M.J. Akbar at PostGlobal

M.J. Akbar

India

Mubashar Jawed Akbar is a leading Indian journalist and author. He's the founder and editor-in-chief of The Asian Age, a daily multi-edition Indian newspaper with a global perspective and editor-in-chief of The Deccan Chronice, a news daily based in Hyderabad. He has written books including Blood Brothers, Nehru: The Making of India, Kashmir: Behind the Vale, Riot After Riot, The Shade of Swords, and India: The Siege Within. Close.

M.J. Akbar

India

Mubashar Jawed Akbar is a leading Indian journalist and author. He's the founder and editor-in-chief of The Asian Age, a daily multi-edition Indian newspaper with a global perspective and editor-in-chief of The Deccan Chronice, a news daily based in Hyderabad. more »

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Some Questions Before Bombing

New Delhi, India -- The answer, regrettably, lies only in more questions -- though the ones I pose have the merit of eschewing morals, ethics and marginal notions like sovereign rights, which became the first casualty of George Bush's one-frontier war against terror.

What would a cruise missile's successful destruction of a flying Taepodong prove? Would it eliminate North Korea's Taepodong capability? Would it destroy the North Korean missile arsenal?

The perceived threat from North Korea lies not in the remote possibility of every missile getting through, but in the probability of one or two reaching their targets with a full nuclear payload. Only a propagandist or a victim of propaganda would dismiss North Korea's scientists as buffoons making flying kites instead of missiles.

If, on the other hand, the Carter-Perry option is a clever ploy to test the accuracy of American missiles in real time, then it makes sense. Pakistan has repeatedly witnessed enough guided missiles becoming misguided in their brief lives.

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Comments (4)

Zathras:

If Mr. Akbar is a leading Indian journalists, then the ones following him must be in pretty sad shape.

No one is talking about hitting a flying Taepodong with a cruise missile, especially not Perry and Carter. A cruise missile cannot intercept objects in flight except by accident. Perry and Carter discussed instead the option of destroying North Korea's ICBM on the ground before it was launched. If we know where the launch pad is, we can hit it with cruise missiles; it isn't a question of testing their accuracy.

Theoretically, a ballistic missile can be intercepted and destroyed in flight by a missile defense system. Reliance on missile defense was specifically counseled against by Perry and Carter; their point was that the data North Korea would acquire through conducting a launch test would further an ICBM program whether the missile landed on its own or not.

cheech:

i agree with Zathras - one wonders what this journalist is trying to write about ? Or comment on..? Or take sides maybe ..or just filling a blog !

Neil Garret:

I hope this Akbar guy is not the smartest or brightest India has to offer. He is , like many muslim commentators, so blinded by his hatred and dislike of the US - that he is willing to ignore the path of destruction chosen by muslims.
As far as his views on Missiles is concerned - they are completely ill-informed.
Actually, on another Indian blog/forum (Bharat Rakshak) there are several Indians who are infinitely smarter than this guy and write some pretty compelling stuff . Some of them even have a refreshing sense of humor (a guy called N3 is wicked )

tttttttttttttttt:

why chg frm " main jindagi ka saath nibhata chula gaya "

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