By the Editor

Now world is waking up to the plight and almost certain extermination of Yazidi’s in Iraq. We feel thankful to be safe and sound in comfort of our lawn chairs but what’s happening in Iraq and Syria has serious repercussions for India too. The burning fuel in the conflict in Middle East can easily spill into our neighbor’s next door Pakistan and might as well into our own home if some overzealous men decide to answer the call of caliphate in Syria.

It is commendable that we rescued Indian nurses stuck in Iraq but there are others in India who are more than willing to join the fighting with ISIS. We have the known cases of the youth from Mumbai and Tamil Nadu but the problem is most of the stuff is available on the internet with just a click of the button. What if these misguided youths turn on their own countrymen or if those who went to Syria or Iraq come home and not like what they see. There have been reports of these terrorist groups trying to influence youngsters in India by posting online videos and messages. Both American and European governments are not only closely watching even arresting the people coming back from the frontlines of conflict in Syria and Iraq.

Things are no different in our western side of border, Stability is not synonymous with Pakistan and so is the protection of religious minorities. Its nuclear arsenal only adds to the precariousness of the situation. The repeated violation of ceasefire at the line of control is not the kind of peace we should be looking with Pakistan. Pakistani politicians and generals thrive on inciting their population against India. We are dealing with people who don’t believe in peaceful coexistence. Sooner or later, things would go out of hand for Nawaz Sharif and nobody is looking forward to another Kargil. Prime Minister Modi’s effort and intent to tap the potential of Kashmir are creditable but his three P’s Prakashan, Paryavaran and Paryatan would only work in a safe and sound Kashmir, an Indian Kashmir in both reality and spirit and not the one where anti-Indian slogan and protest are a daily routine.

We have to be watchful of the events unfolding both outside and inside our home. India and Indians have an attitude of keeping to themselves, there is nothing wrong with that but it’s always the outsiders who either knocked or kicked at our doors. We don’t always have to solve the problem when it presents itself because as the saying goes, prevention is the best cure.