Fundamentals of Victory against terror
Posted on September 3rd, 2009
Courtesy: Indian Defence Review ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” July ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sept 2009 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Vol 24(3)
In an in-depth analysis of the Sri Lankan governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s defeat of the LTTE, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Indian Defence ReviewƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ has identified Eight Fundamentals of Victory.
These are listed as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Rajapaksa Model of fighting terrorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and are described as:
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Unwavering political will
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Disregard for international opinion distracting from the goal
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ No negotiations with the forces of terror
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Unidirectional floor of conflict information
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Absence of political intervention to pull away from complete defeat of the LTTE
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Complete operational freedom for the security forces
-Let the best men do the task
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Accent on young commanders
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¢ Keep your neighbors in the loop
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The July-September 2009 issued ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Indian Defense ReviewƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ carries a detailed article on the Eight Fundamentals of Victory or the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Rajapaksa ModelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of fighting terror by V. K. Shashikumar.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The news about the killing of Prabhakaran sparked mass celebrations around the country, and people poured into the streets of Colombo, dancing and singing. Looking back at the war General Fonseka made two insightful observations that must surely resonate in the minds of military strategists dealing with terrorism and insurgency in other parts of the world. The first is on the commitment of the political leadership to eliminate terror.
In the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Office in Colombo officials talk about the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Rajapaksa ModelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ (of fighting terror). ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Broadly, win back the LTTE held areas, eliminate the top LTTE leadership and give the Tamils a political solution.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Sunimal Fernando, one of RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s advisors, says that the President demonstrated a basic resolve: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-given the political will, the military can crush terrorism.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ This is not as simple as it sounds. Like most poll promises he did not have plans to fulfill his promise to militarily defeat the LTTE. Eelam I to III were miserable failures. So the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Rajapaksa ModelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ evolved, it was not pre-planned.
General Fonseka commented: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-It is the political leadership with the commitment of the military that led the battle to success. We have the best political leadership to destroy terrorism in this country. It was never there before to this extent. The military achieved these war victories after President Mahinda Rajapaksa came into power. He, who believed that terrorism should and could be eliminated, gave priority do go ahead with our military strategies. And no Defence Secretary was there like the present Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who had the same commitment and knowledge on how to crush the LTTE. Finally, they gave me the chance of going ahead with the military plan.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
SECOND FUNDAMENTAL: GO TO HELL
Following from the first, the second principle of RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”how to fight a war and win itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is telling the international community to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-go to hell.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ As the British and French foreign ministers, David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner, found out during their visit. They were cold shouldered for suggesting that Sri Lanka should halt the war and negotiate with the LTTE. As Rajapaksa said during the post-interview chatter ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-we will finish off the LTTE, we will finish terrorism and not allow it to regroup in this country ever; every ceasefire has been used by the LTTE to consolidate, regroup and re-launch attacks, so no negotiations.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Eliminate and Annihilate ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” two key operational words that went with the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-go to hellƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ principle of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Rajapaksa ModelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. After Colombo declared victory the Sri Lankan Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka used words used by Rajapaksa. That the SLA will not allow the LTTE to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-regroupƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
THIRD FUNDAMENTAL: NO NEGOTIATIONS
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Naturally, the third fundamental was no negotiations with the LTTE. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The firm decision of the political hierarchy not to go for talks with the LTTE terrorists until they lay down arms had contributed significantly to all these war victories,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ affirms Fonseka. But this meant withstanding international pressure to halt the war, the humanitarian crisis spawned by the war and the rising civilian casualties. Rajapaksa did all of this by simply ensuring ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”silenceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and information blackout under which the war was conducted. RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s biggest gamble was to give the military a free hand, shut the world out of the war zone.
When the United Nations, US and European countries raised concerns of high civilian casualties, Rajapaksa, said that the international community was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-getting in the wayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s victory against terrorism. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We knew that the moment the military is close to operational successes, there will be loud screams for the resumption of the political process of peace negotiations. But there will be no negotiations.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ That was the rock solid stand taken and communicated by Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to all visiting dignitaries and diplomats.
