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Sunday, September 17, 2006
India Pakistan agree to resume peace talks - what was the fuss all about anyway ? OffStumped For All Things Right of Center, Bringing a Right of Centre Reality Check to Indian Politics, News Media Reporting and Opinion through Blogs and Podcasts. --- Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has described the outcome of his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a "victory" for peace process. Musharraf further said it would establish peace, stability and development in the region. PM Manmohan Singh and Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf agreed on Saturday to set up a joint mechanism to counter terrorism at the end of an hour-long meeting which thawed the chill that had set into India-Pakistan relations since the recent blasts in Mumbai. Meeting on the margins of the Non Alignment Movement, NAM summit in havana Cuba, the two leaders decided, on the early resumption of foreign secretary-level talks as part of the composite dialogue on Kashmir and other topics as well as the setting up of an anti-terrorism mechanism. The two leaders met in the aftermath of the Mumbai blasts. They strongly condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed terrorism is a scourge that needs to be effectively dealt with. They decided to put in place an India-Pakistan anti-terrorism institutional mechanism to identify and implement counter-terrorism initiatives and investigations. We are now fed by the Prime Minister's spin meisters that there is no shift in India's stance towards Pakistan on Terrorism. The new spin from the newly appointed Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon is that we must draw a distinction between terror elements in Pakistan and the government of Pakistan and that Pakistan too is victim of Terrorism. The foreign secretary however dodged questions on whether this would pave the way for extradition of known terrorists in Pakistan like Dawood Ibrahim and Syed Salhuddin as well as if ISI would be part of the counter terrorism mechanism. How is this not a shift in India's stance towards Pakistan. By what stretch of the meaning of the word "shift" is this not a shift. This is exactly the U.S. State Department line that the Americans have used time and again to rationalize their indulgence of Musharraf while turning a blind eye to his claims of a firewall between the Lashkar and the Al Qaeda. So folks it is now official Indian foreign policy to indulge the Musharraf regime based on the same dubious distinction that the Americans have used to date. This is a huge shift. What are the implications of this shift. The first is that we have legitimised the Musharraf regime line that Pakistan too is a victim of terrorism. The second is that we have also legitimised Musharraf's claim of a firewall between the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Al-Qaeda. The third is we have completely absolved the ISI of having any hand in aiding or abetting terrorist groups. What is puzzling to all Right Minded Indians is what was the thinking that lead Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress lead UPA Government to stall talks after 7-11 serial commuter traib bomb blasts in Mumbai and what has changed in the 60 days since 7-11 that he has now decided to not just resume talks but effect a wholesale shift in India's foreign policy. Was it the Cuban Cigars or the company of Fidel Castro or the hair brained rhetoric of Hugo Chavez or the handshake with Ahmedenijad ? Does the Manmohan Singh Government really have a strategy to address terrorism and if so how come this sudden change of heart on Mushrraf's Pakistan ? Since 7-11, Manmohan Singh addressed terrorism in 3 public speeches. The first in the immideate aftermath of 7-11, the second on August 15th Independence Day in his Red Fort Address and the third at the Chief Minister's conclave on Internal Security. A contrast of all three of these speeches is in order to take a critical view of the India Pakistan Joint Statement released in Havana. On July 12th Manmohan Singh made no mention of Pakistan but said that no one can make India kneel. No one can come in the path of our progress the Government will do whatever is required to deal with the challenge at hand. We will win this war against terror. Nothing will break our resolve. Notice the language he used in July 12th talking about a "War Against Terror". He then visited Mumbai on July 14th and gave a press conference where we was a little more vocal on his intentions and very specific in ascribing blame. just as things can never be the same for those who have lost their near and dear, it cannot be business as usual for us. We have to ponder over this and act on credible strategy We are also certain that these terror modules are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they cannot act with such devastating effect. the time has come for us to crack down and destroy all these anti-national elements. We will leave no stone unturned, I reiterate, no stone unturned, in ensuring that terrorist elements in India are neutralized and smashed. Between July 12th and August 15th the Prime Minister made about 15 speeches. His immdideate next speech was at the G-8 summit where he called for Zero Tolerance and moved on to other topics. On his return from the G-8 summit there was no reference to Mumbai or terrorism. He then addressed Chief secretaries on July 20th and repeated the usual homilies on what state governments must do to address Terrorism amongst other topics. This was also the speech where he made his most profound remark that past responses are inadequate in dealing with terrorism Beyond this the Prime Minister went completely silent on terrorism till his Independence Day speech. Offstumped had extensively analyzed his August 15th Independence Day speech which repeated the same homilies, offered no new vision and had very little to show by way of progress. After August 15th the Prime Minister again went silent on Terrorism till his speech at the CM's conclave. Offstumped has also analyzed his speech on internal security which passed reduced terrorism to a Law and order issue and passed the buck to the states to do something about it. The speech again had nothing to report by way of progress on all the promises he made/ So Mr.Prime Minister, the question vexing all Right Minded Indians are what has changed between July 14th and September 14th that you found it fit to first suspend talks and then resume talks by setting up a joint terrorism mechanism with Pakistan. 1. How did you ensure it was not business as usual for your Government since July 11th ? 2. Did your government act on a credible strategy as promised on July 14th and if so what is it ? 3. If you were so certain about terror modules supported by elements across the border, what have you done between July 14th and September 14th about these modules that you now feel that a joint terrorism mechanism with Pakistan is meaningful and effective ? 4. Did your government really and truly act to leave no stone unturned as you promised in Mumbai, what facts can you provide to back this up ? 5. Now that you have decided to resume talks with Pakistan does this mean you have neutralized and smashed terrorism in India as repeated by on July 14th and July 20th ? 6. Last but not the least did the time to smash and defeat terrorism that you felt on July 14th come and pass by September 14th, that it was time again to smoke a few Cubans and sup with Musharraf. How is this unlike past responses which you found inadequate ? How is this Zero Tolerance as demanded by you at the G-8 summit ? How does this square with your demand at the G-8 that terrorism must be isolated whatever their cause and whichever country provides them sustenance and support. Folks all of us right minded Indians are wrong and the Prime Minister is right. Past responses of holding the Pakistan Government responsible were inadequate in stopping Pakistan sponsored terrorism, so the new strategy is to infiltrate the ISI from within through this joint counter terrorism strategy. Offstumped Bottomline: Barring this hair-brained irrational explanation, the wholesale shift of Indian Foreign Policy that the Prime Minister has effected defies logic. Not only does it defy logic but it flies in the face of every promise and assertion the Prime Minister made on July 12th, July 14th, July 18th and July 20th. Nothing has changed internally or externally between July14th and September 14th to justify this wholesale policy shift. Manmohan Singh clearly lacks the moral clarity and the strength of convictions to win the war on terror, a phrase he used on July 12th and has since forgotten. Whether the new shift addresses terrorism or not it definitely amounts to a wholesale embrace of the Musharraf regime of Pakistan. It is myopic and will come back to haunt India. Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by Yossarin at 12:40 AM |
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