The language is deliberate, the signals unmistakable: India is turning up the heat on Pakistan for the Mumbai attacks that have killed at least 195 people, and there is no knowing where this downward spiral in ties between the uneasy neighbours will end.
Beginning with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s warning that a cost will have to be paid by neighbouring nations that allow militants to operate, to Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s direct call to Islamabad to “dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism”, there is a sharp, cold edge to the tone that you can’t miss even factoring in the immediate anger and sense of outrage the attacks have evoked across India.
Then the signs: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in India on a previously scheduled visit to review the peace process packing his bags and heading home because Indian political leaders cancelled meetings with him following the attacks.
We have been here before, for sure. A 2001 attack on the Indian parliament, for which like the Mumbai attacks, the Lashkar-i-Taiba was blamed, triggered a set of measures by New Delhi including breaking sporting and cultural links, downgrading diplomatic relations, and the deployment of the military in full combat readiness all along the Pakistan border.
That military stand-off ended six months later after considerable diplomatic pressure from the United States, Britain and other powers worried about two nuclear-armed nations on the brink of war.
So what are the options for Delhi this time around, beyond striking a menacing posture to force Pakistan to go after elements there which it believes are responsible for violence in India?
It can’t risk another extended military deployment - you can only do that sort of “coercive diplomacy” once a while for it to be taken seriously. Limited military strikes on the militant camps that New Delhi says exist across the border?
The New York Times raised that possibility following what were arguably the most audacious attacks India has ever seen even its violent history as a free nation. It’s hard to tell, especially now that those training camps don’t exist so openly, given the Americans’ scrutiny of Pakistan. And India has always been reluctant to cross the Line of Control dividing Kashmir, fearing this would undermine its status as a de facto border and basis for a permament settlement to the Kashmir dispute.
Ending a five-year ceasefire along the Line of Control, which has in recent months come under strain? Or a freezing of ties, turning back the four year-peace process which if nothing else ensured the foes kept talking?
All bets are obviously off . The Times said American military and intelligence officials believed there was mounting evidence that the Lashkar–Taiba was most likely involved in the Mumbai attack. That can only strengthen New Delhi’s case as it confronts Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence with evidence when its representative arrives in India to discuss the attacks, itself an extraordinary move.
Islamabad had earlier agreed to send the head of the ISI to India but it later lowered that to a representative.
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foresight,
- Posted by Kumarfirst of all don’t be ashamed of showing ur name.if ur muslim we can understand us shame of being a muslim.before exploring much abt mighty hindus and my name ,try to find out abt ur religion of shame.its few days of existance is abt to over.
Indian political leaders are threatening Pakistan because, allegedly, the terrorists came from there.
There are parallels being drawn between the 2001 New York Twin Towers atrocity and that in Mumbai.
15 of the 19 suicide hijackers on 9/11 were citizens of Saudi Arabia.
But the US didn’t confront Saudi Arabia.
- Posted by Brian Cloughleykanwal chopra says, “May be this time countries like USA,UK and Israel and possibly one of the middle eastern countries should assist out in thrashing out a common ground.”
too bad the USA, UK and israel are planning on resource wars and wars to secure israel… and to that end, they want india to do the heavy lifting in pakistan… which will eliminate the pakistani nuke threat to israel and india…
…not to mention the fact that india will be a useful tool in limiting chinese access to persian gulf/caspian/central asian energy.
have you forgotten that china is israeli america’s prime rival for acquiring energy?
and it looks to me like india is being groomed to succeed america in its role as protector of israel, seeing as how america is not gonna make a graceful adjustment to oil shortages.
that’s something to look forward to, isnt it?
- Posted by wadosyIts imperitive,given the situation, that both Indian and Pakistani Govts should jointly address the issue with evidence based leads. And importantly, refrain from issuing premature and unsupported statements as to who is responsible. May be this time countries like USA,UK and Israel and possibly one of the middle eastern countries should assist out in thrashing out a common ground.
Give the democracies a chance to resolve this conflict. Follow it up with strengthening the coastal gaurds and internal security within India.
Down the line, continue the free trade opening trends that have been persued lately. Living togather is the only way forward.
- Posted by kanwal chopraIt is indeed depressing to know that Pakistani terrorists were again involved in these attacks. They are spoiling the name of the nation and the religion they pretend to uphold. India and many of the global powers need to get together and ensure that Pakistan is rid of this menace which is proving to be costly, not just for Mumbai but for the entire world
- Posted by Robin Jacob AbrahamZeba,what u said just shows ur total ignorance of the matters.Don’t use this forum for propagating ur false beliefs.
