The source categorically denied that the action was in response to Indian pressure after the Pulwama incident and said the decision had been taken much before the Feb 14 attack on Indian security forces in Pulwama, although it became public later. The dossier given by India on the Pulwama attack, he maintained, contained nothing except an iteration of its narrative on alleged Pakistan-based groups.

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I've been cranking through old Frontlines lately. Back in '09 our ambassador to Afghanistan made the point that the nightmare scenario is not a war between Pakistan and India, it's a failed state with nuclear weapons.

And if you need an airstrike that hits nothing in order to convince the not-yet-failed state into behaving like a sovereign, that's a small price to pay.

"The tea is fantastic, thank you."

Abhinandan Varthaman - first confirmed kill of an F-16 and single-handed winner of the Mustache Wars.