An avalanche that buried more than 120 soldiers in a Himalayan region close to India has put a spotlight on what critics say is one of world’s most pointless military deployments: two poverty-wracked nations engaged in a costly standoff over an uninhabitable patch of mountain and ice, according to a report on Fox News.
Of all the problems plaguing the two countries, Siachen is often described as one of the easiest to solve but it is hostage to general mistrust and hard-liners on both sides who don’t want to give up their claim on territory, however strategically insignificant.
“This absolutely futile, useless fiasco has been going on since 1984,” said Pakistan-India peace activist Tahira Abdullah. “It is a one-hour job to agree on a solution, but it is now an ego problem between the two armies. Both armies should pull back from the heights. Soldiers are dying and my heart bleeds for them, but it’s for nothing.” Temperatures as low as -60 C (-76 F), vicious winds and altitude sickness — the region is just east of the world’s second-highest peak, K-2 — have killed far more than the artillery fire. Casualty figures are not released by either military, but hundreds are believed to have died there.
Analysts say resolving Siachen should be possible before the much more difficult dispute over Kashmir is attempted. Because no one lives in the region and it is of no strategic value, a joint or even unilateral withdrawal from one side could break the logjam.“Why should we be going for an agreement? We should just withdraw,” said Imtiaz Alam, the head of the South Asian Free Media Association.
I don't know this guy named Imtiaz Alam, who seems to have no knowledge of the prevailing geo-political situation. If we take your depiction of Siachin being a wasteland & of no strategic value, then shouldn’t we hand over the whole Thar Desert as well to Indians, as it is equally big a wasteland?
Had it been just a matter of plain egoism, it would have definitely made some sense for a unilateral withdrawal. Remember one thing plain & simple, a country's integrity & sovereignty can only preserved with real blood & bones and the guys who are valiantly laying down their precious lives for this noble cause are not complaining, why you are having pain in your sore neck!
The 'Pappu' strikes again 🙂
Dear Pappu you seem to be an army stooge who have nothing to loose because its not your neck on the line. Read yesterday's newspaper and know the feelings of the armymen serving there. India is on higher posts in Siachen and if it wanted to capture Pakistani parts then it is easier for it to do so. Logically in this position it is just guarding its own part. Hence holding lower posts on avalanche prone hillside has no strategic or logical value for Pakistani army, except a thought that Indian troops are worse off on even higher altitudes. But India with its Trillion dollar economy can afford it, whereas the Pak army is ensuring its own hold over Pakistan by keeping tensions with India alive, either with such futile engagements or by sending its LET proxies. I am sure that since Pakistani politicians are now getting bold enough of talking peace and trade with India, we would soon hear of either escalation of tensions on the border or some spectacular terrorist attack in India to derail the process. Indian army is different from Pakistani army where the biggest scandal in recent years has been the Army chief getting kicked around for asking amendment to his date of birth and still serving his political masters.
Hoping against hope for a logical answer because people like you generally use bluster and offensive language as answer to all matters.
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