- Posted by MilindIndia instead of turning the so called heat on Pakistan,should devise some other fruitful mechanisms. Those pakistanis who plan to kill innocent lives in India ironically, roam fearlessly in Pakistan. India must send agents to target & kill terrorlords like Hafiz Md Saeed, Masood Azhar & Salahuddin.Wipe out the menace once & for all.
The fact remains that India has progressed so much after freedom and partition whereas pakistan. People whether extremists or not in pakistan should try to build their nation.
- Posted by Lakshmipatilooks like everything’s pretty much going according to plan.
PNAC Project for the New American Century map: http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7079/ pnacplanqf4.jpg
- Posted by wadosyBring back Musharraf. The reason nothing like this happened while he was in charge was because he actually ran the country. Mr Zardari might mean well but he has no direct power. I remember being in Delhi when Mush was forced out and a lot of the government and military types were openly upset he had to leave.
- Posted by pamIndia needs to once and for all pay the price and enter Pakistan. India needs to break up Pakistan into little feifdoms. The continuing murders of Indians by these barbaric cowards is not acceptable. We can not contiune to turn the other cheek.
- Posted by steveKumar,
As you indian hindus (even wonder who named you that?) continue to ‘westernize’ and sell out your land and people it is hinduism that will cease to exist along with India (ever wonder where that name came from?), keep it up its only a matter of time.
- Posted by foresightFirst — I have to correct one particular mistake by Mr Thomas : the Pakistan-origin ships in Mumbai port were searched and nothing was found to connect them with the atrocities, and they were sent on their way. (It would have been strange indeed had they remained in harbour if they been responsible for conveying the vicious barbarians who killed 200 people.)
———–
Sanjeev Miglani hits, as usual, the nub of the subject when he indicates the futility of armed confrontation between India and Pakistan. There is no point in a rerun of 2001-2002 when the Indian army closed up to the western border. The operation cost a fortune - and over 400 Indian soldiers died though non-combat causes in the course of that menacing but futile demonstration by the then BJP government.
It is time for unemotional, considered, mature diplomacy.
I much regret the reversal of Pakistan’s decision to send the Director General of ISI to Delhi. That would have been a sensible thing to do - as well as being a considerable public relations coup. General Pasha’s visit to India would have had a soothing influence.
But in spite of that PR disaster - there is no other word for it - there is room and opportunity for Pakistan to recover and to assure and convince India, by sincere cooperation, that there was no State involvement.
The tabloid newspapers in the UK - the Sun, Times, Express, Mirror and Mail - are humming with silly stories about British-Pakistan-origin terrorists, and today’s (30 November) Times of India declares that :
“Pakistan’s envoys and spin meisters have taken to the air in the west in a glib effort to counter the universal disgust and opprobrium the country is attracting for its alleged role in yet another terrorist carnage in the sub-continent.”
“Disgust and opprobrium” for “its alleged role” ?
Were there to be the smallest piece of evidence indicating that Pakistan had a hand, or any influence at all, in the evil Mumbai savagery, then there would indeed be reason for disgust and opprobrium.
But there is no evidence. None at all.
Let us all cool down. The Times of India’s comments are regrettable and inconsistent with its usual dignity and objectivity. It is in danger of lowering itself to the level of the Sun and the Times of London.
There is much more heat than light, at the moment.
And let us hope that mad Modi of Gujarat does not send out his extremists to conduct another pogrom. At the moment there is temptation for the fanatics of extremist organisations in India to take to the streets and murder Muslims.
If this happens, it would be a disaster. In terms of humanity, of course, it would be terrible — think of all the innocent lives, the children butchered as they were in 2002.
In terms of civilisation . . . ?
- Posted by Brian CloughleyPakistan has always been a pre-modern society controlled by a few foreign-educated elite, a defeated and shamed army, corrupt politicians, and an ultra right Islamic clergy. No good can come out of its people. I have lost hope in Pakistan. BUT not in Islam. I am not Muslim, but I still feel that religions are all the same - Islam can also be reformed and made truly tolerant and peace-loving. But this cannot be done in Pakistan. India is rendered most vulnerable by US’s strategic needs in Pakistan. But this can also be India’s biggest strength. India has to flex its economic bargaining power to have the US do more cleaning up inside Pakistan. This is in everyone’s interest - even in the interest of innocent Pakistanis.
