Wednesday, October 24

Attack Helicopters to fight terrorism?

If you are at the stage that you need attack helicopters to fight terrorism, then you have basically lost the fight against terrorism and are now in a WAR!. Terrorism is a very complex animal, something like genetic testing and mapping. Using attack helicopters on terrorism is like using a sledge hammer inside a gene laboratory. I am not that fussed with the Bell 412 helicopters, they are after all utility helicopters. Used for transport, reconnaissance and other military, para-military and police work.

I am more concerned by the usage of Cobra Helicopters (AH-1F). These are proper gun ship platforms with multi barrel 20 mm cannon, multi rocket launchers and ability to carry and deploy TOW Missiles. I would love to have one of those when I am faced with an armoured column or infantry which has been deployed in APC's, but for crying out loud, what the hell are you doing with a Cobra Attack Gunship in Pakistan?

This is waging war. And the fact that it is being done inside Pakistan means that it is civil war. Now why on earth has this situation been allowed to degenerate to this level that you need helicopter gunships to control terrorists, militants or what have you?

And using American Gunships, the very same gunships being used in Iraq and other places is really going make the Pakistani Taliban feel all cuddly. Just one reason to understand why Al Queda wants President Musharraf killed, he is one with the hated Americans.

But the idea that these helicopters is for counter-terrorism is a dreadful mistake. This is full fledged war going on, my friends, and needs to be considered as such. I do not like this, this is not going to be productive, and this American style of waging war rather than treating terrorism as a crime is going to create far more problems than it resolves.

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