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Release those Italian marines; lets get some Pak terrorists instead
By holding the Italians, we are showcasing a streak in our character that has historically differentiated us from other nations kick someone who is already down and tuck our tails under us like street dogs when someone kicks us.
By CrystalGazer Fri 7:29 PM
So there is a furor over Ferrari flying the Italian Navys flag on its cars during the Indian Grand Prix, or at least media reports say so. The Italians are flying the naval flag to show solidarity with their marines arrested in India and facing manslaughter charges over shooting dead Indian fishermen in our territorial waters.
The legal merits of the case and the propriety of Ferraris conduct apart, I think the Indian government and the Kerala government have over-reacted in this case. The way the Italian marines have been held and dealt with is a clear case of playing to the gallery, taking advantage of the fact that the Italians have few levers to work with the Indian government. If it were US marines or British soldiers, I can confidently predict the Indian authorities would have displayed servility that can only be compared with the hubris they have displayed in the Italians case.
Let us step back and look at the unfortunate sequence of events that led to the Italians incarceration. The marines were on duty on a ship passing close to the Kerala coast on that fateful day. Media reports have said they were on heightened alert after radio reports of pirates presence in the Arabian Sea.
Here is objection number one raised by those who are baying for the marines blood: Kerala is far away from Somalia and the marines were obviously trigger-happy to have emptied their guns at a fishing boat near the Kerala coast.
Now, Somalia is far from the Indian coast but pirates have been arrested from the Arabian Sea very near to Lakshadweep. So the marines had every right to be suspicious of a fishing boat approaching/tailing them.
Okay and here is objection number two: the marines were shooting at a fishing boat. True but it is a well-documented fact that the pirates commandeer fishing boats and use them to board merchantmen.
Now let us look at the conditions under which the marines were operating. They are on alert having been warned of pirates presence nearby; they are in an area not too far away from where pirates have been captured before; it is night; and they have a fishing boat approaching them.
Here is objection number three: Still there was no danger to the ship; the marines should have held their fire till they could clearly identify the occupants of the boat.
It is a good argument but remember, the marines were on guard and now have a suspicious boat around them. Now they are under pressure to act first shoot first. Because the favorite weapon of the pirates is the deadly rocket propelled grenade (RPG). In skilled hands, or with luck, it can bring down helicopters and disable tanks. On the back of the marines minds is the worry that if the pirates do manage to get lucky with an RPG, their lives are in danger. And if the marines get lucky and escape they will still face an inquiry at home about how they reacted to the threat.
The marines say they fired warning shots but the boat did not stop and they had to shoot to kill. The boats crew members who escaped the firing say they heard no warning shots. Probably both versions are correct. In the open sea, the sound of the waves and the boats engine could have drowned out the marines warning shots. Add to that, the marines would have fired at extreme range, fearful of the RPGs or return fire from the boat. And marines usually used suppressors that reduce muzzle flashes. No wonder the boat crew did not hear any warning shots.
Now the drama starts. The Kerala police ask the ship to report at the Kochi harbor on some pretext. The Italians comply and are arrested. Everyone, including the media in Kerala, wants to hang them. The Italians rush in consular officials and a minister also flies in -- all normal in such a scenario.
But everything is twisted to make it look as if the Italians are trying to get away with a crime. Every step the hapless Italians take is brought under intense scrutiny and motives attributed. It is a game that Kerala has seen before: during the ISRO spy case which was fabricated -- with various parties vying for the honors -- with no evidence whatsoever.
The Italians meet a Christian missionary and are promptly accused of trying to play the religion card. Would our envoys also have not gone and met an influential Indian godman around, under similar circumstances, in another country where we have little diplomatic leverage? Why read too much into such acts from desperate envoys?
The Italian marines were sent to jail and the media and politicians celebrated. The marines have since been released on bail but cant leave the country. Because some Indians think subjecting them to such treatment is how we showcase Indias power on the world stage! Coming from a country full of corrupt and effete politicians, it makes me barf.
The Italians (probably) erred under pressure. It was a mistake and that country says they will try them according to their laws. Mind you, the Italians are not asking us to just let the marines free but promising to try them according to the laws of their land. Even if you do not give much importance to that argument, we can still say the marines have already suffered enough and they should be let free as their intentions were noble. I would like to ask how many pirates have we arrested and tried so far and how many have we apprehended and let free? Come on!
The Italians have already monetarily compensated the families of the victims the best they could do under the circumstances, and the families, too, want the court cases to end. But not the politicians and officials!
What is tragic here is we, a country that cannot show enough spine to punish Pakistan for training and sending terrorists to India regularly, are holding to ransom the lives of two common soldiers in the name of national pride and rule of law. Nothing is more laughable than that.
We, a country full of corrupt politicians and thugs who would not hesitate to sell their mothers for a few dollars, are subjecting two soldiers to very harsh treatment -- to put it mildly. We are forgetting the trauma their families are going through.
If we want to show our iron will to the world as a rising super power (my foot!) then we should go in and punish Pakistan. We should send to jail the fat cats who take kickbacks to buy us substandard weapons that put the lives of our jawans in danger.
But the Italians are easy prey, and here is one opportunity to showcase a streak in our character that has historically differentiated us from other nations kick someone who is already down and tuck our tails under us like street dogs when someone kicks us, and even enjoy it. Collectively we should be glad that we have not let the opportunity pass!
