The Hindu : Saying 'no' to U.S.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Saying 'no' to U.S.

Sir, — The Centre deserves appreciation for its decision not to despatch troops to Iraq against which the U.S. and the U.K. committed aggression for a regime change for "the good of the people there" without taking the U.N. into confidence. The Americans thought they would be welcomed by the Iraqis. But what is happening there has belied their expectations. The forces are in trouble as there is widespread insurgency. They need a stabilising force. That is why India was invited. There were certain temptations to send our troops — the U.S. President, George W. Bush, would prevail upon the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, to see reason on the issue of cross-border terrorism; the U.S. would help India in getting a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council and India would be awarded contracts. But we understood that expecting the Americans to pressure Islamabad to behave would be living in a fool's paradise. The U.S. may or may not relish our stand, but we have made the right decision, one that serves our national interest. We have learnt from the bitter experience of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka.

K.L. Batra,
New Delhi

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