Amartya Sen at the Aspen Institute India's Conference in New Delhi - WSJ.com

India's approach should have been to push for what it considered to be a "fairer, juster deal" on climate change that all parties can agree to -- and if that means mandatory cuts, then so be it. "To say under no circumstances will we accept mandatory restraints is ridiculous," he said. "Our position should be we will accept a just agreement, an agreement that creates a better world." He said he was particularly disturbed at one point during the Copenhagen deliberations to see African and other developing nations side with China on the ramifications of an increase in global temperatures and to see India on the side of the U.S. and western Europe when "we have been traditionally the spokesman of the underdog." (via Snapshots from the Aspen Institute India's Conference in New Delhi - WSJ.com).

Inside Indian bedrooms

60years ago, an assault was made by foreign 'observers' into Indian bedrooms. Foreign 'observers'

1. Tied 'development aid' to India's population control.


2. Trained Indian 'health workers' to control India's human reproductive behaviour.


3. Paid for by Western Governments, soon after that, we had 'health workers' fanning out across the Indian country-side, conducting vasectomies /tubectomies on India's (especially poor) population.

It did not matter then, who the 'observers' were - foreign or Indian. Neither does it matter now. What matters is someone's monitoring. And I don't like that at all. Even if it done by a Brown.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall

Who is the most dubious of them all? And Carbon emissions is a very dubious subject. Sometime back, cows (read that as India) were targetted for carbon and methane emission. Will it be Indians and human beings next? Rhetorical you think?

Australia proves how this logic works. For Australians this has become a habit. They decided recently, in Australia to kill thirsty camels. Some time back, they were killing cane toads. Before that it was kangaroos. Before that it was dingos. And before that were humans.

Like last time

This time around, based on similarly dubious research, India is being pressured to accept monitoring of climate change. Climate control and the Copenhagen meet is that fast growing octopus which is spreading out. It tentacles can be found in all kinds of places. One of its tentacles has reached India - which was any way the target. The Aspen Institute, India (AII).

To 'soften' up India, the AII organized a gab-fest. Who could be a good candidate for a gathering of such worthies? At least, Nobel Prize winners. Rajendra Pachauri? Al Gore? Any better candidates. Yes.

Amartya Sen - who 'graced' this gab-fest, hosted by Aspen Institute, India (AII) - an 'associate' of Aspen Institute, USA. Amartya Sen is tenderizing up the media, the academia, to accept Copenhagen outcome - which is primarily International 'monitoring' of India's climate control and administration. Does Amartya Sen raise any of these questions? For his efforts to weaken Indian position and interests, Amartya Sen will soon qualify as a unique category of Indian passport holder - Non-Resident, Non-Indian, holding an Indian passport.

The AII-Board of Trustees reads more like Who's Who of Indian industry - Bajaj, Birla, Godrej, Thapar et al.

The carbon credits 'opportunity'

The rich fat-cats are already licking the chops. Estimates have been put out that the 'carbon-credits business s worth Rs.28,000 crores.

Interestingly, note one thing very carefully. No one, but none, is talking up about cleaning up on pollution. No industry is being asked to reduce their pollutants (think of inks, dyes and chemicals), manage by-products (sulphur from petroleum refining), eliminate contamination (paper plants), decrease waste (electronics), recycle (just imagine the number of mobile phone batteries).

Dada Amartya, you got a memory lapse! How come you don't talk about any of this?

Polluter cleans – not pay

One of the fundamental flaws of the Kyoto Protocol was the principal of ‘polluter pays’. Based on retributive justice logic, it was something that was bound to fail. Instead it should have been based on the Indic justice principle – ameliorative and make good. The operating principle should have been ‘polluter cleans and does not pollute again.’

Camels ... in the kingdom of heaven

Copenhagen is for the rich (from poor countries), by the rich (from rich countries) to the rich (from poor and rich countries) – and may the poor and common be damned. And one thing you can be absolutely, completely, definitely, positively, wholly sure of.

The poor will never, ever, at all, in any manner, benefit from climate control.

