Lethargic IITian
Musings of a 20-something lethargic IITian on India and Catholicism.


Saturday, May 25, 2002  

In his blog Unqualified Offerings, Jimmy Henley writes:


However. The beginning of wisdom is recognizing that if the worst does happen, and Pakistan and India start a nuclear war, the blame will most properly rest with India and Pakistan. They've been at the Kashmir business for 55 years now, and both countries have worked damned hard to get themselves to the point where they can jointly turn the subcontinent into hell on earth. While your respectable commentators and journals give the idea short shrift, the amazing truth is that these dusky foreigners have minds of their own, and interests to match, and may act for reasons wholly unrelated to the clarity of our signals or the strength of our resolve.

Unqualified Offerings suspects US attempts to "solve" the situation may make things worse. How? By removing the local actors' own sense of final responsibility. If the US shows up in its referee suit, then both sides commence a game of "Let's see how far we can go before the ref calls foul." Answer: Too far, easily. Because we don't really have the power to keep the subcontinent from blowing itself up. We can block their view of an abyss they need to see with absolute clarity.


What Unqualified Offerings had better find out is a little bit more about the Kashmir problem. About India's "no first-use" nuclear policy. About Pakistan's refusal to do the same. About Pakistan testing it's medium-range Ghauri missile while the situation is red-hot. And also the Jim Hoagland article he begins by quoting.

In short, Unqualified Offerings had better be a little more qualified before holding forth on India and Pakistan.

posted by Kensy | 6:10 AM
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