India’s stubbornnessDAWN.COM | World | India’s stubbornness
Dawn Editorial
Sunday, 13 Sep, 2009
Mumbai or no Mumbai – India and Pakistan cannot ignore each other. —AFP/File Photo
World
Pakistan voices concern over S Asia’s strategic imbalance
Pakistan voices concern over S Asia’s strategic imbalance
THE state of Pak-India relations is vexing to the uninitiated at the best of times, mutual acrimony and a befuddling ‘action-reaction syndrome’ rendering true peace a frustrating mirage. Blame for that must, and has, been laid on the governments of both countries over the decades. But setting aside nationalist impulses, the present post-Mumbai impasse has now dragged on for so long, with no end in sight, that it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that it is the Indian side which has once again reverted to being obstinate and unyielding.
The terrorist attacks in Mumbai last November were abominable and India was right to demand that its architects be punished for their crimes. Yet, there are two facts that the Indian political and foreign policy establishments seem unwilling to acknowledge. One, Pakistan has demonstrated its bona fides in trying to bring to justice those inside this country who were involved in the attacks. The Indians, however, appear to have hinged everything on the prosecution of Hafiz Saeed, leader of the Jamaatud Dawa. At the same time though, India seems unwilling to either provide conclusive evidence that will stand up in a court of law against Mr Saeed or accept that Pakistan does not have the requisite evidence in its possession.
Two, and this is the larger point, India seems unwilling to acknowledge that relations between the two countries go beyond and are bigger than just the attacks of last November. Mumbai or no Mumbai – and this is in no way to try to play down the trauma of those events – India and Pakistan cannot ignore each other.
Video Report from Afghanistan: How the U.S. Counterinsurgency Campaign Is Failing
At a conference in Portugal over the weekend, NATO countries agreed to hand over responsibility for Afghanistan’s security to Afghan forces by the end of 2014. In his speech, President Obama claimed there has been significant progress in the fight against the Taliban. But reports from the ground in Afghanistan question these upbeat claims about the ongoing NATO operation. Last spring, NATO launched a major operation in the Taliban-held town of Marjah. The offensive was supposed to showcase America’s new counterinsurgency campaign and demonstrate that victory is still possible. Independent filmmaker Rick Rowley of Big Noise Films recently traveled to Marjah and discovered the counterinsurgency campaign in crisis. [includes rush transcript]
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Sunday, October 18, 2009
DAWN.COM | World | India’s stubbornness
DAWN.COM | World | India’s stubbornness
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