Copenhagen Talks End With Agreement, But No Binding Deal - AlterNet

Environmental writer and activist Bill McKibben of 350.org voiced his disapproval. (and) summarized what Obama accomplished:

He formed a league of super-polluters, and would-be super-polluters. China, the U.S., and India don't want anyone controlling their use of coal in any meaningful way.

(via Copenhagen Talks End With Agreement, But No Binding Deal: So, How Screwed Are We? | Environment | AlterNet).

QED

On Aug 14, 2009, a Quicktake post wondered if this entire climate change and global warming had something to do with coal-fired power plants.

Bill McKibben's peeve does prove that this is indeed the case.

Now, coal is the cheapest way to generate electricity. Looking at the shortfall in electricity, and Indian consumers' ability to pay, coal is the answer.

To low costs, add the fact that India has coal reserves that will last for the next 100 years - at least. But, coal-generated electricity, will also makes India industrially competitive.

And we don't want that, do we? Right, Billy Boy!

Inside Indian bedrooms

60years ago, an assault was made by foreign ‘observers’ into Indian bedrooms. Foreign ‘observers’

1. Tied ‘development aid’ to India’s population control.


2. Trained Indian ‘health workers’ to control India’s human reproductive behaviour.


3. Paid for by Western Governments, soon after that, we had ‘health workers’ fanning out across the Indian country-side, conducting vasectomies /tubectomies on India’s (especially poor) population.

It did not matter then, who the ‘observers’ were – foreign or Indian. Neither does it matter now. What matters is someone’s monitoring. And I don’t like that at all.

Even if the monitors have brown skins (my liking for brown skin notwithstanding). Even if it comes with a recommendation from Nobel prize winner, Amartya Sen. How Indian power producers generate electricity is our business.

Getting a handle on the Indian economy is the second and related part of the agenda.

An agenda, I don't like.

All that nice, fresh, white newsprint ...

Wasted!

Just the amount of newsprint that has been devoted to climate change and global warming must have raised temperatures (going by the 'warmers' calculations and estimates) enough to make this debate of questionable value. To that add, the amount of gimmickry and media overdrive (through slick PR) that raises many doubts and questions.

Hush, boy! Do not even mention 'scientific manipulation'.

Just look at the record.

The most prominent and vocal votary of Climate Change was Al Gore - who was promptly awarded the Nobel Prize. The recruitment of Maldives and the positioning of President Mohammed Nasheed was again a very slick operation. The underwater Maldives cabinet meeting had a interesting story.

Maldivian officials said the idea to hold the attention-grabbing underwater cabinet meeting came from President Mohamed Nasheed when he was asked by an activist group to support its “environmental day” action on October 24.

“The 350.org group asked if the Maldives can hold an underwater banner supporting environmental day,” an official from the president’s office said.

“The president thought for a while and then came up with the idea to have an underwater cabinet meeting.” (via Maldives cabinet rehearses underwater meeting).

Propping up Maldives as ‘fifth’ column was done over the last more than 20 years. Based on excellent PR and media management skills, the Maldives was the trojan horse loosed on the G77+Basic grouping.

350.org is rather well armed on the PR front – with a specific agency for South Asia itself. The PR agency for the Maldives Travel and Tourism Authority McCluskey International does seem to either bask in reflected glory – or is hinting at the authorship of this stunt. The Maldives climate change campaign seems to be headquarted in Britain also.

Been there and done that

The hallmark of the Maldives’ climate change campaign has been it slick PR. Dramatic statements, intriguing sound bites, the Maldives’ campaign was beyond the common bureaucratic ‘creature’ – much less a Maldives’ bureaucrat. This is consistent and in line with Al Gore’s media and public relations management – which won the PR agency, the campaign of the year award. And Al Gore the Nobel Prize.

All this is much like, how from the early 1950’s to the late eighties, the Western world created hysteria regarding ‘population explosion’ in India and China. Enormous pressures were brought onto the Chinese and Indian Governments to ‘control’ their populations.

Same game, different name! Doesn't wash. Just like last time.

Related Posts

• Climate change – How India is falling for propaganda


• Climate Change at Copenhagen – Britain mounts a Trojan operation


• Indian cows were blamed for global warming!


