<b>Shekhar Gupta: </b>Post-operation prognosis

If on the surgical strikes anniversary, we're still arguing whether or not these happened, and not what they've achieved, it shows a shrinking of our strategic minds

Here are two sets of evidence as we assess the cost-benefit outcome of the surgical strikes last year. The first of these is being presented by the military establishment at the say-so of the political leadership. It isn't being done through a conventional method like a press conference with a liveried general explaining the operation on a screen with a laser-pen and showing pictures or recoveries as evidence. This is being done through the conventional news media.

The release of two significant books has been timed with the first anniversary of the strikes. Both are written by prominent defence reporters,