Fight Muslim terrorism - Editorial: UNDERMINING TIES
Dr. Jai Maharaj
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
Undermining ties
Editorial
The Pioneer
Friday, January 18, 2002
Recent reports about the United States' stand on Israel's
sale of Phalcon Airborne Early Warning Command and
Control System (AWACS) and Arrow series of anti-tactical
ballistic missiles (ABTM), do little good to the
increasingly close Indo-US relations. Initial reports
that Washington had blocked the sale of both items have
been followed by others to the effect that while
supporting the sale, the US was discussing with Israel
"the transfers, including the systems' capability and
timing" in the context of the prevailing tensions between
India and Pakistan.
That the US can halt the transactions is without doubt.
Israel requires Washington's clearance for selling the
ABTMs because it had undertaken the Arrow project jointly
with the US which had provided the major part of the
funds for it. The Phalcon is an indigenous Israeli
product. Nevertheless, despite its increasingly warm ties
with India, Tel Aviv may postpone selling them at US'
instance given its close links with the latter. While
what ultimately happens remains to be seen, the reports
recall the bad old days when Washington always equated
the India and Pakistan. This in turn is bound to queer
the pitch for Defence Minister George Fernandes' visit to
the US which has just begun and prompt serious second
thoughts in India on closer military cooperation with the
US including greater contacts between the defence forces
of the two countries. For, it raises questions about the
reliability of the US as a friend. Its attempt to delay
the sale of these systems will directly help Islamabad in
the current military confrontation between the two
countries, particularly since it can do nothing to stop
the arms China has been sending to Pakistan to enhance
its military capability.
It is not difficult to understand what accounts for the
US' move. Pakistan, which was its ally in the cold war
days, has made a fine art of taking Americans for a ride.
Besides, it has friends at all levels in the State
Department, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the
Pentagon whom it has cultivated assiduously and who have
a gut dislike for India because of its earlier role as a
leader of the non-aligned group of nations during cold
war. Now that Pakistan has again become a friend after
falling out of favour during the last few years for its
role in promoting global Islamic terrorism, its friends
are active in promoting its interests, emphasising its
importance as a frontline ally in the US-led war against
terrorism and the need to keep Musharraf in power, and
exaggerating the threat he faces from the fundamentalist
Islamic terrorist outfits he has banned.
It will be a pity if the US overlooks Pakistan's past
role in promoting the Taliban, the close links it had
with the Al Qaeda, and its clandestine extension of
patronage to anti-American elements among Mujahideen
during the Afghan war of the 1980s. Close Indo-US
cooperation between India and the US is essential for
terrorism to be wiped out worldwide. That will be
difficult to achieve if Washington DC blocks the sale of
Phalcons and ABTMs to India and generally tends to
balance India and Pakistan. President Bush has to realise
this and, if necessary, intervene personally to ensure
that the sales go through in time.
[...]
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