Valleys and Valour

  US ISRAEL ATTACK ON IRAN – PART II THE BATTLE OF NERVES AND NARRATIVE “ If a battle gets prolonged against a determined adversary adept at waging asymmetric warfare, then the decision matrix gradually shifts from the domain of qualitative and quantitative technological prowess to the arena of battle of nerves and the ‘power of narrative ’. ” – Col RS Sidhu Backdrop The battlefields of Vietnam of the 1960s, Afghanistan of the 1980s and again in the first two decades of 21 st century, are standing testimony to the decisive role of ‘ nerve of the leadership ’ and the ‘ power of narrative ’ in asymmetrical conflict. The former is decisive in inducing the leadership succumbing to ‘ battle fatigue ’, while the ‘ power of narrative ’ renders the adversary ‘ hors de combat ’ by striking at the roots of the support base. Though the ongoing conflict of US and Israel against Iran is still in its early days, the role of the ‘ power of narrative ’ is already gaining centre sta...

US ISRAEL ATTACK ON IRAN SETS AFLAME THE GREEN CRESCENT IN WEST ASIA “ West Asia straddles the junction of the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa , is the birthplace of the three Abrahamic religions, harbours huge petroleum reserves, is the epicenter of world trade routes of importance, and now the nerve centre of the largest global conflagration since Gulf War II .” – Col RS Sidhu   The Name Game The US and Israel commenced joint air warfare campaign against Iran on 28 February 2026 by naming their military operations as ‘ Epic Fury ’, and ‘ Roar of the Lion ’, respectively. Interestingly, 28 February 2026 coincides with 11 Ramadan 1447 of the Islamic calendar; Ramadan being the ninth month of the Hijri calendar , the date works out to be the Islamic 9/11 . Iran has responded by naming its retaliatory military action as Operation ‘ True Promise 4 ’. POTUS Donald Trump has declared “ dismantling of Iran’s military and missile capabilities ”, response to ...

                                                              ‘ Akhand Bharat ’ GOODNESS & WAR “ War and goodness are antithetical pursuits inextricably linked to human endeavours and are the primary roots that have propelled the progress of human kind since millennia .” – Col RS Sidhu   Gods of Goodness & War Gods and Goddesses are the embodiment of goodness, yet are selectively adorned with weapons of war. While Goodness has survived eons of warfare, the presence of Gods and Goddesses of war in the religious belief of most ancient civilisations, is a good enough indicator of the pervasiveness of wars since the origin of humankind. Even in India where professing peace is a religious dogma, the idols of the Gods and Goddesses are often adorned with exotic weapons.   Wars, like goodness, just can...

                                                                                                                                         Akhand Bharat PACIFISM, CONSENSUS, & ACQUIESCENCE “ Whereas it is in the nature of things that ‘ resolution by consensus’ mechanism over period of time shall drift through the stage of acquiescence into the arena of coercive consensus; it is the degree of pacifism in a society that determines the rate of this drift. ” – Col RS Sidhu     Common Understanding of Key Words Consensus – a harmonious agreement/judgement/common opinion among a group of people. Acquiescence – tacit or unwilling...