To All Regional Show Secretaries: Fill & Download for Free

Interesting questionWhile not entirely a secret, but more like a thing long forgotten which should be remembered by everyone.This place-Termed as the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen Glacier is what also could be termed as the most extreme battlefield,where there is a higher possibility of dying from the unfriendly terrain and weather than a Pakistani bullet.Now despite this, the region since it's capture by Indian Army in 1984[1] , remains under tight vigil, since as anyone would agree, despite the terrain and bad weather, there is no other choice,provided someone on this side is not drooling for somebody of that side to get in.However, most unfortunately, we had those “somebody” in our nation.Back in somewhere around 2012, as per a leak (yup, Wikileaks), some relevations came onto surface, that the then UPA government under Dr Manmohan Singh and defence minister AK Antony were having a demilitarization plan of Siachen in cards, somewhere in year 2006[2] (Screenshot courtesy: Wikileaks)Now, as per words of Dr Singh[3] -Siachen is called the highest battlefield, where living is very difficult. Now the time has come that we make efforts that this is converted from a point of conflict to the symbol of peace.Nice argument, but then, some arguments are to be raised-Does Pakistan or Pakistani establishment understand the definition and weightage of peace?Nonetheless,the plan was on cards, with defence secretaries of both India and Pakistan to meet at Islamabad to facilitate the groundwork for all this.The opposition to the plan:Military knew it better than the average politician in a ministry portfolio that Siachen is one hard place in this planet, and they also knew that this place is always under the prying eyes of Pakistani army, just like it was around 1984. Hence kowtowing the government of the day was absolutely unacceptable to them[4] -In addition, several top-notch voices were openly against this whole deal-General VP Malik2. Ajit Doval, former chief of Intelligence Bureau, and current National Security Advisor, also a legend of his own kind3. Kanwal Sibal, former diplomat, former foreign secretary (and ironically, brother of Kapil Sibal)This much was evident. Top voices concerning diplomacy, military and strategic affairs were dead against the whole joke of a “peace agreement”. But the government kind of saw this joke as a beautiful plan.The plan probably would have become a reality,but seems one man stopped this from ever happening-MK Narayanan,the then National Security AdvisorAs per Shyam Saran, who was foreign secretary when all this was happening,claimed that Mr Narayanan scuttled the whole plan, saying that it would be met with a strong outcry from within India[5] -When the CCS meeting was held on the eve of the Defence Secretary-level talks, the NSA launched an offensive, saying that Pakistan could not be trusted, and that there will be political and public opposition to any such initiative and that India's military position in the northern sector vis-à-vis both Pakistan and China will be compromised. General Singh, who had happily gone along with the proposal in its earlier iterations, now decided to join Narayanan in rubbishing itShyam Saran several times kept claiming that the army of the day were made to agree (I bet they were left with no choice and no voice then) , however MK Narayanan stalled the whole plan, and the army decided to side with him.In other words, Mr Narayanan decided to show some spine in this whole thing. Thanks to him, a possible Siachen takeover by Pakistan NEVER happened later,and thanks to him,the Indian Army got their voice back in this whole matter.So the peace treaty went kaput, and things were stopped by some from becoming worse.National security happens to be something that has become a political football rather than a duty for Indian politicians in general. However what that really bothers me is that a party which claims to be the reason for cracking Pakistan into two (die-hard fans of Congress over internet does that too much) also were behind intentions like the one in Siachen, whose long-term repercussions had a 99.999999% chance of an attack on territorial integrity of India.And it's not just some politicians of Congress in general. The bureaucracy and bureaucrats who were aiding them in all these, those who acted as advisors, were they not responsible for all these?Several people associated with the opposing category to all this even wondered if some people were hell-bent on thinking of a Nobel peace prize for behaving like some peaceniks with wolves.So well,this should serve a reminder to people of India that the things that could have blown on our face,all thanks to Congress.Edit:Since some specific people who are as usual aligned with that one party and are quick to brand anything against them as a lie, few advice here from me-Facts don't care about you,your ideology or your feelingsFootnotes[1] Operation Meghdoot - Wikipedia[2] 06NEWDELHI3466_a[3] Siachen demilitarisation: Could PM gift away to Pakistan what Army has won?[4] 06NEWDELHI3466_a[5] When MK Narayanan stalled Siachen deal

