Firdaus Ahmed : Subcontinental Musings
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Feb 19 2012
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
An age-old lesson
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS : An age-old lesson
The recent fracas was not merely the personal case of an officer exercising his right to grievance redress. It must be seen as a crisis in civil-military relations, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
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Jan 19 2012
THE SERVICES
The 'Age' of misjudgment
THE SERVICES : The 'Age' of misjudgment
The case of the Army Chief's true age is only seemingly one of an individual's besmirched honour. It is instead one in civil-military relations, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
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Dec 26 2011
DEFENCE BUREAUCRACY
To specialise or not?
DEFENCE BUREAUCRACY : To specialise or not?
Should bureaucrats working in the national security bureaucracy have a working knowledge of the defence sector, or would that just foster group-think? Firdaus Ahmed explores the question.
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Sep 11 2011
TERROR INVESTIGATIONS
Shall we imprison everyone?
TERROR INVESTIGATIONS : Shall we imprison everyone?
Security hawks are expanding the list of terror suspects to include not just the illiterate poor, but also the well-to-do educated Muslims. Who does that leave out, asks Firdaus Ahmed.
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Aug 14 2011
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Whose command? Whose control?
NUCLEAR WEAPONS : Whose command? Whose control?
A discussion on the upward delegation of nuclear-related decision making is needed now. The defence sector cannot be reformed in isolation of its place in national security, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
Jul 19 2011
INDO-PAK TALKS
Negotiate in good faith
INDO-PAK TALKS : Negotiate in good faith
India and Pakistan don't negotiate with a give-and-take approach. Instead, they hope to gain some advantage in the background while the negotiations continue. This makes the process meaningless, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
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Jun 24 2011
MILITARY
Defence reforms: The next phase
MILITARY : Defence reforms: The next phase
The proposed second round of defence reforms will make the armed forces more utilisable. Nonetheless, this should not blind us to the questionable impulse behind the reforms, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
May 10 2011
INDIAN POWER
Unity in militarism
INDIAN POWER : Unity in militarism
The security establishment would like India to project its power more forcefully abroad. But to position this as an exercise in protecting the nation's internal unity stretches the imagination, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
Apr 27 2011
GEO-POLITICS
China in the strategic debate
GEO-POLITICS : China in the strategic debate
India needs a China policy that cannot stampede it into a premature confrontation with that putative superpower. The military too needs to be brought on board, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
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Mar 31 2011
GEO-POLITICS
Long road still ahead
GEO-POLITICS : Long road still ahead
While the procedural track of talks between India and Pakistan may stay on course, nothing significant can be expected to emerge from them, writes Firdaus Ahmed.
Firdaus Ahmed is a freelance writer on security affairs, and writes a monthly column on peace, security, and related issues for India Together.