Are you seriously still sticking to the stance, now debunked by almost every independent media organization and multiple satellite image analysts, that the IAF actually hit something other than a bunch of trees?
1. Would you rather that I believe the Pakistani side which has a history of consistently denying facts (presented in Kargil War for example), blatantly disregarding evidence/facts by claiming anyone putting forth the facts that are contrary to the narrative required to be pushed, is motivated by an opportunistically hostile intent (JeM, it's role in Mumbai attack, as put forth not only by India but also by Intelligence services from across the world)?
Or your DG ISPR, who claimed 03 Indian pilots, made the PM declare 02 and confirmed only 01 by the end of the day and through gullible and 'not so gullible' here, is trying to push forward a narrative of IAF pilot dying in CMH and '
since IAF has not asked for him, Pakistan has not declared him', citing everything from 'loss of Modi's face' (for India not asking for him) to 'do not want to undermine the peace' for Pakistan not declaring? Was it Kargil where it took Pakistan a decade to accept its involvement, when it took 10 mins for the whole world to know it, and the same 10 decades to accept it's forces were there? The
coup de grace being your giving it the appearance of DG ISPR verifying and revising?
IAF did not make any claims. They kept quiet. It takes time, to what
Oscar kept saying as 'fog of war', for situation to be clear, information to be collated and accurate image to be available. All claims and purported numbers came from Indian Media, based on "sources", a laugh by any stretch of imagination.
2. The GoI and IAF have made only two statements:
a. Of targeting (by IAF) JeM infrastructure (GoI) and claims of 'large number of casualties' (GoI).
b. Use of precision weapons (GoI & IAF).
3. As for the multiple independent media/satellite image analysts. For 3 or 4 days post strike, the area was under a complete cloud cover, multiple defence enthusiasts kept an eye over the area, willing to pay to get the photographs. I can do a lot in that time frame. So, till as such time GoI does not put forth the data it has, I would rather believe them.
4. As for the photographs of the 'site' put forth by your side, exhibiting damage to trees, I can take you to multiple sites in a thickly forested area, and put forth a veritable mix of 'bomb damage' and exhibit it to you, without you being none the wiser. And I can also show you similar effects using a FAE on temporary camps which would hardly leave any craters around.
With all due respect to your service, if you're still insistent on believing claims that are belied by all the available facts and evidence, it reflects poorly on the process you're utilizing to arrive at the conclusions in your post. More importantly, from a regional and global perspective, it's a rather sobering thought that there are likely many others like you in positions such as yours, with varying degrees of influence individually (and potentially a significant degree of influence as a collective) that may also be utilizing similarly unsubstantiated claims to formulate views and lobby for decisions/policies based on those flawed views.
With all due respects sir, you will hardly find me making any claims of this yet. I have not yet commented what was targeted, what was intercepted and what was achieved. Please go through my posts here and point to me where I have put forth a figure or a BDA. I have put forth Indian viewpoint, and when Pakistan put forth a contrarian view, addressing the members from the country, used the word 'supposedly', to denote the acknowledgement of their view point.
When and where I emphatically know something to be incorrect, I point it out. Like the Quadcopter issue. I emphatically maintained Indian Army does not use it (the photograph depicted a DJI), the thick heads that your members here are, did not read it, process it and understand it. When
Zarvan posted the photograph of a Major of PA with a DRDO Netra Quadcopter for the same incident, I accepted it. But those thick heads were being the sarcastic trolls, without realizing what I had said and what I had indicated. How can I accept a platform not in service with Indian Army as being in service with them? Could it be of someone else's? Say for example BSF? It could be. Similarly, the video footage was exposed by me as Pakistani post bearing a Pakistani flag was marked in it as Indian post. How can I accept that as a proof?
Even for the name of the supposed downed PAF pilot, I asked
Oscar here clearly, accepting that since it is unverified by me and was getting it as I was online here, am asking, and he denied. And that was the end of the matter for me till as such time another information which is verified by me in my own way, comes forth. I have not claimed his name as that of the Pilot and tried to build a narrative on it, for simply put, I have not been able to verify it. Only debunked few supposed TTAs here claiming Shazuddin is not a name of Pakistani (and in same breath saying neither is Kasab)! I think I can hardly be held guilty of being gullible.
For your F-16, I have maintained I am convinced, not confirmed, for the latter requires either a wreckage or acceptance of a shoot down by your side. Neither is available. Convinced, because I have been able to piece together a picture that has been put forth by multiple sources exceeding a score in quantity, all from a diverse background along with information gleaned off ELINT/SIGINT and ATC RT database, shared through grapevine in terms of the summation . Could it be wrong, it could be, but data convinces me that it may not be.
As for Mig 21, I put forward the exact situation that happened, as I could confirm, it is there for all to see.
Sir, for the bold, unfortunately the realm of the Military Operations does not permit anyone to get away with falsification/obfuscation of facts for too long, especially in a democracy (or mobocracy) like India. Even if there is an attempt, usually the same becomes a general knowledge in the relatively small defence community quite quickly. I have been blowing holes in the claims of fanboys on our side of the border including our so called defence experts, when required, who claim anything and everything.
My post above, was I speaking purely in a militarist way, putting forth a viewpoint, that any military man or woman would hold, who has the experience and knowledge of the theater. I did declare it as such. It remains in the Political domain for India, to decide whether it is a policy that should be followed, encouraged, discouraged or dealt with, based purely on the political and diplomatic cost-benefit analysis.
regards