The perils of groupthink in hierarchical organizations T.C.A. Raghavan | Published 16.07.21, 01:16 AM Ayub Khan, Pakistan’s first military dictator, was once asked by a close associate how he made the error in judgement of approving ‘Operation Gibraltar’ that led to the 1965 war with India and, ultimately, his downfall. Operation Gibraltar was a plan to infiltrate the Kashmir Valley with large numbers of Pakistani troops in the guise of freedom fighters. This would, the expectation was, catalyze an insurrection and popular revolt and end Indian occupation in Kashmir. Ayub Khan was assured by his sycophants and by the foreign ministry (led, at the time, by Z.A. Bhutto) that India would not widen the conflict, which would remain confined to the Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu. Gibraltar was launched sometime in early August 1965. A month later, Indian forces had crossed the international border in Punjab and were on the outskirts of Lahore. Pakistan, many in the country legitimately felt, had expected to fight for Kashmir but, instead, was battling for its survival.