T J S George First Published : 27 Feb 2011 11:56:00 PM ISTLast Updated : 27 Feb 2011 12:15:20 PM IST
There are things you can do with Pakistan and things you cannot. Among the “cannot” is reasoning over the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Pakistan’s stonewalling on this issue has been so relentlessly self-serving that we should now expect a worsening of the situation. In answer to the death sentence confirmed on Ajmal Kasab, Pakistan may now show its defiance by (a) releasing Kasab’s handler and the operational leader of the Mumbai attack, Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, and (b) attempting a new 26/11 as quickly as possible.
They have three advantages while India has none. First, the Pakistani military’s visceral hostility to India gives it a motivation that matches only Israel’s unstoppable motivation to destroy Palestine; even if they get Kashmir on a silver platter, the war against India will continue because the need to justify Pakistan’s communal birth will continue. Second, China’s unconditional support enables an otherwise emasculated Pakistan to match the economic giant that is India, bomb for bomb. The third and surprising factor is America’s support to Pakistan which is as decisive as China’s.
America’s problem is that it recognises only terror against America as terror. To fight America’s war against terror, it needs Pakistan’s logistical cooperation. Pakistan cleverly takes the Americans for a ride, extending cooperation one day, denying it another day. In the process, India’s war against terror makes no blip on the American radar. American military supplies come pouring into Pakistan with user’s manuals stipulating that they fire/fly only westward, never eastward.
That’s dumb. But what we should note here is that Pakistan, client state though it is, has the guts to stand up against its provider. It did so when unmanned US drones wreaked havoc in its tribal areas. It is doing so right now over a US embassy man (CIA?), killing two Pakistanis (ISI?). America has threatened the worst, and eventually Pakistan may yield, but not until it gets its pound of flesh.
Does India ever stand up when it is bullied, challenged, insulted? When Australian racists took it out on Indian students, when American security guards body-checked India’s ambassadors because one wore a saree and another a turban, when America put radio-tags on Indian students who had valid visas, when Sri Lankans killed our fishermen, we said gravely each time that it was unacceptable. Then we went on to accept it lying down. Never once did we take action that was acceptable.
The result is: Not one country in the world respects us, to say nothing of fearing us. And fear — of military might, trade retaliation, diplomatic offensive, covert countermoves — is one of the more effective planks of international relations in today’s cynical world. Our weight in this world is far below what our size, economy and potential warrant.
Pakistan knows this all too well. Pakistani leadership not only has no fear of India; it has contempt for India. This came out most tellingly when recently ousted foreign minister, Mehmood Qureshi, brought his full arrogance to bear on SM Krishna — with Krishna taking it in stoic silence. Civilised behaviour is wasted on the uncivilised.
Pakistan uses big words like “non-state players” to justify its inaction over 26/11. And why not? India, meak and eminently bulliable as always, is suddenly saying that it is ready for a resumption of dialogue, no conditions attached. So what happened to the earlier publicly stated policy that dialogue was meaningless when terror went unchecked ?
The answer in all likelihood lies in Washington. It does not require inside intelligence to guess that America must be pressurising India to resume normalcy with Pakistan. It doesn’t take much, because Manmohan Singh’s India loves nothing more than being in the good books of America.
So Pakistan is free to do what it loves more than anything else — appearing to assist America’s war on terror while carrying on its own war on India. Unless India learns how to stand up, we have reasons to worry.
Topics:Pakistan, Ajmal Kasab, 26/11 attack
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our govt is meek and servile.it is slave of america and it cannt stand to american pressures.it is a soft state and alsoa banana republic. By muslim bhagawat
2/28/2011 6:38:00 PM Amazing piece. One is tempted to read just for his simple and lucid style. But another terrorist strike will immensely help this government to make people forget about other problems. It may resort to limited bombing of terrorist camps inside POK, in such an eventuality. C J Nelson Coimbatore By C J Nelson
2/28/2011 5:47:00 PM "motivation that matches only Israel’s unstoppable motivation to destroy Palestine;" Sir, I do not agree. It is Palestinians who have fatal hatred of the Jewish nation and want the Israelis to be driven into the sea. By Thiagan
2/28/2011 11:48:00 AM Excellent Sir. You took the words out of my mouth. By Vasu
2/27/2011 7:16:00 PM I am happy to see the contents of this Page whatever George has written and how people responded, I would like to add here that never forget Pakistan is also a country and Pakistanis are also Human being. World is together to pack them in some corner and every step world is taking against them has some natural response. Never under estimate this great nation their history is clear that they are not ordinary people every new crisis world is imposing on them they get more strength. All world is working underground but this nation is responding them above ground. If you take only one sincere step of friendship towards them they will take 100 steps but your one step towards enmity will push them to full enmity. By Ahud Khan
2/27/2011 6:16:00 PM Mr. George has let out the feelings of many Indians. Why Pakistan, are we able to face Maoists in our backyards? How shamefully Orissa government surrendered to Maoists. Indian State knows only how to ill treat ordinary Indians. see the lathi charge of cricket fans in Bangalore. And the justification given to it by the police commissioner to the foreign media. Our police truly serves its British masters. The immediate outcome of 'talks' with Pakistan will be handing over of Siachin to it. How funny it looks. Gen Zia had said not a blade of grass grows there. Now Pakistan is bent on getting Siachin . See the Kasab drama. India has already spent Rs. 45 crore or so to keep him alive safely. Now he is talking of going to Supreme Court. After that what, Presidential clemency? After clemency will we allow him to live in India, since Pakistan has disowned him. By Shivashankar K Nair
2/27/2011 2:16:00 PM Its very true that no body respects our country's diplomatic strength / political might in international relations. Ours is a country's so called IFS diplomats & usually ill equipped politicians have failed to even build a considerable influence / strength with Nepal, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Burma. Even today these small countries damn care to us on international issues & our politicians / diplomats wants a SEAT in UN SECURITY COUNCIL. What are these guys going to do in UN security council meetings, eat samosa & drink tea. By srikanth s
2/27/2011 11:06:00 AM The point Mr George has missed is that Pakistan has a vast hinterland of Islamists within India to help in planning and executing attacks on India.In fact Narendra Modi was absolutely right in stating that a major attack like 26/11 cannot be executed without local support.But,here comes the unsurmountable problem,that the ruling Congress led UPA does not want to bring any strong preventive laws,like Pota,for their political selfishness. By S.S.Nagaraj
2/27/2011 9:57:00 AM
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