<p>The capture by Iran of America’s most advanced ‘beast’ that feeds on human blood is an event of much significance. So much so that the intelligence agencies of the United States and Israel desperately scrambled to hack the Iranian TV website which is flashing the video of the cream-coloured American reconnaissance aircraft.<br /><br />Iran has demonstrated its technological prowess in bringing down virtually intact the US RQ-179 Sentinel stealth aircraft – also known as ‘Beast of Kandahar’ – by electronic means. <br /><br />The halo of invincibility built around one of the US’ most advanced war machines – similar in design to the famous B-2 stealth bomber – has scattered. Yet, not a shot was fired. It is an impressive feat of cyber warfare.<br /><br />The single biggest message is that all these three decades of US sanctions against Iran miserably failed to arrest the country’s march as the only authentic regional power in the Middle East capable of mastering the frontiers of science and technology on own steam. India should take note that there are no substitutes to building indigenous capabilities. The ‘have-money-will-buy-Lockheed-or-Boeing-products’ mentality serves only the interests of dalals working for arms manufacturers.<br /><br />From a military point of view, three things become apparent other than that electronic warfare has arrived as the norm rather than exception. One, US has lost the monopoly of a military technology it developed at great cost. <br /><br />Tehran proposes to do ‘reverse engineering’. But, will it do so all by itself or with friends from, say, Beijing or Moscow – or Pakistan? Two, Iran seems to possess reserve capabilities, which it has been chary of publicising, and in turn would leave the US and Israel guessing what all Tehran might ultimately do by way of retaliation if attacked. <br /><br />Three, there is laughter echoing in the hills and valleys of North Waziristan. The Haqqanis are laughing. With US being evicted from Shamsi air base and Pakistan threatening to shoot down anything in the sky crossing its border, and Iran showing how to do it, is the drone saga of the Afghan war ending? <br /><br />The geopolitics spreads on a much wider canvas. Iranian pride gets a massive boost and national unity is also Tehran’s ‘ultimate weapon’. The average Iranian now stands 6’6’’ tall on the Arab street and is visible from a great distance at a time when the Islamic identity of the countries of the region is being recast. The Persian Gulf oligarchies have been stunned into silence.<br /><br />At crossroads<br />Now, how do you ‘contain’ a nation of such indomitable will? The crumbling US strategy toward Iran is in full display. The international community is at crossroads on the Iran nuclear issue. Even as war clouds gather, Moscow just announced that there is no shred of evidence about Iran having a nuclear weapon programme. Again, the truth is, Iran has been the victim of subversion, terrorism and war waged or supported by Washington through past 3 decades. <br /><br />It is about time to engage Iran in negotiations with a view to arrive at an understanding that guarantees its security and allows space for its legitimate national aspirations. The main hurdle is that the US abhors Iran’s 1979 revolution built on the ideology of equity, justice, honour and resistance, which is antithetical to the western hegemony over the Muslim Middle East.<br /><br /> Woven into it is the politics of energy security, Palestine problem and Arab-Israeli conflict – and Israel’s ability to manipulate American politicians and influence the US’ Middle East policies. On balance, therefore, the US will not negotiate with Iran when it is working hard to perpetuate western regional hegemony in the region and ‘secure’ Israel in the new conditions of ‘democracy’.<br /><br />The Beast of Kandahar also raises a highly sensitive issue. Iran brought down US RQ-170 Sentinel in Khorasan province when it was flying over the city of Kashmar – oh, what a name! – some 225 km from the Afghan border. The Beast took off from Shindand, US’s airbase in Herat. But Kashmar is not known to be a safe haven of the Haqqani Network or al-Qaeda. <br /><br />That is to say, US used Afghan soil to stage hostile operations against Iran – something Tehran has been alleging repeatedly in recent years. What does Hamid Karzai have to say about it? He must speak up. Because, it is his refrain that he will never allow Afghan soil to be used against neighbouring countries. He is about to sign a strategic pact with the US, which provides for American and Nato military bases. <br /><br />Karzai should realise that while acting in his self-interest to continue as president for a third term with US acquiescence, he jeopardises regional security. Put differently, Afghanistan’s neutrality becomes an imperative need of regional security and stability and the major regional powers are demanding it.<br /><br />There is a big message for India as well. Today it is US RQ-170 Sentinel. Tomorrow it is likely to be the US’ missile defence (ABM])system. The whole agenda behind the establishment of US military bases in Afghanistan is to secure the strategic high ground that overlooks 5 regional powers with real or potential missile and nuclear capabilities – Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Iran.<br /><br /> Do not be delusional that the ABM won’t monitor India because of the US-India ‘defining partnership’. In short, India is as much a stakeholder in Afghanistan’s neutrality as the other four regional powers. <br /><br /><em>(The writer is a former diplomat) </em><br /></p>
