The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope specifically designed to conduct infrared astronomy. Its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope. This enables investigations across many fields of astronomy and cosmology, such as observation of the first stars and the formation of the first galaxies, and detailed atmospheric characterization of potentially habitable exoplanets. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) led Webb's design and development and partnered with two main agencies: the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Maryland managed telescope development, while the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore on the Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University operates Webb. The primary contractor for the project was Northrop Grumman. The telescope is named after James E. Webb, who was the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968 during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

International Diplomacy: Fence Sitters are fair game for Poachers

In international diplomacy, there is a famous and old saying: Great power politics is murky, dinghy and dangerous—therefore step cautiously in measured steps. But India has yet to chalk out a strategy to navigate these murky waters. Both the political leadership and their advisors are well advised to formulate a strategy based on supreme self interest. As Oliver Cromwell, the English statesman famously said: "We have no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. But our interests are eternal." If you walk the tightrope and are a perennial fence sitter, in all likelihood you will expose yourself to potshots from both the sides. If you try to please everyone, you will end up annoying everyone and will eventually be left with no supporters or allies. If you try to be a friend to everyone, sooner or later, countries will realise that India is loyal to no block and will eventually sneer and scorn you.

India seem to be doing the same with its China and Russia policy. If you want to align with a set of countries, it should be on the basis of shared and common values and systems. Liberty, equality, fraternity, freedom, belief in the presence of GOD, belief in the family structure, individual exertion, entrepreneurship, democratic values are synonymous with countries like US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Germany, etc. Repressiveness, closed society, curtailment of freedom, no value for the individual, not particularly valuing the family structure or belief in GOD, totalitarianism, subjugation of individual enterprise are values associated with communist countries like Russia, China, North Korea, etc.

In the world stage, the global formations have already taken place. Sadly India is still not sure where it wants to go. On the one side are the forces of freedom and those believing in God signifying US, Canada, UK, Australia, EU, Japan and the like. On the other hand are the forces portraying systems like closed society, subjugation of the individual and no belief in GoD depicted by countries like Russia, China, North Korea. The writing is clearly on the wall. India must put its weight behind the freedom loving and God believing forces like US, Canada, UK, Australia, Japan, EU and Scandinavian countries. If in the process we lose old allies like Russia, so be it. Let Russia form its own block. India must learn to let go old allies and embrace new and natural friends. In this lies India’s salvation.

Counter-Terror Operations:  The recent surgical strikes by the Indian Army on Pakistani Jehadi Launchpads came too late and is very little. What should have been carried out some 20 years back is being carried 20 years later. The one-night four hour operation targeting 7 launchpads should have instead been carried out on 50-60 launch pads with the help of 10-12 Indian Army teams on one day itself. India should not stop with just one surgical strike. It should even now go ahead and strike another 50-60 Pakistani Jehadi launchpads, in batches of 8-10 launchpads every alternate day for a sustained period of one week. That the surgical strikes have had little impact is being seen from the fact that just today there are terror attacks in both Shopian and Pampore.

Pakistani strategists have often referred to India as a ‘polla pahelwan’ meaning feeble wrestler. If you want to earn the respect of the enemy and strike fear and terror down the enemy ranks than Indian Army must take on the motto of “More savage than the Mongols, more brutal than the Huns”. Counter-terror commandoes of the Indian security establishment must have the green signal to treat captured enemy jehadis in such a manner so that it sends a shiver down the spine of every potential jehadi who even thinks of crossing into India. Further, India must conduct hot pursuit of known India baiters like Salahuddin, ISI chief, Pakistani Army Chief and the likes. With an incorrigible enemy, sometimes as Ram Madhav rightly put it, ‘an entire jaw for a tooth’ is the best policy. 

Pluralistic Society: PM Modi ji is taking a lot of right steps and administrative measures to overhaul the Indian economy. It must be said to his credit that despite venomous insults and criticisms flying at him from all directions, he shrugs them off with ease and moves forward with renewed vigour. But one thing must be maintained at all costs. Acceptance, fair treatment and equal opportunities for people of all religions, regions, and castes. India is too deeply entwined within itself with myriad ethnic and religious groups living in a state of delicate equilibrium. To spoil this equilibrium would be solely at the country’s detriment.

Law & Order and Security: Maintaining internal law and order and security for citizens of the country is the most paramount responsibility of the government in power. Governments in power must not settle scores with members of opposition parties because of past atrocities conducted by those parties in power on its members. There is a way and rather many ways to get this message out without making the other person feel threatened or by making him feel criminally intimidated. To feel secure and safe is the right of every citizen.


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