From: prem@prem.lbl.gov (xyz)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: US && Pakistan (was (Re: Surprising news (from MNS)))
Date: 22 Dec 1992 22:18:36 GMT
Organization: Human Genome Center at LBL
Distribution: world
Reply-To: prem@prem.lbl.gov (xyz)
NNTP-Posting-Host: prem.lbl.gov


In article <BzD6zE.Dux@news.fai.com>, balajiv@reno ( ) writes:
|> [read this piece in MNS]
|> 
|> >          Washington Ready to Brand Pakistan a Terrorist State
|> >
|> > The United States government is seriously considering branding
|> > pakistan a terrorist state, Western diplomats in Islamabad said
|> > yesterday.
|> --
|> This is serious stuff. Does this mean romance between US and Pak is over?

	Most analysts in New Delhi, Washington and Islamabad saw this coming.

	The United States has been considerably embarrased by the support
	extended by Pakistan to terrorists in India, particularly Kashmir and
	Punjab. The US also viewed with concern, the emergence of Pakistan as
	the world's largest heroin producer, after a successful campaign by the
	DEA in Thailand. However, the main reasons for the US to stick by 
	Pakistan were :	
		1. The Soviet presence in Afghanistan
		2. Moscow's relationship with New Delhi
		3. India's continued pursuit of independent economic 
		   and defence policy (a euphemism for anyone who does 
		   not bend over backwards to satisfy Washington)

	The end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan saw the first signs
	of strain in Washington-Islamabad relations, with the US taking a
	harsher stance on Pakistan's continued support of Khalistani terrorists 
	and Kashmiri militants.

	The collapse of the Soviet Union had far-reaching effects. In one 
	stroke, the following changes came about :
	    1. The US no longer needed Pakistan's support. It also did not 
	       have any excuse for continuing to provide arms to Pakistan.
	    2. India could no longer depend on Soviet support in foreign 
	       affairs. This led to a considerable softening of India's 
	       stand on several international issues. (To be fair to the
	       foresight of the Indian Foreign Dept, this change in attitude 
	       came about before the collapse of the USSR.)
	    3. Simultaneously, the US needed an Asian ally with the potential
	       to counter China, which was quickly seeping into the power 
	       vacuum created by the end of the USSR.
	    4. Market reforms in India also meant that the US corporations were
	       interested in "investing" there, and it now was in the US' 
	       interest (at least in the interests of major corporations) to
	       provide a secure business atmosphere in India.
	    5. With the end of India's cozy barter-trade arrangement with the
	       USSR, India was again a major player in the international market 
	       for military purchases. India was being wooed by many European
	       suppliers (Dassault/Aerospatiale/Westland/Dornier), and the US 
	       wanted a cut in the action. A chill in the relations with 
	       Islamabad would set the right note to approach New Delhi.
	
	Evidence of Pakistan's support to terrorists was never a factor. The
	US had evidence for years, but was not in a position to act upon this.
	With the situation changing to the point where it became convenient
	to use the evidence against Pakistan, the US suddenly opened the blind
	eye (to mix a metaphor badly!). Now, of course, Pakistan will be made 
	to look like the bad guy, being branded a terrorist state and all that, 
	until events in South Asia make it convenient for the US to support 
	them again.

	With the reluctance of our "leaders" in India/Pakistan/Bangladesh to
	learn from history, this cycle will continue until we realize that
	we in the sub-continent have much more in common with each other than
	we have with any of the superpowers. No matter what our national 
	identity, we have the welfare of South Asians at heart; something that
	you cannot expect from a superpower which is thousands of miles away.

	This is not to say that India is now in an ideal position; it is only
	that the current phase in world history makes India more attractive
	than Pakistan to the US. This does not mean that the US will be sincere
	to India for ever. It is crucial for us not to become dependent on the
	US to the extent that they can dictate our policy. However, I am sure
	there are people in New Delhi who will be only too eager to sell out
	to US interests for an attractive price.

	Prem!