Kashmir Watch, March 24
By Afshain Afzal
After the failure of recent talks between Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor James Jones, India has been singled out but still it will work to achieve some of the US objectives which suits New Delhi. New Delhi was quick enough to pick up the mood of Washington over its reaction on February 26, Kabul attack. India claims that the attack was carried out on Indian nationals but for unknown reasons Washington is adamant not accept that target of the attackers was Indians. If we recall, Holbrooke, said on March 3, "I don't accept the fact that this was an attack on an Indian facility. There were foreigners and non- Indians hurt. It was a soft target. Let's not jump to conclusions." Indian National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon who just concluded his visit of Kabul claimed that the terrorists' chief target were Indians. It is pertinent to mention here that in February 26 attack, suicide bombers struck at a hotel and a guest house in Kabul, killing seven Indians. In a latest development, another setback for India is on its way as Washington intends not put David Headley on gallows and award him lighter sentence. Headley, who is main culprit behind Mumbai attack and agent of US top intelligence agencies, got the plea bargain entered in federal court in Chicago.
In the present scenario, India is playing a double game with US. With regard to Iran, it is convincing Tehran that India and Iran share common interests in eliminating Taliban from Afghan politics but at the same time a Plan B is being obediently persuaded to expose Iran before US as a bad guy. Despite widening gulf between Washington and New Delhi over view point on Afghanistan, India is confident that it may be able be collect some more eggs from US’ basket in the name of Iran triumph card. In much haste, Nirupama Rao met top Obama Administration officials including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Advisor James Jones, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Robert Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Democracy Global Affairs, Maria Otero, Congressman Gary Ackerman and Senator Joseph Lieberman. Indian External Affairs Minister, S M Krishna is also expected to visit Washington soon for the first round of Strategic Dialogue with Hillary Clinton. India-US Strategic Dialogue agenda include cooperation in defense, nuclear energy, counter-terrorism, agriculture, education, energy, space, cyber-security etc. So far things seem good but the chances for New Delhi to convince Washington to alter its plan to withdraw combatants from Afghanistan are not going to yield fruit.
India has made up its mind to go for plan ‘B’ by engaging Tehran to work on pro-India stable Afghanistan. Washington has already tasked New Delhi to create a battleground in Central Asian Republics (CARs) to fight another phase of Global War on Terrorism there. New Delhi is currently holding talks with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan to instigate them against those who shares ethnic ties with Afghan people. It is pertinent to mention here that in the recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a joint strategy was worked out in which future strategic and tactical moves against Afghanistan and its people in different countries was discussed. In the same context, Indian forces including its ITBP commandos along with US and other western forces in Afghanistan are preparing to move through the Northern Distribution Network, a corridor connecting the Baltic and Black Sea ports with Afghanistan through Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It is suspected that pullout of the US and allied forces would also take place from same corridor.
India feels much perturbed over international community’s change in the course in Afghanistan and fears that sooner or later a total isolation is in its destiny. New Delhi fears that change in US policy has taken place in consultation with Afghan government under President Hamid Karzai, in which White House and Pentagon and Taliban are all on one side while Indian is left all alone in this great game. The ground position supports New Delhi’s fears but the factual position is amazingly quite different. Today India is experiencing tremendous pressure from US and Kabul in dealing with Pakistan as if there is some secret understanding between Pakistan and these countries. If we peep into the history of Indo-Pakistan and Afghanistan, we would find surprisingly replica moves by the British and the Americans in 19th century. New Delhi need not to be troubled about its investment in Afghanistan as due to the same aid till now New Delhi had been enjoying say in Afghan affairs. Obviously, if India is looking for a greater role in the region, it must not worry about couple of a billion dollars and some precious lives. India should not feel insulted, if US has finally taken out its Pakistan card to settle the dust in Afghanistan. The fact cannot be denied that people of Pakistan and Afghanistan are brothers and in the same context it has been rightly pointed out by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in his recent statement that India was a friend and Pakistan a conjoined twin. In 1830ies the western powers used Sikh card to destabilize the legitimate government of Ameer of Afghanistan. At that time it was Shah Shujjah who acted as an instrument in the hands of British and Americans. This time history repeated itself when for the last ten years New Delhi, wittingly or unwittingly served as pawn in the great game. It is recorded in the history that when Sikhs gain influence in certain areas and became powerful, British carried out war against them to weaken their power. Same is going to happen with regard to India, when western powers would feel threaten of growing Indian power in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.
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afshainafzal@ymail.com
Posted on 24 Mar 2010 by
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