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US,
India & Pakistan: The tantalizing triangle
Romeet
K WATT
ONE
of the greatest intrinsic merits that India exhibited during the
cold-war era was its ability to remain non-aligned, something, which
eventually became the core of our foreign policy until recently.
Things have undergone a sea change, not essentially for the good,
with BJP-led government in New Delhi not only undoing the policy but
also undermining it to the extent that we are seen playing second
fiddle to the United States, much like Great Britain. Such
precedents were on no account pursued, irrespective of whether it
was the Congress party at the helm or affairs or others.
With
the bipolar world seizing to exit in the balkanisation of the
erstwhile USSR, the only super-power, the United States has assumed
diablerie dimensions and is arm-twisting third-world developing
nations like India to pursue its own schema in a comportment which
suits their interests. Washington has time and again demonstrated
that they are not the epitome of democratic foundation - which they
dearly protect at home - but an imperialistic muscle, which has with
no ignominy indulged in decriminalizing the defunct junta regimes in
various parts of the world. In this endeavour, the World Bank (WB),
and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has played a pivotal role
by making available discretionary endowments to regimes that further
US schemas.
New
Delhi has succumbed to this mounting pressure, and has allowed its
foreign policy to be governed by the United States and its
influential galaxy of officials. Robert Blackwill, the US ambassador
to India, is meddlesome, and though he has validated the elections
in Kashmir, he persists to coerce New Delhi to tune their foreign
policy in line with the interests of Washington in south-east Asia.
Despite lofty asserts that US is not interceding between India and
Pakistan on Kashmir issue, New Delhi has articulated its inability
to elucidate as to why they continue to have no “composite
policy” of their own on Kashmir issue.
Why
should the US enlighten us on what should be the next step that
needs to be taken in the cohesive diplomacy that we have betrothed
Islamabad in. It was a foregone conclusion – inline with what US
has been saying – that India, in the post-election state of
affairs in Kashmir, will de-escalate. It was a familiar knowledge in
the politico-diplomatic circles that India would take steps to make
efforts to create conducive atmosphere for talks with Islamabad
notwithstanding having no thread of substantiation, which would
designate that Pakistan has genuinely addressed India’s concerns.
Islamabad maintains to make available sanctuary to some of the most
sought after fugitives that India hunts for; hasn’t dismantled the
terrorist camps operating in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir; and
continues to aid and abet terrorists to engender trouble in Jammu
and Kashmir. What has altered on the ground that New Delhi has to
commence these measures without any rhyme or reason.
New
Delhi has put up a bold-face in undoing these measures which were
initiated in the aftermath of the attack on the Indian parliament in
December last year. It has gone into an overdrive in putting up
explanations for the pulling out of armed forces from the borders,
something, which has not shown wide acceptability in political and
intellectual circles. Already there are indications that track II
diplomacy would be set rolling to carryout ground work for future
summit between New Delhi and Islamabad, sometime during the second
week of January. The failure of Agra summit is largely attributed to
the inability of the two governments to accomplish preliminary
groundwork, and this time the two parties appear eager to put in
order the basis for any potential dialogue.
What
is incongruous is that India has not demonstrated any grit or
resolves to exterminate the menace of terrorism from the country
that has been unleashed by the Inter Services Intelligence of
Pakistan. We have promulgated anti-terrorism laws like POTA, but
have not been able to arrest the spread to terrorist networks to
various other parts of the country, leave aside curbing terrorism in
existing known domains. What has befallen upon this country is that
a spineless regime, which derives pleasure in sitting on their
backsides, and engages their state machinery in anti-Pakistan
rhetoric, have proved to be a colossal failure in safeguarding the
lives of its own citizens.
The
fact that India has been browbeaten by the nuclear threats issued by
Pakistan has amply corroborates that New Delhi does in no way
appreciates the essentials of its basic tasks that it needs to
undertake to safeguard its national interests. Instead, it is
content to enhance the role of US as a “facilitator” in solving
all outstanding issues with Pakistan. Something for which, we have a
national security advisor, Mr. Brijesh Mishra, who has been
conversing more to Americans than to his fellow countrymen - having
been entrusted with the task of implementing the dictates of Uncle
Sam in letter and spirit.
The
crux of the matter is not whether we need to engage Pakistan in a
meaningful dialogue sooner or later, or not but whether we are time
and again, by involving US, undermining the “Shimla Accord”
which should form the basis for any future bilateral negotiations
between the two neighbours. We should, given the changing dimensions
in the polity of Pakistan – emergence of pro-taliban, MMA in a big
way in the recently held election – be preparing ourselves to
brace ourselves to increase our vigilance, and should the need arise
be in a position to launch pre-emptive strikes against terrorist
facilities in PoK. MMA, with the mantle of governance in hand in
North Western Frontier Province, and Baluchistan, are a direct
threat to Indian interests in Kashmir, for these religious political
outfits can utilize their state machinery to transport Al Qaeda
elements - presently lying low - into Jammu & Kashmir to augment
the level of violence.
Despite
unflinching pressure tactics employed by US, Pakistan has shown no
signs whatsoever of reining in the militants, which have been
operating under the direct command of its Intelligence wing, and
carrying out massacres of Hindus and unrelenting attacks on the
Indian security forces. In the given circumstances, it is imperative
that New Delhi commences steps in isolating Islamabad in the
International arena. The recent revelation that Islamabad has aided
Pyongyang in its nuclear development program - in breach of all
international agreements on non-proliferation - should make the task
of New Delhi easier, to impress upon the International community
that despite having conveniently aligned with the US in the war
against terror, Pakistan is not genuine about its obligations, and
continues to be the epicentre of terror campaign in south-east Asia.
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