s weakening stature in Punjab but also show a trend of desperation within the residual Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) elements who either are attempting to come over ground or to flee the country.
The US Congress has approved a $ 300 million military aid package for Pakistan in November last year, the biggest military aid package to Pakistan since the events of 9/11. President Bush has thus begun his second term by deciding to dole out ‘arms bonanza’ to Pakistan. The $300 million is a part of the foreign military financing programme (H R 4818 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2005) totaling more than $4.7 billion, a major chunk of which goes to Israel ($2.2 billion) and Egypt (1.3billion).
Military diplomacy has become an integral part of the overall national security planning in the 21st century. While there are many tenets of military diplomacy, it could be coercive diplomacy or even a simple exchange of military officers between two states for education and training. Recently, many states have pursued joint military exercises as part of the larger military goal.