Re: Sierra Leone - foreign policy consensus?

[Vamsi Musunuru <vamsi@siliconcorp.com>]

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Charu datt wrote:

>In general, I believe, the argument goes that preservation of peace
>worldwide is a worthy goal and that with the shrinking of the world,
>India has a stake in the prevention of the creation of the kind
>misery that produces individuals who know only desperation and  > violence
>and have 'nothing to lose'- e.g. the mujahedeen created by > the conflict
>in Afghanistan who later ended up in Kashmir because > violence and terror
>is all that they know.

Combating violence on foreign lands with Indian lives is unjustifiable.
Improving the efficiency of current weapons and developing new ones that can
protect the borders is a justifiable venture for the military and for the
hard-earned tax money of the Indian people.

Oh by the way, the Mujahedeen problem is far more complex and India by no
means "started that fire".  Indian military must be strengthened to protect
its borders on Earth and any space colonies in the future and not just to go
fight someone else's wars!!

 >
 >
 > In particular to the case of Indian troops involved in UN peace  >
keeping-
 > such as in Sierrra Leone- I believe [based on fragmentary  > discussions
with
 > relatives in the military, someone please correct me if I'm wrong]
 > the assignments are voluntary, the volunteers receive pay at
 > international/western/UN scales over and above their military pay,  > and
 > the operational expense is paid for by the UN- reimbursing the  > Indian
 > govt for its expenses.

What is the difference between this and the "voluntary" recruitment of
Gurkas by the British during WWII?  And how was that done in Indian national
interest?
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