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Politics : View from the Center and Left
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To: JohnM who wrote (97714)11/30/2008 5:21:50 PM
From: slacker711  Read Replies (1) of 542430
 
The premise of much of the argument is that non-state actors are responsible. I don't see how that's wrong. One could work hard to tie Al Q to state actors (Afghan at the time) to make the comparison more feasible. But I don't think it's necessary.

One doesnt have to work hard to tie Al Qaeda to Afghanistan. They were using the country as a base with the support of the ruling government. I dont think that is a controversial statement.

Pakistan is more complicated and Cole's use of Iraq as an analogous situation shows a real lack of understanding of the region (or he is just attempting to score a political shot). Yes, the Kashmiri groups are non-state actors, but that only means that they arent an explicit part of government policy. They have the support of various parts of the military and intelligence agencies and are provided safe harbor in some parts of the country. It really isnt that far from the situation in Afghanistan in '01.

One of the prime objects of policy over the coming months has to be to stop conflicts between India and Pakistan; and secondarily to get at the source of these kinds of Mumbai attacks.

Of course those should be the two primary objectives of US policy. However, you simply wont be able to achieve the first without achieving the second. As I said earlier, this isnt the first attack, just the latest in a series of attacks. Despite that, the relations between Pakistan and India had been thawing over the last several years....but how much has that helped India? The forbearance combined with the continued attacks may lead to the fall of this government and the rise of a much more nationalistic/jingoistic party. That wont serve the interests of anybody in the region.

I would also note that Obama's stated willingness to go after Al-Qaeda in Pakistan's tribal regions will be precisely what he will likely argue against here.

Slacker
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