There is no reason for India to be alarmed over the newly launched U.S.-Pakistan strategic dialogue. There is no need to worry, as some have begun to do, that this week's talks in Washington mark the beginning of a new phase in the re-hypenation of Delhi and Islamabad. In the run-up to the dialogue, Indian officials allowed themselves to be blindsided by the well-publicised wish list the Pakistanis said they were taking with them. The demands included American mediation over the Kashmir dispute with India as well as a civil nuclear energy agreement to allow the country to access global nuclear technology and fuel. In the context of the high decibel campaign (within Pakistan) of water theft by India, U.S. intervention was solicited to help effect a better water-sharing arrangement. On all of these counts, Pakistan's delegation will have to return empty handed. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who led the U.S. side in the strategic dialogue, promised help in increasing the efficiency of Pakistani energy and water utilisation; but she was clear and forthright in emphasising the importance of bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan in the quest for solutions to outstanding issues. As for nuclear energy, Pakistan was told that a deal of the kind India got in 2005 is not on the table.
In courting Islamabad, President Barack Obama has been careful not to squander the gains Washington has made in building up a ‘strategic partnership' with India over the past decade. Mediation and other forms of interference are non-starters and the U.S. knows this. But in its search for an exit route from the quagmire of Afghanistan, the Obama administration is in danger of becoming over-dependent on Pakistan. This is where the danger for India, and, ultimately for the U.S. and the rest of the international community, lies. The presence of Pakistan's army and intelligence chiefs at the strategic dialogue underlined the abnormality of the situation. Terrorism and extremist politics in the AfPak region are mainly the product of the Pakistani military establishment, which nurtured and patronised jihadi groups as a force multiplier. Despite this, a solution is now being sought by valorising and even strengthening the role of this establishment at the expense of Pakistan's civilian structures of governance. If it was clear that the military had learnt its lessons and decided to change course irrevocably, the American approach might have some merit. But the continuing links between the army and the ISI, on the one hand, and terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, on the other, are too well-known to ignore. The U.S. knows this and is using the strategic dialogue as a lever to influence Islamabad. The danger, of course, is that the lever may work the other way.
Keywords: anxiety, tension, relationship, dialogue, worry
I applaud the Hindu for its calm and balanced stance.Until Pakistan including the Army(the most powerful institution), the government and the people truly understand that terrorism is stopped with an iron fist Pakistan will pay a price. The use of America or China to prop up the Pakistani economy is no substitute for access to the Indian market. Every opportunity for a gentle (not rash or abrasive) reminder should not be lost.Only then can peace be possible and the people in the region prosper.
A successful operation in Afghanistan to flush out the terrorists is very important for the American administration and they are using Pakistan to achieve their goal. There is noting more and nothing less. America has every right to do this. America has no intention to invest more in a failed terrorist infested state. India has nothing to worry about this.
Foreign policies of any country is dictated by geo political realities, economic considerations and the country's interests. Even within our own families, we are not in a position to say with whom our relatives should keep contact and the degree of closeness. Overrecting on such issues is childish.
The US is going out of the way to humor Pakistan with the hope that Pakistan, especially its army and the ISI will extricate them from the quagmire in Afghanistan. The US will have to pay the price by way of aid. Most aid will obviously be used to further the selfish interests of the vested interests connected with the Army, ISI and the hawks in the Pakistan Government.It will be used to subjugate the antagonistic taliban, while supporting the LET and Alqaida. The whole world knows this but no one is ready to act against Pakistan. Under these circumstances the request made by PC to US and UK was shameful.
We are already aware that The US funds are being utilized by the ISI and LET to expand the terror network in India. They are systematically waking up the sleeper cells and supporting the Naxals and the Ultras in order to destabilize us and overrun us like the Moghuls of the past.
India has the strength to act but the government is weak. Let us issue a threat directly to the terror networks both internal and external and follow it up with punitive action like in 1971. No country will come to the help of Pakistan the rogue state. They may render lip service by protesting and things will be settled once and for all. The whole world will be relieved.
When the Bush administration invaded Afghanistan, India did not take a principled stand and oppose the invasion as the Nehru or Indira Gandhi government would have done. Our government even enthusiastically took to nation building activities in the war-devastated Afghanistan on the optimistic assumption that it will thereby contribute to the stability of a region which has not enjoyed that at any time in the past. The government also perhaps reckoned that its engagement in nation building activities in Afghanistan, which the US was averse to do directly, will gain US's goodwill which will in turn prevent Pakistan making full use of its geographic advantage to get closer to that country at our cost. None of the objectives have however been achieved. But Pakistan will always achieve its objectives. The talk about a nuclear deal was just to spite India. No sensible Pakistani, aware of the country's track record, would have hoped to get such a deal through. In the present situation there is nothing for India to rejoice.
Mediation and third party interventions are always a complication
I don't think there is a better solution than a meaningful and mature dialogue between the two countries.
And after all these generalized statements, nothing is possible as long as the people of the two countries really want a peaceful solution. Let us not fall for the inflammatory speeches and provocative statements of politicians on either side.
It is not the $35 billion Pakistan demands for services rendered or nudging US to mediate in Indo/Pak disputes which is worrisome. With its timely moves Pakistan is making itself most indispensable for US to get out of the present imbroglio in Afghanistan. (Whether the intention is to get out fast or to have a permanent resident card to be in the region to be near Russia and China is not known.) So US cannot afford to displease Pakistan, that is its military. Hence the front seat for Kiyani and Pasha. To what extent US will go to please them is what India has to be worried about.
Glad to find a sensible Indian view on the issue. The Hindu does carry on its tradition of objective and dispassionate analysis even on issues like this where the entire media is emotionally surcharged. It's time we learn to take a mature view of events affecting our neighbourhood.
Pakistan has had only uranium enrichment plant earlier. It built the second nuclear reactor around 2002. It expanded third nuclear reactor in 2007 at Khushab. It has also a plutonium enrichment programme. Pakistan is developing itself as a nuclear strong state which is unwanted commensurate to their status. Pakistan too cannot be relied upon. This is really a matter of concern for we neighbours. Furthermore Pakistan is waging a war against the Taliban. The nuclear arsenal should not go to the wrong hands of the militants too.
India needs to let the US know that as long as they talk to Pakistan and take actions inimical to Indian interests, that India will continue to deal with Iran and ask US to talk to Iran rather than ratcheting up tensions. India should continue normal trade with Iran and not be pressured to put trade sanctions on them.
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