Letters: The nuke conundrum

This refers to Ajai Shukla's column "Come out of the nuclear closet" (Broadsword, April 15). Perhaps it is not a coincidence that nuclear and unclear are anagrams of each other. But I support the massive retaliation proposed by India. However, the retaliation on non-military targets will be secondary to the military targets so that Pakistan is severely incapacitated for a second strike. In this regard, it may be pertinent to note the Soviet nuclear doctrine propounded in the 1960s during the height of the Cold War. A think tank headed by General Vasily Danilovich Sokolovsky stated that Russia would retaliate even on non-military targets should it be attacked first. The logic was that only a threat of attacks on civilian targets would deter a first strike by anyone. So there is nothing wrong with India's strategy as long as the retaliation first takes out or cripples all nuclear establishments in Pakistan. The corollary to this is perhaps what Shukla hinted in his column - India must increase the number of warheads. There is one more vital aspect. Does Pakistan's nuclear command operate independent of its political establishment? Are we talking to the right people then?

T R Ramaswami Mumbai

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