• US Euro Clubs hobble Third Wold


• Climate head steps down over e-mail leak


• NASSCOM wakes after 15 months


• PR Stunts – The Maldives underwater meeting

We can challenge India on Copenhagen goals: US – Global Warming – Environment – Home – The Times of India

White House senior advisor David Axelrod told CNN that the Copenhagen Accord would allow US verification. "Now China and India have set goals. We are going to be able to review what they are doing. We are going to be able to challenge them if they do not meet those goals," Axelrod said.

While this was probably intended to keep the enraged constituencies of US labour unions at bay, who had insisted that Barack Obama come back with a commitment from India and China for carbon cuts and their verification, these statements will only fuel a fire in countries like China and India. (via We can challenge India on Copenhagen goals: US - Global Warming - Environment - Home - The Times of India).

Like last time

This time around, based on similarly dubious research, India is being pressured to accept monitoring of climate change. Climate control and the Copenhagen meet is that fast growing octopus which is spreading out. It tentacles can be found in all kinds of places. One of its tentacles has reached India – which was any way the target. The Aspen Institute, India (AII).

To ’soften’ up India, the AII organized a gab-fest. Who could be a good candidate for a gathering of such worthies? At least, Nobel Prize winners. Rajendra Pachauri? Al Gore? Any better candidates. Yes.

Amartya Sen – who ‘graced’ this gab-fest, hosted by Aspen Institute, India (AII) – an ‘associate’ of Aspen Institute, USA. Amartya Sen is tenderizing up the media, the academia, to accept Copenhagen outcome – which is primarily International ‘monitoring’ of India’s climate control and administration. Does Amartya Sen raise any of these questions? For his efforts to weaken Indian position and interests, Amartya Sen will soon qualify as a unique category of Indian passport holder – Non-Resident, Non-Indian, holding an Indian passport.

The AII-Board of Trustees reads more like Who’s Who of Indian industry – Bajaj, Birla, Godrej, Thapar et al.

The carbon credits ‘opportunity’

The rich fat-cats are already licking the chops. Estimates have been put out that the ‘carbon-credits business s worth Rs.28,000 crores.

Interestingly, note one thing very carefully. No one, but none, is talking up about cleaning up on pollution. No industry is being asked to reduce their pollutants (think of inks, dyes and chemicals), manage by-products (sulphur from petroleum refining), eliminate contamination (paper plants), decrease waste (electronics), recycle (just imagine the number of mobile phone batteries).

Dada Amartya, you got a memory lapse! How come you don’t talk about any of this?

Polluter cleans – not pay

One of the fundamental flaws of the Kyoto Protocol was the principal of ‘polluter pays’. Based on retributive justice logic, it was something that was bound to fail. Instead it should have been based on the Indic justice principle – ameliorative and make good. The operating principle should have been ‘polluter cleans and does not pollute again.’

Camels … in the kingdom of heaven

Copenhagen is for the rich (from poor countries), by the rich (from rich countries) to the rich (from poor and rich countries) – and may the poor and common be damned. And one thing you can be absolutely, completely, definitely, positively, wholly sure of.

The poor will never, ever, at all, in any manner, benefit from climate control.

Indian to head Amnesty

Salil Shetty (48), Director of the Millennium Development Goals Campaign, is set to become the Secretary-General of Amnesty International. Salil Shetty will be the first Indian to head the international secular non-government organisation.

An alumnus of St Joseph’s Indian High School and St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bangalore, Shetty was President of the College Student Union in 1979. He did his Masters in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad and went on to earn a distinction in a Masters of Science in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics.

He joined the United Nations in October 2003 as Director of the Millennium Campaign ... Before joining the UN, Shetty was Chief Executive of ActionAid. (via B’lorean to head Amnesty).

Citius, altius, fortius

Amartya Sen wins the Nobel prize. For research on the Great Bengal Famine. And what does he do - he papers over the entire British policy in Bengal during WW2 - which resulted in the Great Bengal Famine.