FOURTH FUNDAMENTAL: REGULATE MEDIA
With just one version of the war available for the media to report, the Sri Lankan government ensured an unidirectional flow of conflict information. The information put out by the LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s official website, TamilNet, could not be independently verified on the ground because access to the war zone was regulated and controlled. This was a vital fourth principle in the strategic matrix of the Rajapaksa model.
President Rajapaksa was clear that he did not want to go down that route. That was the traditional way of fighting the LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” two steps forward, four steps back. The Rajapaksa brothersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ commitment to a military solution was cast in stone. And it was anchored in a deft political arrangement. But first it is important to reveal the idea behind the political arrangement. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-It was to ensure that there would be no political intervention to pull away the military from its task of comprehensively and completely eliminating the LTTE,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ says a senior official in the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Office. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Prabhakaran was aware of the political contradictions in Sri Lanka and so was confident that the SLA will not indulge in an adventurous, all guns blazing, a full onslaught against the LTTE.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
SIXTH FUNDAMENTAL: COMPLETE OPERATIONAL FREEDOM
Gotabaya RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s appointment to the post of Defence Secretary was made precisely to break this political logjam. Gotabaya had a military past. He had taken voluntary retirement from the SLA. He had retained his long standing friendship with Lt General Sarath Fonseka. Gotabaya met Fonseka and asked him, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-can you go for a winƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚? The battle-hardened veteran said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-yes, but you will have to permit me to pick my own team.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Gotabaya and Mahinda agreed. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We will let the military do its job, while we hold the fort, politically,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ they told Fonseka. This deft political arrangement worked because both, Gotabaya and Fonseka, were recruited and commissioned into the army at the same time.
Is it any surprise, therefore, that LTTE wanted to assassinate Gotabaya in 2006? Prabhakaran knew that if he could assassinate Gotabaya then the carefully constructed political-military architecture pushing the war operations forward would have been gravely undermined. Gotabaya escaped the assassination bid and the rest as the clichƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚© goes, is history.
So even though Gotabaya came into the political set up virtually out of nowhere, he quickly became the bridge-head between President RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s government and the military. The Rajapaksa brothers fused political commitment to a pre-set military goal. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-He (Gotabaya) was embraced and accepted by the military and his was a legitimate voice in the Army,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ said a senior official in the President Office. Gotabaya communicated the military requirements to the government ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” men, material and weapons.
Captured LTTE weapons
His brother and head of the government, President Rajapaksa, ensured the military got what it wanted. He in turn instructed Gotabaya to tell the Army to go all out and get on with the task. The sixth fundamental of the Rajapaksa Model also had a clause ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Basil, the youngest of the Rajapaksa brothers. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Neither Mahinda nor Basil saw their brother Gotabaya as a political threat to their political aspirations. So they gave him a free hand.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ More importantly, Basil was used by President Rajapaksa for political liaison, especially with India.
SEVENTH FUNDAMENTAL: ACCENT ON YOUNG COMMANDERS
The other critical element was empowering young officers as GOCs to lead the battle. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I did not select these officers because they are young. But they were appointed as I thought they were the best to command the battle. I went to the lines and picked up the capable people. I had to drop those who had less capacity to lead the battle. Some of them are good for other work like administration activities. Therefore, the good commanders were chosen to command this battle.
I thought seniority was immaterial if they could not command the soldiers properly. I restructured the Army and changed almost all the aspects of the organization. I made the Sri Lanka Army a more professional Army. Everybody had to work with a sense of professionalism.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Eighth Fundamental: Keep Your Neighbors in Loop
The seventh fundamental was India and an unsigned strategic partnership agreed by New Delhi and Colombo. India played a crucial part in the Sri Lanka military operations by providing intelligence and other kinds of tactical support. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The moral support, whatever support India gave us, is what they should have given to us. It is their duty to help us in this stage,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is President RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s rather candid admission of the Indian involvement. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t demand, I shouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t demand anything from a neighboring country. I request.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ The first significant request from Colombo was naval intelligence and intelligence on the movement of LTTE owned merchant navy vessels.
In the final analysis the Rajapaksa model is based on a military precept and not a political one. Terrorism has to be wiped out militarily and cannot be tackled politically. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the basic premise of the Rajapaksa Model.