Attacks stoke India-Pakistan tensions

The Western countries, which want Pakistan to battle terrorism on its Western border, should be under no illusion, that this is the same terrorism which also strikes India at regular intervals. The groups share the same hateful ideology, training grounds and finances. There are enough media reports right within Pakistan, to support this conclusion. The terrorist group openly collect funds, openly train their people and openly spread their ideology. When one group is banned under pressure from US or UN, the same people promptly form a group under another name, all of these known publicly. Many powerful groups in the army and intelligence in Pakistan, who still adhere to the extreme aims and ideologies. Under pressure from the West, the Pakistan army has undertaken operations in the Western areas. Unfortunately, Pakistan Government is not strong or willing enough to counter or control these groups. The Western countries are worried about the tensions between India and Pakistan and hence, in any dispute between the two, adopts a neutral attitude. The West is also afraid that the nuclear arsenal in Pakistan may fall under control of the extremists, if Pakistan is destabilized. The Mumbai events in last few days, should come as an eye-opener for all and not only for India. All current indication, including assessments of US and Israeli intelligence point to involvement of groups based in Pakistan. Pakistan has, again under pressure from its army, started making the same noises. To India, it has mentioned that Pakistan is also victim of terrorism, and it has asked India for evidence. The evidence is available in Pakistan in public domain itself. To the west, Pakistan spin doctors have mentioned that any action by India, will result in Pakistan army taken off its western borders and hence weaken the fight against the terror. It is time the West sees through this double talk. If Pakistan does not take quick and firm steps against the terror infrastructure within its country, India will have to find its own solutions to fight the same. How it decides to do may be a matter of speculation, but whether it will or not is hardly in doubt. It will not require many of these ghastly events to bring response from India. For Pakistan society itself, it is time of reckoning. If they do not tackle these forces within their country, they themselves will suffer the most. The West will not gain by wait and watch policy as these forces will only become bolder by the day. This will will not help in fighting the terror forces on the Pak-Afghan border. The chances of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal falling in hands of extremists is not reduced at all by allowing the terrorist groups to become stronger and bolder by such acts. It can only be reduced by encouraging the civil society and the Government in Pakistan to take firm and visible steps against extremist forces, particularly within its own army and intelligence agencies.

Fixing the Pakistan dilemma will probably clear up some of the Afghanistan instability. Unfortunately, We don't have the intestinal fortitude to mop up a minor piracy operation let alone make strong moves in Pakistan. We need a bigger military. And more of a presence in Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. I don't think the new administration will be interested in making waves. They'll worry about what everyone else in the world will think. Hence the right decisions will not be made.