ChicSunTimes

Powell’s challenge in India, Pakistan

October 15, 2001

If mujaheddin trained by Osama bin Laden and armed with American weapons left over from war with the Soviets are terrorists when they’re in Afghanistan, our old friend India asks, then how come mujaheddin trained by Osama bin Laden and armed with American weapons left over from war with the Soviets are freedom fighters when they’re in the part of Kashmir controlled by America’s new pal, Pakistan?

That’s a tough one, and Secretary of State Colin Powell will have his considerable diplomatic skills put to the test this week when he visits both countries. Powell will fly into New Delhi, then Islamabad, to try to keep India and Pakistan—bitter enemies for more than half a century—from using the seismic shocks rippling across the world since Sept. 11 as an opportunity to renew their bloody struggle for control of the disputed mountain region on their northern borders.

The rift goes back to 1947, when Britain carved Muslim Pakistan from the Asian subcontinent, but handed Muslim Kashmir to Hindu India.

Two wars and 30,000 fatalities later, the region remains one of the world’s flash points. Pakistan controls about one-third; India the rest. There was a truce in 1972, but the situation reignited, not coincidentally, in 1989 when Islamic fighters, fresh from driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan, went searching for new territory to conquer.

Sparks are flying again now. Forty people died in a car bomb Oct. 1, and India, which saw the United States’ embrace of Pakistan as a partner against bin Laden with increasing alarm, was particularly unhappy by America's silence after the bomb attack.

Traditionally America has been closer to Democratic India than to Pakistan, whose regime seized power from an elected government in a military coup.

But then Pakistani Gen. Pervez Musharraf leapt to heed our call for help in the war against terrorism.

Musharraf was by no means inspired by altruism—Pakistan needs all the rich friends it can get—but his move nevertheless was fraught with risk. Pakistan is roiling with Islamic radicals, and playing Robin to the United States’ Batman has whipped them into a froth.

The benefits to Pakistan of American aid and loans will take a long time to trickle down to the masses—assuming they trickle down at all—and while Pakistan struggles to control its population, India has been growing vocal in its unhappiness at the new match.

To grab our attention, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hinted Thursday that India might mount its own military action against terrorism—by chasing Islamic militants into the part of Kashmir under Pakistani control. That would almost certainly lead to an escalation of hostilities.

Powell’s visit is not just well-timed, it’s urgent. Both sides need their tempers cooled and their egos stroked. India must be reminded that our friendship is rock-solid and not affected by cozying up to Pakistan, which in turn must be reminded that it should not become overconfident and decide that now is the time to grab what it can of Kashmir.

India and Pakistan are nuclear powers, and both have shown restraint in their hostilities toward the other. We are confident that Powell will be able to ease the tense situation between these longtime foes and leave them more stable, if not more peacefully inclined toward one another.

October 15, 2001

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001