IF the Army had its way, it would have gone back to the barracks in Assam long ago. But seven years and three operations later, it is so deeply involved in counter-insurgency action that it has no alternative but to finish off the task. That the task is still unfinished is acknowledged by top officials but, as Lt Gen R.K. Sawhney, commander of 4 Corps which oversees the army operation in Assam, says: "My hopes for an early solution have been revived in the past couple of months mainly because there is a new-found positive thrust at the bureaucratic level and there is also the political will to tackle the situation."