Hong Kong has been a Special Administrative Region of China since its return on July 1, 1997, by UK. It is an undeniable and indisputable part of China. Since it’s part of China, why can’t China legislate a national security law for it?US did do something to show its support to HK: passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (HKHRDA), sanctioning 11 HK and mailand officials including HK Chief Executive Carrie Lam, revoking HK’s special status, ordering all products manufactured in HK to be labeled as “Made in China”…….US has even tried to instigate a color revolution in HK, but basically failed, except disrupting the social order in HK, and causing huge economic losses to the businesses and HK people……Yet, with the newly passed national security law, for the US, HK has literally become a “dead piece,” the piece that is hopelessly encircled in a GO game, which usually would be given up in the game.The HK card is dead, similar to all previous cards: trade war, tech war, Tibet, Xinjiang, South China Sea, blaming game of the coronovirus……So, the US is now turning to play the Taiwan card, the most dangerous one, and also the last straw for the US.US health chief lands in Taiwan on 'highest level' trip since 1979, “The American Institute in Taiwan -- the de facto embassy on the self-ruled island that China views as part of its territory -- described Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's trip as the first by a cabinet member in six years ‘and the highest level visit by a U.S. cabinet official since 1979.’"I don’t know what will really happen in the coming three months, or if Trump gets re-elected, in the following four years, for Taiwan. Here is one perspective:US doubles down on Taiwan ties to poke China“(Chinese President) Xi would undoubtedly love be able to present Taiwan on a platter to his comrades-in-arms in Beijing, which means that he could be in a rush to seize Taiwan.Some analysts believe that could be as early as next year, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Communist Party of China. The Covid-19 crisis, some analysts reckon, has presented an opening for China as the US struggles to contain the epidemic at home.”And, the former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, said in a speech on Aug. 10, that “if the Chinese mainland decides to reunify the island by force, ‘the first battle is the last battle,‘ and the US military will not come to the island's rescue, and that there won't be time for the US to come either.”And the recent massive, consecutive, realistic military drills in the Taiwan Straits and its northern and southern ends by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command might be an echo to the above opinions.Does the world really expect the two largest economies into a war? It is too unimaginable and would ruin the whole world!Let’s hope the US keep clear and reasonable to know what is the redline of China and wouldn’t overstep it! Anyway, it’s the US which is taking all the initiatives!Let’s pray for piece, for Taiwan people, for all the rest of Chinese people, for Asian neighbors, and even for others across the world.

Unlikely. The US wasn’t really interested in Alaska. You’ve gotta understand the reality for the world back then. The entire population of this country (below) was barely more than Texas today. (35 million.) So to them, there was this vast empire of fertile land in the contiguous USA, nobody was drilling for oil in Alaska and TNT hadn’t come up with all those crab fishermen shows that are so popular today.It took US Secretary of State Bill (we’re on a first name basis) Seward & the Russian Imperial Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Gorchakov, to secure the purchase. The purchase happened because the Russians needed money and they were desperately worried that the British Empire (of “We own Canada and we can own you too!” fame) was gonna take it — which isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.Since the USA was considered an unrefined popinjay that the Russians had no fear of (yes, all of Europe knew the US was going to become a great global power by the end of the Civil War—they said as much even while thumbing their noses at the Yanks), they made the smart choice and offloaded it to the least dangerous power.So recapping. The Russians weren’t going to create a regional rival (not for three generations), they were sure they were gonna lose it anyway, since they already had a HUGE amount of land (the biggest contiguous empire on Earth) and since they also really needed the cash, they strategically sold it to solve all those issues.