The Congress in India, the UMNO in Malaysia and the Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU, have actively white-washed colonial genocides, It took a Catherine Elkins to partially unmask the killings during the Mau Mau uprising. The genocide in 1857 Indo-British War has been estimated by Amaresh Mishra's book. The killings in Malaysia have remained un-investigated and unexposed.

According to the official figures, Mau Mau killed fewer than 100 whites and about 1,800 Kikuyu loyalists while some 11,000 Kikuyu were killed in return. Both Elkins and David Anderson regard these figures with derision — Anderson points out that the mass hanging of 1,090 Mau Mau had no parallel anywhere in Malaya, Indochina or even Algeria, while Elkins suggests that the real number of deaths may have run into hundreds of thousands. (From The Sunday Times, January 9, 2005, Britain's Gulag by Caroline Elkins; Histories of The Hanged by David Anderson, REVIEWED BY R W JOHNSON).

Rajinder Pachauri, head of the IPCC, which won the Nobel Prize, now similarly promotes the 'interests' and the agenda of the climate change lobby. Promoting, protecting the climate change agenda, to the exclusion of Indian interests.

Arundhati Roy's became a 'force' to reckon with - after getting the a large advance (media reports change from 500,000 to, 1 million) and winning the Booker Prize. No prize, for guessing which country gives out the prize. Her promotion of the 'liberal-progressive' agenda - for instance, her Kashmir ideas keep the debate in India from becoming rational or useful to India.

The most elite of Indians

Today, Amartya Sen returns the 'favour' of the Nobel Prize by promoting Western agenda and ideas. In the climate control debate, he proposes that India should 'welcome' international, inspection, audit, intervention and dictation. Rajinder Pachauri defends the fraud of climate change. To cover up the climate change fraud, he indulges in mudslinging against the East Anglia hackers. Arundhati Roy thinks that consigning another 2 crore (twenty million) Kashmiris into the Pakistani hell is OK - based on terrorist activities of some 2000 jihadis. I am very happy for Salil Shetty, except for one thing. The question that springs to my 'provincial' mind' (aka मोटी, देसी और मंद बुद्धि) is ...

Is Salil Shetty joining this 'elite' club?

Climate change - 'Time for Plan B' says Nigel Lawson

The world's political leaders, not least President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, are in a state of severe, almost clinical, denial. While acknowledging that the outcome of the United Nations climate-change conference in Copenhagen fell short of their demand for a legally binding, enforceable and verifiable global agreement on emissions reductions by developed and developing countries alike, they insist that what has been achieved is a breakthrough and a decisive step forward. (via Nigel Lawson: Time for Plan B - WSJ.com).

The real issue

For the first time, in all the coverage that climate change has seen (dare I say, over-coverage), here is something that was 'honest', 'open', 'clear' and 'transparent'. In more informal surroundings I would have used the word brazen.

First - He, Nigel Lawson, starts of with clearly defining that the G8/OECD world wanted "a legally binding, enforceable and verifiable global agreement on emissions reductions by developed and developing countries alike". Awesome.

The same 25,000 people (25 countries x 1000 powerful people) who rule over the G8-/OECD wanted the poor to invite these 25,000 to have undue and illegitimate oversight over our 'poor' lives - in the name of climate change. While the rest of the world was pussyfooting around this issue, here we find Nigel Lawson 'outing' the real agenda. Good work, Nigel.

Reaching out

Second - He was honest to admit what his real peeve was. He thinks that the "only breakthrough was the political coup for China and India in concluding the anodyne communiqué with the United States behind closed doors, with Brazil and South Africa allowed in the room and Europe left to languish in the cold outside."

If he can feel bad about that, we can surely feel good about it. Since, this is the season for cheer and goodwill, let me confess ...

I do, at least.

They don't want us to compete

Third - He also very simply goes to the nub of the matter.

"The reason we use carbon-based energy is not the political power of the oil lobby or the coal industry. It is because it is far and away the cheapest source of energy at the present time and is likely to remain so, not forever, but for the foreseeable future."

And dear Nigel, we cannot allow access to India-China to get that benefit? Can we!

