The book covers the core aspects that combined to culminate in the Kargil war and an account of the why and how of the war. The Kargil war is also significant in that while Pakistan escalated its covert war (in 1998) after it acquired nuclear weapons in 1987, this is the first war was fought with regular forces between the two countries that had become overtly nuclear although not the first between nuclear-armed states. And, hence, this volume that attempts to place the latest war in the context of the earlier attempts to take Kashmir by force.
In 1999, India and Pakistan found themselves locked in another armed conflict. Illustrated with over 100 photographs, maps, and colour artworks, 'Kargil 1999' offers a military perspective of the first confrontation of the declared nuclear powers of South Asia - a conflict that tested their political, military, diplomatic, and nuclear resolve.
This report examines the views of India and Pakistan on the significance ofPakistan_s foray into the Kargil-Dras sector in a limited war that has cometo be known as the Kargil conflict. The goal of the analysis is to assessboth combatants_ perceptions of the crisis, with a view to evaluating thepossibilities of future Kargil-like events and the implications of thelessons each country learned for stability in South Asia. The analysis isbased almost exclusively on Indian and Pakistani source materials.The Kargil crisis demonstrated that even the presence of nuclear weaponsmight not appreciably dampen security competition between the region_slargest states. However, the question remains of whether or not the Kargilwar represents a foretaste of future episodes of attempted nuclear coercionif India and Pakistan believe that their nuclear capabilities provide themthe immunity required to prosecute a range of military operations short ofall-out war.
The definitive account of the 1999 Kargil war - the strategy, the effects, the heroism - from the man in charge. In February 1999, Pakistani Army personnel, disguised as jehadi militants, infiltrated into mountainous Kargil and occupied key vantage points. Their intrusion triggered off a limited war between the world's newest nuclear states. It was a bitter battle, and one that throws up important lessons for India's defence preparedness, as also its responses to flare-ups such as this. This book is also a reminder of the unparalleled heroism that was on display during those grim weeks, heroism that has become a benchmark for bravery.
Kargil: Turning the Tide, is a gripping account of the operations of 8 Mountain Division, which was tasked to evict the enemy from the Drass-Mushkoh Sector during Op Vijay. Coming from the pen of Lt Gen (then Maj Gen) Mohinder Puri, who led the division during the operations, the book is as authentic an account of the operations as one can hope to have. Written in a racy style, the book vividly captures the emotions and sentiments of a soldier; the apprehensions and fears of the leaders, and finally the joy and ecstasy of a hard won victory. The book, covering a wide spectrum from attacks at platoon level to issues impinging on national security, will be of immense value to all military professionals. Civilian readers will find the accounts of various close quarters, hand to hand battles fought in the extremely challenging and hostile environment of rugged high altitude terrain, inclement weather and an entrenched enemy, very engrossing and moving. A very high casualty count of 268 killed and 818 wounded, coupled with a rich haul of gallantry awards – three Param Vir Chakras, eight Mahavir Chakras, and 42 Vir Chakras – operations of 8 Mountain Division are a saga of fortitude, exceptional bravery, and exemplary junior leadership, which will undoubtedly swell any Indian’s heart with pride.
Over the last fifteen years, Pakistan has come to be defined exclusively in terms of its struggle with terror. But are ordinary Pakistanis extremists? And what explains how Pakistanis think? Much of the current work on extremism in Pakistan tends to study extremist trends in the country from a detached position—a top-down security perspective, that renders a one-dimensional picture of what is at its heart a complex, richly textured country of 200 million people. In this book, using rigorous analysis of survey data, in-depth interviews in schools and universities in Pakistan, historical narrative reporting, and her own intuitive understanding of the country, Madiha Afzal gives the full picture of Pakistan’s relationship with extremism. The author lays out Pakistanis’ own views on terrorist groups, on jihad, on religious minorities and non-Muslims, on America, and on their place in the world. The views are not radical at first glance, but are riddled with conspiracy theories. Afzal explains how the two pillars that define the Pakistani state—Islam and a paranoia about India—have led to a regressive form of Islamization in Pakistan’s narratives, laws, and curricula. These, in turn, have shaped its citizens’ attitudes. Afzal traces this outlook to Pakistan’s unique and tortured birth. She examines the rhetoric and the strategic actions of three actors in Pakistani politics—the military, the civilian governments, and the Islamist parties—and their relationships with militant groups. She shows how regressive Pakistani laws instituted in the 1980s worsened citizen attitudes and led to vigilante and mob violence. The author also explains that the educational regime has become a vital element in shaping citizens’ thinking. How many years one attends school, whether the school is public, private, or a madrassa, and what curricula is followed all affect Pakistanis’ attitudes about terrorism and the rest of the world. In the end, Afzal suggests how this beleaguered nation—one with seemingly insurmountable problems in governance and education—can change course.
