NO words are enough to pay tribute to the gallantry of the soldiers who have laid down their lives in defence of their motherland. The 17-day Pakistan-India war elicited a rare unity on the part of all sections of society irrespective of religion, ethnicity and class. An enthusiastic public support boosted the morale of the armed forces. As divisive tendencies overtook Pakistani society subsequently, the unity between the armed forces and the general public witnessed during the September 1966 war was never to be seen again. Long spells of military rule brought down the army's image while it eroded the army discipline. The seeds of the division in East Pakistan were laid under Ayub whose military rule and controversial economic policies alienated the people of East Pakistan. The sense of deprivation reached its height under another army ruler Yahya Khan. This encouraged India to interfere militarily in East Pakistan. The trauma for the patriotic Pakistanis was all the more severe on account of the false assurances that continued to be given by the military regime till the fall of Dhaka on 16 December 1971 The defence of the country requires close cooperation between the people and armed forces. This can be guaranteed only under a democratic system where decisions to fight wars are taken by the elected governments after inputs from all stakeholders. As George Clemenceau rightly put it, war is too serious a matter to be entrusted to military men alone. After East Pakistan, the commanding heights of Siachin glacier were lost to India due to the negligence of Zia, another military ruler. Wars conducted under dictators have invariably given birth to controversies. Unlike democracies, there has never been a cost-benefit analysis of these wars creating doubts in the public mind regarding their real outcome. This has led to demands for enquiry commissions as in the case of Kargil war. The refusal by Musharraf has led many to believe that damaging information was being withheld to save a man. It is time the supremacy of the elected governments is accepted in letter and spirit. This would ensure a greater respect for the armed forces while it would constitute a better guarantee for the security of the country.