Creating fifth columnists

Fourth - He goes onto questioning the "2006 Stern Review, quite the shoddiest pseudo-scientific and pseudo-economic document any British Government has ever produced". And this was the same Sir Nicolas Stern, who the Indian Government wanted to /did consult. And he does quite simply capture the debate well when he says "any assessment of the impact of any future warming that may occur is inevitably highly conjectural, depending ... on the uncertainties of climate science ... (and) on the uncertainties of future technological development. So what we are talking about is risk".

We can do business with such people

Fifth - He also fires a warning shot at China and India with "The risk of a 1930s-style outbreak of protectionism—if the developed world were to abjure cheap energy and faced enhanced competition from China and other rapidly industrializing countries that declined to do so—is probably greater than any risk from warming."

Your 'great' poet, Sheikh-speare, put it well. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. You want a trade war, Nigel Boy? You got it!!

Just tell us where and when!

He then goes onto draw

"the outlines of a credible plan B are clear. First and foremost, we must do what mankind has always done, and adapt to whatever changes in temperature may in the future arise.

This enables us to pocket the (many) benefits of any warming while reducing the costs ... Addressing these problems directly is many times more cost-effective than anything discussed at Copenhagen. And adaptation does not require a global agreement, although we may well need to help the very poorest countries (not China) to adapt ...

... it is not going to be easy to get our leaders to move to plan B. (as) calling a halt to the high-profile climate-change traveling circus risks causing a severe conference-deprivation trauma among the participants. If there has to be a small public investment in counseling, it would be money well spent.

The speed with which the Plan B has come out means that they (G8+OECD) have given up on Plan A, which is good news. Since, their strategy did not work, what Plan B means is that they will go one country after another. Tackle them individually.

The West + Japan may make one last attempt in Mexico. If unsuccessful, they may drop the entire climate change agenda.

Which is good news.

I am presuming guilt

In the last six months

In the last 6 months, 3 investigations related to people with Indian background, in US Courts, have advanced to the stage of prosecution and two have matured to sentencing in US Courts. The first was the Anand Jon case, the second is the Vikram Buddhi's case. The third case, Rajarathnam's, let us examine later in the post. Legal and technical merits of the Anand Jon and Vikram Buddhi's case I will not go into. Let's presume that these two are guilty, fully and completely.

Crime and punishment

For the purpose of this post, let us not say 'alleged' crime - and assume that the due process of law did unravel the crime and fix culpability. SO, what was Vikram Buddhi's crime?

A US newspaper, Post-Tribune reported that Vikram Buddhi, as per Federal prosecutors, had posted threatening messages on

a Yahoo message board in late 2005 and early 2006. The postings mocked American foreign policy and made threats against Bush and other officials. "GO IRAQIS!... KILL GW BUSH... AND KILL LAURA BUSH... KILL DICK CHENEY THE WHITE FAT PIG," one said.

How serious is that a crime?

The CIA has been assassinating foreign heads of State with approval of the US Government for decades now. I am sure in the 8 years of Bush Presidency, there must have been 100,000 /10,000 /1000 messages in conversations, chat rooms, bulletin boards, blogs, comment sections, calling for George Bush's head.

Incidents, precedents, antecedents

To the best of my knowledge, no one else, has been prosecuted for this crime. Just Vikram Buddhi alone. Has there been a case like in US Courts like this before? None that any news reports linked here have cited. Vikram Buddhi's state-appointed lawyer, Arlington Foley, thinks,

According to what the law is, the guidelines are it was an appropriate and fair sentence. May be Mr. Buddhi does not think so. But I think it was well thought of and well reasoned by the judge Actually I though that the judge was kind to Mr. Buddhi.

By Dr. Buddhi Kotasubbarao, Vikram Buddhi's father draws a interesting parallel between USA and Iranian judicial outcomes - much like the Quicktake on a similar situation. He interestingly, highlights how a 'friend of India', Hillary Clinton, spoke up for Roxana Saberi - but is missing in action for Vikram Buddhi. Prominent US newspapers like Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal or the LA Times - none thought it fit to cover this trial.

