Friday, November 28, 2008

Finger Pointing at Pakistan

At this rate, I hope that Obama will get to tackle some of the issues in the U.S. It seems India is ready to blame Pakistan for the terrorist attacks, not good for for trying to quell the violence in Afghanistan. Obama has been briefed.

The Times UK says India has itself to blame as well. The Australian says the attacks were a message to Obama. 

The Atlantic has a story about the Hindu-Muslim tensions in India. India has the third largest Muslim population.

It seems that there is a war of religions in the world, which is ironic, because all religions advocate peace.
NYT: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The terrorist attacks in Mumbai occurred as India and Pakistan, two big, hostile and nuclear-armed nations, were delicately moving toward improved relations with the encouragement of the United States and in particular the incoming Obama administration.

Those steps could quickly be derailed, with deep consequences for the United States, if India finds Pakistani fingerprints on the well-planned operation. India has raised suspicions. Pakistan has vehemently denied them.

But no matter who turns out to be responsible for the Mumbai attacks, their scale and the choice of international targets will make the agenda of the new American administration harder.

Reconciliation between India and Pakistan has emerged as a basic tenet in the approaches to foreign policy of President-elect Barack Obama, and the new leader of Central Command, Gen. David H. Petraeus. The point is to persuade Pakistan to focus less of its military effort on India, and more on the militants in its lawless tribal regions who are ripping at the soul of Pakistan.

A strategic pivot by Pakistan’s military away from a focus on India to an all-out effort against the Taliban and their associates in Al Qaeda, the thinking goes, would serve to weaken the militants who are fiercely battling American and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

But attacks as devastating as those that unfolded in Mumbai — whether ultimately traced to homegrown Indian militants or to others from abroad, or a combination — seem likely to sour relations, fuel distrust and hamper, at least for now, America’s ambitions for reconciliation in the region.

Twittering the news of the attacks.
Reports that many of the terrorists are from Pakistan

Obama's working holiday

Deepak Chopra: This is a world problem. Muslims need to help.