<p>The capture by Iran of America’s most advanced ‘beast’ that feeds on human blood is an event of much significance. So much so that the intelligence agencies of the United States and Israel desperately scrambled to hack the Iranian TV website which is flashing the video of the cream-coloured American reconnaissance aircraft.<br /><br />Iran has demonstrated its technological prowess in bringing down virtually intact the US RQ-179 Sentinel stealth aircraft – also known as ‘Beast of Kandahar’ – by electronic means. <br /><br />The halo of invincibility built around one of the US’ most advanced war machines – similar in design to the famous B-2 stealth bomber – has scattered. Yet, not a shot was fired. It is an impressive feat of cyber warfare.<br /><br />The single biggest message is that all these three decades of US sanctions against Iran miserably failed to arrest the country’s march as the only authentic regional power in the Middle East capable of mastering the frontiers of science and technology on own steam. India should take note that there are no substitutes to building indigenous capabilities. The ‘have-money-will-buy-Lockheed-or-Boeing-products’ mentality serves only the interests of dalals working for arms manufacturers.<br /><br />From a military point of view, three things become apparent other than that electronic warfare has arrived as the norm rather than exception. One, US has lost the monopoly of a military technology it developed at great cost. <br /><br />Tehran proposes to do ‘reverse engineering’. But, will it do so all by itself or with friends from, say, Beijing or Moscow – or Pakistan? Two, Iran seems to possess reserve capabilities, which it has been chary of publicising, and in turn would leave the US and Israel guessing what all Tehran might ultimately do by way of retaliation if attacked. <br /><br />Three, there is laughter echoing in the hills and valleys of North Waziristan. The Haqqanis are laughing. With US being evicted from Shamsi air base and Pakistan threatening to shoot down anything in the sky crossing its border, and Iran showing how to do it, is the drone saga of the Afghan war ending? <br /><br />The geopolitics spreads on a much wider canvas. Iranian pride gets a massive boost and national unity is also Tehran’s ‘ultimate weapon’. The average Iranian now stands 6’6’’ tall on the Arab street and is visible from a great distance at a time when the Islamic identity of the countries of the region is being recast. The Persian Gulf oligarchies have been stunned into silence.<br /><br />At crossroads<br />Now, how do you ‘contain’ a nation of such indomitable will? The crumbling US strategy toward Iran is in full display. The international community is at crossroads on the Iran nuclear issue. Even as war clouds gather, Moscow just announced that there is no shred of evidence about Iran having a nuclear weapon programme. Again, the truth is, Iran has been the victim of subversion, terrorism and war waged or supported by Washington through past 3 decades. <br /><br />It is about time to engage Iran in negotiations with a view to arrive at an understanding that guarantees its security and allows space for its legitimate national aspirations. The main hurdle is that the US abhors Iran’s 1979 revolution built on the ideology of equity, justice, honour and resistance, which is antithetical to the western hegemony over the Muslim Middle East.<br /><br /> Woven into it is the politics of energy security, Palestine problem and Arab-Israeli conflict – and Israel’s ability to manipulate American politicians and influence the US’ Middle East policies. On balance, therefore, the US will not negotiate with Iran when it is working hard to perpetuate western regional hegemony in the region and ‘secure’ Israel in the new conditions of ‘democracy’.<br /><br />The Beast of Kandahar also raises a highly sensitive issue. Iran brought down US RQ-170 Sentinel in Khorasan province when it was flying over the city of Kashmar – oh, what a name! – some 225 km from the Afghan border. The Beast took off from Shindand, US’s airbase in Herat. But Kashmar is not known to be a safe haven of the Haqqani Network or al-Qaeda. <br /><br />That is to say, US used Afghan soil to stage hostile operations against Iran – something Tehran has been alleging repeatedly in recent years. What does Hamid Karzai have to say about it? He must speak up. Because, it is his refrain that he will never allow Afghan soil to be used against neighbouring countries. He is about to sign a strategic pact with the US, which provides for American and Nato military bases. <br /><br />Karzai should realise that while acting in his self-interest to continue as president for a third term with US acquiescence, he jeopardises regional security. Put differently, Afghanistan’s neutrality becomes an imperative need of regional security and stability and the major regional powers are demanding it.<br /><br />There is a big message for India as well. Today it is US RQ-170 Sentinel. Tomorrow it is likely to be the US’ missile defence (ABM])system. The whole agenda behind the establishment of US military bases in Afghanistan is to secure the strategic high ground that overlooks 5 regional powers with real or potential missile and nuclear capabilities – Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Iran.<br /><br /> Do not be delusional that the ABM won’t monitor India because of the US-India ‘defining partnership’. In short, India is as much a stakeholder in Afghanistan’s neutrality as the other four regional powers. <br /><br /><em>(The writer is a former diplomat) </em><br /></p>
