NCTC row: How to lose allies and alienate the opposition

The recent embarrassment regarding the formulation of the "National counter terrorism centre" is another chink in the armour for the centre which is already in a weak position.

P Chidambaram's black marks, Manmohan Singh's silence, Strong chief ministers, Dual ruling, lack of cooperation among allies and leaving the opposition out in the cold are some of the factors that has brought this system to such a fragile condition.

NV Subramanyam elaborates...

NCTC row: How to lose allies and alienate the opposition

Painting fangs on a lamb

The near-successful assassination of an Israeli diplomat raises an important question about the dysfunction that continues to characterise the country's counter-terrorism infrastructure.

Even though the attack took place less than 500 metres from the Prime Minister's official residence, there was no system in place to cordon off the area. The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Painting fangs on a lamb: "Terrorist groups targeting India, rather than Israel, will be paying close attention to this depressing litany of failures.

The roots of these failures lie in exceptionally poor training. India does not have a single world-class institution for teaching investigation, forensics, intelligence or tactical skills. The truth is this: India's intelligence is thin, investigation skills appalling and emergency response infrastructure non-existent. 

Painting fangs on this lamb won't fool anyone — least of all terrorists who mean India harm.

Inside the camps that foment terror

"Answers from a series of interviews might make it possible to define the Hizbul Mujahideen, an otherwise nebulous entity."

Syed Salahuddin, supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), reaffirmed his organisation's “healthiness” last Tuesday, telling Kashmir News Service that HM's “infrastructure is intact” and that “J&K will be freed soon.” 

He made a similarly convincing statement last May, claiming to possess “hundreds of training camps” where he could freely “recruit and train the mujahideen.” The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Inside the camps that foment terror

Salahuddin knows that his group's strength must be seen before it can be disbelieved. So long as Pakistan's evolving terror apparatus remains shrouded in secrecy, he is at liberty to exaggerate HM's muscle.

Krishna's visit to Israel... Historic in all sense but blended with a small blunder...

SM Krishna, External Affairs Minister Of India, visited Israel and Palestine close to a fortnight ago and many view it as a historic step in strengthening the ties between the two countries...

Though SM Krishna successfully took forward the success of the NDA led government in deepening ties between the two countries, he made a strategic and a political blunder by saying "Israel ties with India are key to countering global terrorism", Opines DNA editor Shastri Ramachandran...

Our new Israel bonhomie is marked by a blunder