Xeric
I realize you don't get it and you think I'm going off on the armed forces - whereas all I was asking was who wins when uniforms and former uniforms bad mouth "bloody" civilians --- for instance I don't think anybody will say, well, Pakistan wins - or that the perception that the armed forces and the govt are on the same page -- please don't get me wrong -
sorry, i couldnt add "No one wins in this" at the bottom of my last post. i wanted to but i couldnt as got onto some other work amidst i was writing the post.
But the thing is that the lack of visits to the conflict zones by the civilians is NOT becuase of any gulf between the civilians or the military. It was to support this fact that i tabulated the last portion of my reply. See, the civilians support the operation, barring the (wannbie) Imran Khans. Ok, not the operations but atleast we all want the militancy to end, dont we? So when the military has the support of the Nation and the civilian govt, then how can you say that there's a gulf between the two? Had this lapse been there because of any gulf, we wouldnt have seen media, politicians, analysts and the common man supporting the operations or the idea of ending militancy (to put it mildly), but they would have outrightly rejected this idea and criticized the military for their actions (they critisize the military for running banks and DHAs, but not on this, well, not the majority, you included).
So, what's the reason for such initiatives (visiting the troops on ground etc)? i think, it's the hypocrisy and the indifferent attitude, nothing else.
Like someone once told me that how would IG Punjab know anything about Punjab when the dude has stayed almost all his life in Lahore, and how would IG Balochistan would know much about Balochistan when he had been settled in Quetta for guud (his office and service tenures)?
How many times have you seen DPOs visiting the Thanas under their command? i can vouch that they have never! i mean, how would you know what the guy sitting at Thana Rasool Nagar is doing, what his problems are, what kinda repo he enjoys in the area and how does he get his job done when you cant even locate his Thana on a District Map? Ofcourse this (visits) is not the only way to judge and take care of things, but then they are there for a reason, or else Mike Mullen could have just called the COAS, N.Sharif had just called Ciliton when Kargil Saga took place on phones etc and not visit in person.
On the other hand, what to talk of COs, Brigade Commander or the GOCs, i have seen Corps Commanders visiting and inspecting EVERY training activity that any smallest sub-unit underwent during his command. Beleive me, it;'s not easy to leave a thanda office, travel 100 or miles, traverse cross country and kacha tracks, visit the troops, eat the same dall roti that the troops would have and take tea in the same Enameled Mug that the troops use, on atleast fortnightly basis. i mean who likes to eat dust and experience the rigors of cross country traveling when you are a grade 20?
i know EDOs dont do it, they dont visits that they are supposed to supervise. DCOs would never do it, because he's has extra-curricular activities planned in their offices. Politicians would only visit those place that can make their vote-bank expand, Police Officials wont do it unless there's a bomb blast.
So it's simple, it's hud-, not any gulf.
That's all.
