SUN TZU WITH ME – RULER-ADMINISTRATOR-MILITARY POST-1

SUN TZU WITH ME – RULER-ADMINISTRATOR-MILITARY POST-1

Civilians direct operations, military does not prepare for enemy and lawmakers eye the prized loot. Why does it sound so familiar? Sun Tzu said it 2500 yrs. ago. Learn basics of Tsn Tzu & strategy with me, apply it yourself.

Stop Chanakya vs Sun Tzu debates. How many of us go after knowledge? Read this article with Galwan in mind. How does ‘Sun Tzu With Me’ help you understand TV debates? How does it help to understand Galwan? Simple, learn basics of strategy with me, apply it yourself. Soon you will find that the TV experts are no experts but are paid visual and audio delights.

Sun Tzu? Sounds bell in the ear? His book ‘Art of War’ must have sold millions of copies. 2500 years and it still hits bull’s eye. I will take you through what exactly he wrote and how does it affect us, governance, business and life even today? Let’s start with military.

DIRECTING OPERATIONS. 2500 yrs. back, he pointed out a BIG FLAW in Chinese Army. Officers in administration studied ‘military tactics’ late in service and came to command while actual military officers could never reach highest levels. (NSA? Defence Secretary?). These people without having any experience ‘directed operations’ in time of war while experienced military officers executed those operations. This system brought disaster to the army. What he wrote then can be observed today as well, i.e. Galwan. “Do not play with the organization” is the simple lesson. It is a guaranteed disaster when people with book knowledge direct operations. Operations being directed by civil functionaries who studied military tactics late in life can only bring in defeat. Think Galwan. Who were directing operations? Who stopped our soldiers to fire? Did we have Generals who could ask them to ‘stay out’ or more simply to ‘shut up’?

What face, moral right and pride does the Chief, Army Commander and Corps Commander have after their own twenty soldiers were murdered by PLA just because our Generals sent them to war ‘unarmed’?

PREPARE FOR ENEMY. Unless we say loudly “China is enemy”, we cannot understand Sun Tzu. He says:

-Do not rely on enemy not likely to come, but

-Rely on our own readiness to receive him.

Further:

-Do not rely on chance of his not attacking, but

-Rely on our own position unassailable

How do you interpret it keeping Galwan as case study? In 1962, India was humiliated. I am fine with that. What I am not fine with is the abject failure as a nation to safeguard our own interests. Have we been ready to receive China at borders? No. We relied on the likelihood of its not coming! Were we prepared for its attack? No, we relied on chance of its not attacking us. Actions during 58 yrs. of India post-1962 displays that politics reigns to the extent that failures are ‘justified’ comparing it with failures of 62.

How big can the shame be when the Prime Minister says China has not intruded, China intrudes far more thereafter since PM has said ‘no intrusions’. Even more shameful is the military towing line. No intrusion. It helps since no one shall sack them now!

Has anyone questioned retired Chiefs and Retired Army Commanders on:

• Why are Armed Forces not organized, equipped & trained for a ‘Two Front War’ since 1966?
  • Why is LAC so thinly held?
  • Why are we not prepared to thwart the attacks?
  • Why has Army not been reorganized and trained to take on China?
  • Why is Army in Counter Insurgency?
  • Why did Army not fire at Galwan?

This is where leadership comes in. We have filled up all-star ranks but have produced just two military leaders. Do not flash ranks, but flash military character instead. Chiefs, Defence Ministers and Prime Ministers have failed because ‘prepare for enemy’ was not followed. Galwan was an eye opener. Pangong Tso, Daulat Beg Odli, Depsang, Hot Springs, Doklam, Subansiri and many more. FIFTY-EIGHT YEARS and we still behave like newbies.

MILITARY :  THE PRIZED LOOT. This is a very interesting. Who joins army? Why does someone join army? 2500 yrs. old practice is today’s reality. Why is China border so weak?

Peasants and labour class used to join army 2500yrs back. It happens in India even today. Better class with higher pay attracted officer class. PROSPECT OF PLUNDER OR PRIZE MONEY attracts Lawmakers & Bureaucracy. Military Service is low paying, hence, there will never be shortage at rank & file level. Better ones join as officers as the last resort after trying outside. Plunder & Prize Money of old times is ‘military procurement’ loot today controlled by Lawmakers and Bureaucrats.

Commissions in military hardware are highest since there is no bench marking for prices,  control procurement and you control cuts. PM in India was involved. Bureaucrats too. Modern ‘Plunder’, ‘Loot’ & ‘Prize Money’ that Sun Tzu refers is this.

Let us now combine the three aspects covered above and see how a pattern emerges that answers WHY WE TAKE BEATING at China border? Why there is no strategic vision, how plunder and loot by lawmakers and bureaucrats compromises security?

I covered how Military Career Officers do not reach highest positions and how Civil Administrators learnt tactics from books and occupy all higher positions in military and direct operations. Our preparedness for war with China is a taboo subject. We do not like to take chances or to be prepared. Who occupies highest positions for plunder and loot? Complete China border since last 58 yrs. does not inspire confidence. Army has no say, or better put, our Generals are at best mediocre.

You will observe that:

1. Very mediocre officer class in Army does not throw up leaders.

2. Bureaucrats occupy all higher decision-making military hierarchy in Ministry of Defence.

3. Plunder and loot in Defence Procurement, Cantonment Lands & Contracts is directly controlled by lawmakers through complex machinery.

4. Not developing a frontier, not raising matching forces, not having strong military ‘pays’ year on year.  

5. Making military scapegoat is easily done because of hard-gag-orders.

6. Having weak officer cadre helps bureaucrats since no leaders come up. Generals are bought cheaply by offering governorships & ambassadorial posts.

7. Hundreds of soldiers killed makes no difference and quickly blame is passed to the military.

8. Emergency funds are released for procurement to handle ‘emergency’. Bureaucrats throw procurement like hot iron on military knowing that no military procurement can be done in a week. It’s a farce.

9. These bureaucrats order enquiries for incorrect procurement after stabilization against very same officers.

10. Why Senior Military Officers vie and die for Public Offices & Promotions.

11. The ‘Plunder and Loot’ lot never lets military officers come close to ‘managing’ military.

12. Lawmakers have no capability to direct military to make a 30-40-50 yr. plan for INDIA.

Now, hear the shallow TV anchors and specialists. They will sound fake because YOU understood. Sun Tzu said this 2500 years ago. We simply have to understand and implement.

Have a look at the three lessons and THINK. You will understand talking ‘sense’ has no place in India. I still write. I will love to take on questions. Truth has no answers, I will answer bluntly.

Don’t miss the next lesson IF INDIAN CONSTITUTION MATTERS to you. To understand current China issue, become your own strategist. I will, through Sun Tzu‘s writings, tell you HOW for the last 58 years, we have cheated our own constitution.

(c) Copyright Col Sanjay Pande