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When the Sri Lankan military says to the media that it is ready to meet the Tamil Tiger Terrorists and any terrorist challenge they have as part of their current agenda in the wake of the latest upsurge in violence that killed 31 people it has not minced its words and very correctly so despite many who might believe this to be war mongering!

What the LTTe are upto constitutes grave provocation against a Sovereign Democratic Nation and its Territorial Integrity and the safety of Sri Lanka's citizens and it would seem hardly irregular that the Sri Lankan Armed Forces have been compelled to issue such a statement in the face of all the willy nilly indiferences shown by world superpowers chasing the likes of Osama Bin Laden yet continue to almost voluntarily provide carte blance to the LTTE in Sri Lanka towards attrocities where the onus is now on the Sri Lankan Authorities to make a near unilateral decision about the proper course of actions yet placed in a catch 33 situation where it now has to be a toss up between peace negotiations or readying themselves to defend the Nation!

The New Administration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has despite having always indicated keenness to uphold a ceasefire in place since February 2002 appears to be facing the unenviable task of whether or not to confront the LTTE if its hand is forced through their attrocities or soft pedal and prevaricate on the issue which could be interpreted by the LTTE as showing a weak underbelly whilst sweeping under the carpet what the LTTE are getting away with. A snap decision might have to be made by the Administration sooner or later regarding this issue or as an alternative face greater ramifications than the loss of a score or more of army personnel and innocent civilians!

Logistically and statistically albeit something the LTTE are probably ignorant about or to the contrary could not care less if offset againt a suicide bomber mentality, the military with advanced equipmemt, training and greatly enhanced wherewithal in military strategy as opposed to the almost decimated post Tsunami LTTE are described by many military experts as ready to meet any terrorist challenge.This has been expressed specifically with natural patriotic fervour, emotion and military determination by the leaders of the Armed Forces after the latest upsurge in violence that has so far killed 31 people, including 18 government soldiers.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Daya Sandagiri was quoted as saying that "The "terrorists" were trying to provoke the security forces into action, but all the military commanders were showing great restraint unlike the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Sri Lankan Armed Forces despite the cast iron determination thay continue to show in the face of grave provocations have shown their class and the commitment to the Ceasefire relative tothis restraint but it could easily wear thin if the LTTE did not smarten up and continue to persist in their provocations!A fact highliighted by Admireal Sandagiri recently.

Although in the face of grave provocation as refered to, this could all change and the LTTE probably ending up paying a severe price for stupidity as well as unmitigated ignorance that they could ever overcome the powerful Sri Lankan Army in its current identity as the more powerful of the opposing factions which together with a few secret contingencies and entities in their favour could in all probabilities wipe out the remaining vestiges of a once persistent LTTE whose power now depends on innuendo, speculative self esteem of non existent insurgent capabilities and child soldiers to moot their confidences which aren't realistically enough to overcome the multi faceted Sri Lanken Armed Forces of today!

Very correctly and with decorum Sri Lanka's Joint Chiefs of Defence have reiterated their previous stand that quote " We should not get excited over small incidents recently perpetrated on us by the LTTE" refering to the Claymore mine detonation and ambush klillings in Jaffna which have taken needless lives of Armed Forces personnel viciously in direct violation of the Ceasefire in existence. In a statement to a joint press conference involving the heads of the Army, Air Force and Police, Air Force Chief Donald Perera has said specifically and confidently that "combat aircraft and other units were on alert to be deployed immediately. "We are in full force and full strength in case the need arises," and the LTTE should have second thoughts about furthering this current campaign of theirs unless prepared to face all the consequences involved which realistically they don't seem to be prepared for! but synonymously in their wretched apathetic manner probably also do not give a hoot about, in their desperation to justify in any manner availabe their own existence which seems to take priority not only over the Tamil Community they pretend to represent in entirety but also the rest of Sovereign Sri Lanka who have a right to their security and existence!

If the present turn of events within the Armed Forces indicating a further bolstering of their state of alertness towards any impure attempts by the LTTE towards any projected attrocities can be offset against the reshuffling of key positions and very capable Military leaders installed in strategic locations the LTTE probably have another thought coming in case they believe that Sri Lanka's Defences might be lagging in resources or caught napping this time around as the readiness to meet their rhetoric which may manifest itself into insurrection relative to their past track record seems implicit on the part of the Sri Lankan Authorities.

Hopefully for the sake of all concerned it must remain rhetoric and a lot of hot air emanating from the mindset of the likes of Thamilselvam and Balasingham whose bravado just might have to be confronted as an alternative before they half as much as get started on any such agenda as they will have more than the Sri Lankan Government in the end to contend with!

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