Book review of Dragon Fire

Title of the book: DRAGON FIRE

Author: Humphery Hawksley
Published by: Pan Books, London.
Price: Rs.195.00
Introduction:

The Dragon Fire is report about the current political and nuclear war in Asia especially in south
Asia in the form of novel. The entire episode begins with a group of renegade Tibetan fighters,
who are in the service of the Indian government, launching a surprise attack on a Lhasa prison
complex to rescue a monk. The gentleman in question strongly advocates violence to overthrow
China's illegal occupation of Tibet, and his liberation could change the course of the Tibetan
freedom struggle. "Dragon Fire" ends with full-scale nuclear war between India, Pakistan and
China. This written by Humphrey Hawksley, veteran BBC journalist and China expert, and also
co-author of the earlier "Dragon Strike" has scripted a new and gripping book, based on a nuclear
war between India and the Pakistan - China alliance. Significant background themes include:

• Tibet

• The Kashmiri conflict, and especially the Kargil War

• Chinese, Indian and Pakistani nuclear weapons programs

• Relationships between Taiwan and China

When he wrote in 2000, might be novel. But I personally feel on November 26th Mumbai attack.
He deal whole part by every moment in such good manner like on 24th morning in Pakistan and
at the same time china in India border and so on. He wrote a book which is like thread on line.
He also mentioned about America, but it indirectly related to story and this could be realized at
the last two parts.

Third world war:

Assume Tibetans based in India launch a raid into Lhasa to free a Tibetan monk being held
prisoner by the Chinese. Assume the Chinese encourage their Pakistani friends to stir up trouble
on India's western border. Assume the Pakistani military produces a risk-taking leader who
replaces the weak government, undertaking a high-risk campaign against India with strong
backing from China. Assume that at the peak of the Pakistani campaign, the Chinese launch an
attack on India. These circumstances set the stage for what follows. As India's larger military
weight wears out the Pakistanis and India pushes into Pakistan, the Pakistanis desperately decide
to use nuclear weapons tactically on their own territory. From then on, the situation spirals out of
control

The recent terrorist attacks on America make this novel slightly less likely because we are almost
certainly going to see a stronger American military and a closer American relationship with
Pakistan, which will have a stabilizing influence.

Nonetheless, as a harbinger of the dangers the world will face in the next generation and the
potential for utilization of weapons of mass destruction, this is an especially believable and
incredibly thought-provoking novel well worth reading. A lot of what Hawksley writes is actual
reality. He uses the political scenario of today to extrapolate what may happen seven years
hence. However, Hawksley suffers from the ailment of most British analysts today: unable to
cope with the loss of Great Britain's stature in international polity and policy, he resorts to
viewing contemporary politics with the blinkers of Cold War hang ups. I mentioned earlier, the
story about America and their planning in military were related in finally to the theme of the
book. Hence, his theory of Russia threatening retaliation if the US, Europe and Japan intervene
against China on India's behalf is a tad too incredible. And his conclusion is also not very
plausible.

However, Hawksley drafts an interesting story, however implausible it may be. His Chinese
analysis is generally accurate, but he falters in other places. His world-view is anachronistic, and
you get the feeling that somehow he is out of his depth regarding India and its relations with the
rest of the world.

Apart from the theme of the book, there are some facts should be notice. He mentioned about the
strength of china and its military. He mentioned partially about China has good relationship with
Tibet. But we can realize how Thalailama mentioned during in last Beijing Olympic. In this
point, his view some what fail but not fully? Because after the Olympic the issue doesn’t exist.
They continued their relation.

Similarly the cold war between china and America. How India and Pakistan involved and how
America and china used for their political movements and reasons. Its not like the terrorist
attacks held in India and Pakistan because of those two countries. They changed for their uses.

Pakistan also has good military power by the weapons. The question is how they could afford so
much of weapon from small economical country and their weapons are equal to India which is
one of the major economical country in the world. Its possible when they have good friend. In
the whole case, the involvement of America is smaller but very effective results. Only these four
countries involved in this case of nuclear weapon. Its start from Japan, Australia, newzealand,
Russia, united kingdom and Singapore. Every country is reason for nuclear weapon spread
across the world and main nuclear test by India and Pakistan. The prospect of a nuclear attack on
an American city is enough to force a rethink in Washington about how to deal with china.
China’s naval advances into the Indian Ocean and occupation of islands in the south china sea
are evidence that it is willing to anger its neighbors in order to test its military reach. India’s
determination to press ahead with its nuclear programmed and name china as its main long term
threat suggests a deeper degree of hostility than at first realized. Pacifist Japan reacts by caring
out a nuclear test, uncertain than it can continue to count on American military protection.

Drawbacks;

Humphery Hawksley mostly detailed from the p[oint of political point of view. Even though it’s
a current scenario there is no much detail about military and the various forces. America has big
and very professional military when compared to other countries. Now china has next big power.
But, he is not described not detail about other countries. Similarly, countries like Singapore and
Taiwan were used very rarely but more no of role and characters involved from these countries.
he described with detailed time on each incidents. Even though he used GST timing, the time is
varied to each countries and their working time also different. He mentioned lot about mid night
time. It might not be mid night time.

Summary:
India and Pakistan have conflict over half century. Pakistan and china have good military
relation over long period. It continued for nuclear testing and America also helping to Pakistan
which want to maintain relation and want to win cold war with china. Countries like newzealand,
Singapore are good in economic and Australia is major supplier for nuclear. If china and India’s
securities aspirants for Asia converge with each other and with those of America and Japan, there
is no cause for alarm. If either china’s or India’s are swept under the carpet, the impact on world
peace could be the most terrible since end of the second world war.

This is have Humphery Hawksley found out from the research how should be china and India
relation and securities of both India and Pakistan. How political reasons regarding nuclear
weapon and actions taken to develop the military power reasons terrible war that can be third
world war. Its better to understand countries relations with others specially with neighborhoods.
And one more thing is, how India become major and china become major countries which can
desire about world war.