Rules can change

Blogger Hal Turner's case is a good parallel to Vikram Buddhi's case. Hal Turner, posted messages on his blog, calling for killing of judges. The twist in the case happened when Hal Turner claimed that he

received thousands of dollars from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups and was sent undercover to Brazil, according to a report on Sunday by The Record of Bergen County.

Mr. Turner also claims the F.B.I. coached him to make racist, anti-Semitic and other threatening statements on his Internet radio show, but the newspaper also found that many federal officials were concerned that his audience might follow up on his violent speech.

The newspaper reviewed numerous government documents, e-mail messages, court records and almost 20 hours of jailhouse interviews with Turner.

The 12 man jury could not agree to Hal Turner's guilt - and mistrial was declared. Across the continent, in Europe, in the case case of child-rapist Roman Polanski,

the director’s sister-in-law Mathilde Seigner hinted that the leader (Nicholas Sarkozy) has been instrumental to the recent development.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it is thanks to the President that Roman has been freed, but he has been super. The President has been very effective,” Times Online quoted her as telling Le Parisien newspaper.

Sarkozy had earlier expressed his views on the director being held on a US warrant for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. (via Nicolas Sarkozy ‘helped’ Roman Polanski get bail).

Joseph Wambaugh on Hollywood

For years now, I have been avid reader of Joseph Wambaugh – a policeman turned writer. His comedies, wrapped in (mostly) LA or (sometimes) New York milieu, are in the style of Raymond Chandler under halogen lamp. The darker areas get better light. The chrome glints more. Glamour quotient gets mixed with large doses of warmth and understanding. Unlike Chandler, Wambaugh’s is never judgmental – which make his characters very real.

I read Wambaugh’s Glitter Dome, and twenty years later I remember one of his interesting observations on Hollywood,

Parking, not pussy, is at a premium around these parts, they said.

Wambaugh captures the politics of Hollywood in The Glitter Dome By Joseph Wambaugh, page 46

Sex, Cinema and Fashion

Hollywood, Bollywood (a patronizing name by which Indian film industry calls itself), haute couture businesses have a rather blase attitude about sex. Hence, to hold Hollywood to ordinary behavioural norms, has a puritanical air about it. In the Polanski affaire, the alleged victim, Samantha Geimer, wants the case closed.

But anyway, coming to why this story gets me curious, is why did Anand Jon, a haute couture designer get such a harsh sentence. Unwilling /semi-willing /actively willing sex in Hollywood /Bollywood /haute couture businesses is what (I have been given to believe) is normal. I mean these days, stars /starlets ‘leak’ sex tapes on the internet.

Remember two things. We are talking about such 'abnorml sex, in the pornography capital of the world - the USA. And, two. No one has ever been seriously prosecuted, convicted and sentenced – as Anand Jon has been!

Where is the balance

Joseph Brooks, ("You light up my life", the 1977 hit is his claim to fame), an Oscar winning Hollywood 'director', has been accused of a luring more than 'victims' to the 'casting couch.' He is out on bail - while the prosecution 'builds' its case. Will he get more than a rap on his knuckles? (St. PT Barnum, our resident propaganda slayer has recommended that) Brokelads offer 17-3 odds against Brooks getting a jail sentence of more than 12 months.

Coming back to the Anand Jon case. Is it the first time that models have tried advancing their career by sleeping with designers? Has it not happened before? Phil Spector, Juror No. 6, himself murder accused (and later convicted) a movie-industry executive, should have known better.

I wonder what is it that Anand Jon did, (part from the usual rape, willing/unwilling sex industry routine) which brought down the entire American judicial establishment onto him like ton of bricks.

But Anand Jon is guilty - and an Indian. On these two things, there is no doubt (in my mind). That gets him a minimum of 59 years in prison.

On Wall Street

The case of the Sri Lankan Rajarathnam has similar smell to it. The US prosecuting authority, Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, alleges that the Galleon Fund made some US$20 million out of this insider trading. Galleon Fund (more than US$5 billion in assets under management) probably spent more than US$20 million on tea, coffee, espresso, soda, Evian and paper napkins. Rajrathnam’s own net worth was estimated by “Forbes” to be US$ 1.3 billion

Is there any sense, any balance to these cases. Especially, when what constitutes 'insider' trading itself is so vague and nebulous!

