Joe Shearer
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- Apr 19, 2009
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I will play the devil's advocate here and view things from Pakistan's perspective.
The GB area is extremely important. It gives them a direct land route to China and prevent Indian access to Central Asia.
Plus it is has the approach to Kargil and hence Ladakh. This also makes it useful for making Siachen untenable for India.
Containing a conventional Indian thrust into GB has low chance of success - considering the terrain and logistical difficulties. A determined enemy can seriously impede Indian advance by simply blowing up the approaches to Skardu.
But honestly speaking - Pakistan's posturing here has largely been defensive in nature. The infrastructure is still dismal and might I say, of 1950s time(almost)!
@Joe Shearer can help wrt to this tactical situation.
PLUS:
- The people are probably not very happy with Pakistan; cf Christopher Snedden, "Kashmir: The Unwritten History".
- The topography is very, very hostile to a south-east/north-west axis of attack.
- Pakistan has Division level defenses in place, and is prepared for attacks.
- An Indian attack would affect a visible PLA engineering presence there, and would be inviting a Chinese thrust to relieve pressure on the GB defenses.