- Posted by surgewell said Zeb i totally agree with you, islam teaches peace and islam will be the bigest religion in the world inshallah
- Posted by hasanThere are some circles who claim that there are some rogue elements in the ISI or even the Pakistan Army, maybe disgruntled and power hungry Generals or ex-Generals who want a piece of the huge billion dollar defence pie from the US. By planning these attacks on India, they now have the excuse to justify their arms build-up to ‘fight terror’ and/or to defend themselves
against a now hostile India, much to their benefit through their arms dealers, their lackeys, cronies or proxies in the arms business.Anyone who has read Machiavelli “The Prince” would know that this is one of the ways to divert attention from the real issues at hand and get away with whatever agenda they have in mind.Any terrorism analyst worth his salt cannot ignore this scenerio, and I am surprised that no such theory was forthcoming from the Indians or even the Pakistanies.They should asks themselves who’s to gain from this dastardly event monetarily? By the way, why weren’t the merchant ship(s) from Pakistan searched, when they Indian authorities were forewarned about it? At the same time, the elections in Kashmir was also underway, an indication that there would be trouble, which would work out to the benefit of these rogue elements in Pakistan, i.e. that’s all the excuse they need. These terrorist, mere pawns in their whole scheme of things could have been brain-washed by these rouge elements into believing that they are dying for their country, fighting for their religion viz.Islam, which is becoming a misnomer, ironically; or whatever twisted megalomaniacal reason they may have. Or maybe hugh sums of money were offered to their next of kin if they
undertook this inhuman mission.As expected the captured terrorist(s) say that they have no regrets!In short, it’s all about money; and absolute power corrupts absolutely!Now it seems
that Pakistan has made an about-turn and not send their ISI chief to India. Maybe he needs to be debriefed in Pakistan for fear that he may inadvertently ’spill the beans’ to the Indian
investigators.Where is the Delhi born General Musharraf now after all this mess? What is his input into this matter after all his rhetoric about uniting the two fueding countries? What would
be the founding father’s of India and Pakistan viz. Gandhiji would be thinking now, if they were alive now? What has Ali Jinnah and his cohorts have acheived after all the blood and tears
shed during the partition of India and Pakistan? More blood and tears? The ball is in the court of the so called analysts and experts and I ask them whether there would be a more plausible
scenario.I am new to this conspiracy theory game and I hope to get some feedback from thoes concerned.May God Bless India and Pakistan!
- Posted by Charles ThomasPlease people watch out. Whoever did this deplorable act wins if both countries fall into their trap and suspend peace talks and recent warming up of relations between both countries.
If these countries go back to confontration guess who wins. The crazies with ulterior motives.
- Posted by mobyno its not islam, islam teaches peace…the word islam itself means “peace”..but you know what the sad part is, is that you people forget what you have done in the past, but when it ocmes to finger pointing you are the first to say soemthing..i mean i feel bad for what has happned, and that innocent people died, but you know what why do you think these people did this?? for fun???because they were bored??? NOOOOO they did this because their whole families were killed like he said, it’s ok when you kill muslims like that incident with samjhota express where some 200 people were burned to death, the doors and the wondows were locked by hindu extrimist..i bet no one knows about that, and why would they, that would show their hatred and of course you guys are not like that right??? IT’s ok when muslims are killed and their mosques are torned down for example, babari msque in india and thousand people were killed by hindu extrimist, but thats ok, who cares as long as muslims are dying, but when they want revenge its islam..no its not islam its ignorant people who interpret it as islam..islam is the fastest growing religion all around the world and i don’t think if it was the religion that taught violence so many people would convert…think before saying,and put your self in these people’s places first and then say something, i bet they are not doing it for fun either, but if you kill their families i think they have no reason to live themself and the anger comes out nasty..
- Posted by zebaDavid,
I have lived in India, there is only hatred aginst islam since you want to destroy us.
- Posted by vijayPakistan is living in the past, they need to wake up and get with the program. The majority of their citizens live in poverty, while the government spends billions on the military to accomplish ghastly endeavors such as these. I live in the US and always believed that you cannot paint people with a single stroke, but I think I no longer feel that way. Islam teaches intolerance, mayhem and murder. All the conflicts in the world have some aspect of muslim involvement. Its sad for me to say this, but all muslims are alike with their fanatic agenda. What will these people accomplish with violence, just hatred towards their people and their religion.
- Posted by rajA NUCLEAR BIG SCALE WAR.
- Posted by DavidThere is gonna be no result of this.Both countries should come together and fight to show us the nuclear bombings then we will undersytand what is it.
Indian media i have seen is inciting the war.Govt seems to prepared now Pakistani acceptance is required then A NUCLEAR BIG SCALE WAR.