Is Preet Bharara, indulging in reverse ‘affirmative action’ by prosecuting Rajarathnam? Is A 'Whiter-than-White' Preet Bharara trying to prove that he is colour blind?

“If you’re a wealthy trader, you aren’t special,” Bloomberg quoted Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara as saying at a press conference. “Knock on our door before we come knocking on yours.”

What Preet Bharara should do is investigate Hank Paulson, the Former Treasury Secretary, under whose watch many bankruptcies happened conveniently in favour of JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.

The world's largest prison population

The US with the world's largest prison population, I am sure, has many other cases of such judcial 'zeal'! So, Vikram Buddhi, Anand Jon and P Rajarathnam are definitely not an exception. But, it is possibly the first time that three people from an Indian background were targetted in a similar manner in such a short time. Though, remember that Rajarathnam is not an Indian, but a Sri Lankan.

For Indians, used to being lionized in Western press, should look at the emerging threats of this differential judicial treatment - and factor for the same.

Pokhran-II: an H-bomb disaster

China would be undeterred by our A-bomb arsenal of the yields indicated above. So we reiterate our considered view — shared by the majority of our nuclear scientists, strategic analysts and, above all, our military — that a solely A-bomb arsenal is inadequate as a deterrent against China. Otherwise, why did four prime ministers want a TN device (H-bomb) and why did the then Prime Minister Vajpayee and his NSA Brajesh Mishra direct and insist with the BARC-DRDO leadership — Kalam, Chidambaram, Santhanam and Kakodkar — that at least one P-2 test must be of a TN device? (via K Santhanam & Ashok Parthasarathi: Pokhran-II: an H-bomb disaster).

At the cusp of history

India, is at the cusp of becoming a military power, which will make the cost of an military confrontation unacceptable to the aggressor. However, the position at the cusp, is statistically, always the most tricky. India, though far better prepared than in 1962 and 1965, has not yet become a unquestioned military force - and is yet a thresh-hold power.

Prospective aggressors would do well to remember that in 1971, India opened war on two fronts against Pakistan. On the Western front, Indian armed forces held out against a US-equipped, armed, financed and supported Pakistan. On the Eastern front, Indian Armed Forces captured more than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers as POWs, which is the largest POW capture in post WW2 wars.

At another level, there is the reductionist perspective, that beyond a point, nuclear arsenals can only "make the rubble bounce."

In modern warfare

To my mind, more critical than thermonuclear or the H-bomb, is the delivery mechanism. India, must focus on missiles which can shoot down incoming missiles and at the same time evade enemy radar and defence missiles. This will be the low cost, high impact defence strategy which can make India handle this cusp situation better. These can be low range to medium range missiles - which will target military installations and NOT civilian targets.

The other aspect is that an arms race is a mug's game. What gives military victories is the difference between armies. Armed parity will ensure a prolonged war of attrition - and not victory. India should not try for parity - but a differentiating factor.

What can make a difference

There may even be merit in having micro A-bombs which will vaporize invading forces. Instead of spending more and money on bigger and bigger bombs, it may be counter-intuitive to make smaller, more compact bombs. These can be used against invading forces - instead of the Nagasaki-Hiroshima model.

My favorite battle story

From the Ramayana - Hanuman kills Dhumaraksha.

Dhumaraksha's fearsome chariot, with braying and neighing mules, clashing cymbals and rolling bells, clanging metal and fearsome pennants, featuring vultures, rolls out from the Lanka's gates, onto the battlefield. Wreaking havoc on the vanarsena.

The sight of the chariot inspires fear - and the vanarsena is on their feet, without chariots, some 2000 miles from home, with nil supply lines, against a renowned Asura force. After watching the battle sway back and forth, seeing the flagging morale of his warriors, Hanuman picks up a huge boulder and crushes Dhumaraksha's chariot. Dhumraksha himself jumps off the chariot and escapes death. Now on the ground, on his feet, Dhumaraksha is quickly killed by Hanuman.

So, there is some sense in not getting too sophisticated, after all.