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Ramananda Sengupta in Bombay
United States Ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill has said the September 11 attacks on New York's World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, had accelerated the already growing ties between the two countries.
Addressing a press conference at the American Centre in Bombay on Monday, he said relations between India and the US were being transformed anyway. But "after the 11th, when we joined together in this war against terrorism, it was accelerated by an unprecedented and comprehensive degree. We are co-operating in the fields of intelligence, military" and various other spheres, he said.
He pointed out that US President George Bush had made it amply clear that fighting terrorism within India was also part of the campaign. "The attack on the Srinagar assembly is exactly the kind of terrorism that has to be stamped out with this global struggle against international terrorism," he said, noting that the US had blacklisted Jaish-e-Mohammed, which had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Asked to comment on the post-Taleban scenario in Afghanistan, Ambassador Blackwill said the US was keen that no member of the Taleban should be part of the new government. But he clarified that this was just the American opinion. The US was not going to decide on the structure of the new government, and it was for the people of Afghanistan to decide "who's in and who's out".
Asked about Washington's dalliance with former king Mohammed Zahir Shah, he pointed out that many countries, including India, were interested in how the future government of Afghanistan turned out. "We have a preference that the post-Taleban government be widely based and comprise anti-Taleban elements, but this is just a general preference. Outsiders will have views, but insiders will make the decisions."
In this context, he said the role of the United Nations was important in the longer term.
Prof Blackwill also pointed out that President Bush had made it clear at the outset that "this was going to be a long war...we didn't think it would be swift, or restricted to Afghanistan. But there should no doubt about the outcome."
"The President has made it clear that terrorism threatens all that we believe in. We will not accept terrorism. Nations that harbour terrorism will suffer the same fate. Dozens and dozens of countries have joined us in this war, and while we are at the moment actively engaged in rooting out terrorism from Afghanistan, this war has many, many phases," he said. "Only a part will be military; there will be intelligence victories, diplomatic victories, and financial strangulation. No country that supports terrorism will be spared."
As for the anthrax scare in the US, he said anthrax cases had been limited in number. Many were hoaxes and rumours. And while his sympathies were with those who were actually affected, "the alternative is to be frightened.
"Will the evil ones drive us to abandon our beliefs in diversity? In equal rights for women? Will the crazy ones drive us to abandon all that we believe in? If we lose this war we lose everything... surely you in India can understand that," he said.
Asked whether Pakistan was cooperating fully with the US, he said the US had invited Pakistan to join in the war against terror 'without conditions". And since then, President Pervez Musharraf had been an "important and useful member of the coalition against terror".
But, he added, Washington believed it could have good relations with both India and Pakistan, and that this was not a "hyphenated, zero-sum" relationship. He was also sure that US relations with Pakistan would not "threaten India's security".
Blackwill asserted that fears about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal falling into the wrong hands were unfounded, since "Pakistan's nuclear complex is safe and secure".
As for the US campaign against Afghanistan continuing into the holy month of Ramzan, he said some Arab nations had expressed concern that this might provoke a reaction in the Muslim world. But others had pointed out that cessation of conflict was not necessary, and that the Taleban itself had fought during the holy month earlier. Besides, the Taleban would obviously use any pause in hostilities to regroup and reinforce.
Asked about rumours that Iraq was likely be the next target of the US, he said that right now, the US was concentrating on Afghanistan and Al Qaeda, perpetrators of the September 11 attacks. The Taleban was implicated since it was protecting Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden.
"Iraq is a state sponsor of terrorism, and of course Iraq must face the coalition... but how or when will be decided soon," he said.
"The days are over when the international community can do business-as-usual with states or nations that support terrorism. That is a change brought about by the September 11 strikes. A new international [code of] conduct is evolving. Hundreds of nations are coming around to the idea that no longer can they continue to do business with nations that support terrorism."
The ambassador also described attacks on Indians in the US after the September 11 incident as "shameful and terrible" acts, which need "to be condemned in the strongest possible manner without a shadow of doubt.
"We take pride and gain strength from the million and half or so Indians in the US... and anyone who abuses or harasses members of this community must stop," he said.
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