It is for India to take advantage of a sea of US goodwill
The US has recommended that India must get rid of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba thru surgical strikes. It is implied that once India decides, both the U.S. and India would jointly formulate military strategy and execute it.
Pakistan sponsored Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist organization, killed 41 Indian para military personnel on February 14th. Immediately upon hearing the news, a chain of successive events took place in Washington D.C. The Secretary of State and the National Security Adviser issued statements of strongest support to India. This was followed by discussion on the situation in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. All important and leading senators and congressmen/women condemned Pakistan and extended political support to India. The Chief of the US Central Command, General Joseph Votel gave his assessment to the Congress and offered support to India.
The US has recommended that India must get rid of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba thru surgical strikes. It is implied that once India decides, both the U.S. and India would jointly formulate military strategy and execute it. Indian Ambassador Shringla said: “The designation of India as a Major Defense Partner was also codified into law by the US Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017, thanks to the unstinted support of the members of the India Caucus.”
President Trump has been demanding that Pakistan dismantle all terror cells and organizations inside Pakistan. He is the first US President to cancel military aid to Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan has been wanting to meet President Trump to seek support for loans from the I.M.F. President Trump has told him that unless he gets rid of all terror outfits and terrorists from Pakistan, he would not support Pakistan’s request.
Pakistan was defeated by India in three conventional wars. India defeated Pakistan in its third war and Pakistan lost East Pakistan. Since then, Pakistan has been using the homegrown terrorist organizations, such as Jaish-e-Mohammed; Lashkar-e-Taiba; and others as proxy to fight India. This resulted in attacks on the Indian Parliament, , New Delhi shopping mall, and the City of Mumbai that killed 165 Indians and foreigners.
Pakistan is controlled by its military and the I.S.I., its intelligence agency. The military has selected its Prime Minister and therefore the Parliament is a joke. Because India so far has not retaliated, Pakistan has taken advantage and continues to use the terrorists to attack India.
India’s new Ambassador to the U.S.A., Harsh Vardhan Shringla after presenting his credentials to President Trump was given the most enthusiastic reception at the Capitol Hill. This was attended by more senators and congressmen/women than ever before. The grand reception given to Ambassador Shringla is a reflection of India-US relations, with India now branded as “CLOSEST ALLY”. The chain of events in Washington after Pakistan’s attack in Kashmir reinforces President Trump’s new policy towards South Asia. India should be pleased because the “CLOSEST ALLY” status has bipartisan support. It is time for India to take full advantage of the US support and draw up a plan to end the scourge of terrorism from inside Pakistan.
(The author, in the U.S. for 65 years, lives in Scarsdale, N.Y. He is a Senior Adviser to Imagindia Institute, New Delhi, a think tank. He can be reached at vpwaren@gmail.com)