What would be India's best diplomatic response to the Mumbai attacks?
I think India should be extremely careful to not to provoke Pakistan into doing stupid things. I think at the moment Pakistan is very liable to a rash, intemperate and inconsiderate policy. It is very important that India should corner Pakistan, but also let Pakistan realise that there is a way out of the corner.
India has behaved well. It has not moved its army to the borders, not threatened war. India must try to get as many countries, specially the US and Saudi Arabia, to put pressure on Pakistan to realise that at least Pakistan's military and intelligence can no longer function like business as usual -- basically supporting the terrorists to attack Kashmir or other parts of India like Mumbai.
I think there has to be a carrot and stick approach. You should try to get Pakistanis out of their obsession of 'We are against India and Indians are against us.' There seems to be a very unhealthy dynamic.
Hearing this argument many Indians will say that India was badly hit, 174 Indian lives were lost, India is the victim, and now the world wants only India to be 'responsible', the world wants to control India's response and let only India uphold grand values.
But, then, you are a great power. A great power like India has to behave responsibly. As a great power America has behaved stupidly and irresponsibly. We have a huge problem in Iraq. India can learn lessons from the United States by being disciplined and responsible.
The next segment of this interview will be posted next week.
Image: Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani. Reports suggest that Kayani is calling the shots in Pakistan, not its civilian government. Photograph: Faisal Mahmood/Reuters.
Also read: Target the Pakistan army, not Pakistan
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