By holding the Italians, we are showcasing a streak in our character that has historically differentiated us from other nations kick someone who is already down and tuck our tails under us like street dogs when someone kicks us.
By CrystalGazer Fri 7:29 PM
So there is a furor over Ferrari flying the Italian Navys flag on its cars during the Indian Grand Prix, or at least media reports say so. The Italians are flying the naval flag to show solidarity with their marines arrested in India and facing manslaughter charges over shooting dead Indian fishermen in our territorial waters.
The legal merits of the case and the propriety of Ferraris conduct apart, I think the Indian government and the Kerala government have over-reacted in this case. The way the Italian marines have been held and dealt with is a clear case of playing to the gallery, taking advantage of the fact that the Italians have few levers to work with the Indian government. If it were US marines or British soldiers, I can confidently predict the Indian authorities would have displayed servility that can only be compared with the hubris they have displayed in the Italians case.
Let us step back and look at the unfortunate sequence of events that led to the Italians incarceration. The marines were on duty on a ship passing close to the Kerala coast on that fateful day. Media reports have said they were on heightened alert after radio reports of pirates presence in the Arabian Sea.
Here is objection number one raised by those who are baying for the marines blood: Kerala is far away from Somalia and the marines were obviously trigger-happy to have emptied their guns at a fishing boat near the Kerala coast.
Now, Somalia is far from the Indian coast but pirates have been arrested from the Arabian Sea very near to Lakshadweep. So the marines had every right to be suspicious of a fishing boat approaching/tailing them.
Okay and here is objection number two: the marines were shooting at a fishing boat. True but it is a well-documented fact that the pirates commandeer fishing boats and use them to board merchantmen.
Now let us look at the conditions under which the marines were operating. They are on alert having been warned of pirates presence nearby; they are in an area not too far away from where pirates have been captured before; it is night; and they have a fishing boat approaching them.
Here is objection number three: Still there was no danger to the ship; the marines should have held their fire till they could clearly identify the occupants of the boat.
It is a good argument but remember, the marines were on guard and now have a suspicious boat around them. Now they are under pressure to act first shoot first. Because the favorite weapon of the pirates is the deadly rocket propelled grenade (RPG). In skilled hands, or with luck, it can bring down helicopters and disable tanks. On the back of the marines minds is the worry that if the pirates do manage to get lucky with an RPG, their lives are in danger. And if the marines get lucky and escape they will still face an inquiry at home about how they reacted to the threat.
The marines say they fired warning shots but the boat did not stop and they had to shoot to kill. The boats crew members who escaped the firing say they heard no warning shots. Probably both versions are correct. In the open sea, the sound of the waves and the boats engine could have drowned out the marines warning shots. Add to that, the marines would have fired at extreme range, fearful of the RPGs or return fire from the boat. And marines usually used suppressors that reduce muzzle flashes. No wonder the boat crew did not hear any warning shots.
Now the drama starts. The Kerala police ask the ship to report at the Kochi harbor on some pretext. The Italians comply and are arrested. Everyone, including the media in Kerala, wants to hang them. The Italians rush in consular officials and a minister also flies in -- all normal in such a scenario.
But everything is twisted to make it look as if the Italians are trying to get away with a crime. Every step the hapless Italians take is brought under intense scrutiny and motives attributed. It is a game that Kerala has seen before: during the ISRO spy case which was fabricated -- with various parties vying for the honors -- with no evidence whatsoever.
The Italians meet a Christian missionary and are promptly accused of trying to play the religion card. Would our envoys also have not gone and met an influential Indian godman around, under similar circumstances, in another country where we have little diplomatic leverage? Why read too much into such acts from desperate envoys?
The Italian marines were sent to jail and the media and politicians celebrated. The marines have since been released on bail but cant leave the country. Because some Indians think subjecting them to such treatment is how we showcase Indias power on the world stage! Coming from a country full of corrupt and effete politicians, it makes me barf.
The Italians (probably) erred under pressure. It was a mistake and that country says they will try them according to their laws. Mind you, the Italians are not asking us to just let the marines free but promising to try them according to the laws of their land. Even if you do not give much importance to that argument, we can still say the marines have already suffered enough and they should be let free as their intentions were noble. I would like to ask how many pirates have we arrested and tried so far and how many have we apprehended and let free? Come on!
The Italians have already monetarily compensated the families of the victims the best they could do under the circumstances, and the families, too, want the court cases to end. But not the politicians and officials!
What is tragic here is we, a country that cannot show enough spine to punish Pakistan for training and sending terrorists to India regularly, are holding to ransom the lives of two common soldiers in the name of national pride and rule of law. Nothing is more laughable than that.
We, a country full of corrupt politicians and thugs who would not hesitate to sell their mothers for a few dollars, are subjecting two soldiers to very harsh treatment -- to put it mildly. We are forgetting the trauma their families are going through.
If we want to show our iron will to the world as a rising super power (my foot!) then we should go in and punish Pakistan. We should send to jail the fat cats who take kickbacks to buy us substandard weapons that put the lives of our jawans in danger.
But the Italians are easy prey, and here is one opportunity to showcase a streak in our character that has historically differentiated us from other nations kick someone who is already down and tuck our tails under us like street dogs when someone kicks us, and even enjoy it. Collectively we should be glad that we have not let the opportunity pass!
