Avoid War- Place US (Coalition) troops on the Indo-pak border to pursue the terrorists and prevent cross-border terrorism. It makes sense, because the alternative Indo-Pak war is more costly to US in all aspects.
If the nuclear-bomb-hugging paki generals bump off Musharaff in the event of losing a war with India with conventional weapons, the likelihood of nuclear strike on India is higher; the world powers should take this into consideration in anticipation and have a cool-headed general waiting in the wings to take his place. It is in the interest of the world, just not South Asia. The Al qaeda and the Taliban are operating in Pakistan and Kashmir; it is like cockroaches getting out of their hiding places in Afghanistan, driven by Long Sticks and Daisy Cutters. One day they will hatch a plan to strike the west. It is in the interest of US and the west, Pakistan and India and the world that there is a pest control put in place on all fronts in Pakistan. The US should build roach motels not only on the western front but also in the eastern front bordering India and Kashmir, because the escapees will strike the west and their assets. The terrorists on any front in Pakistan is a danger to the US, the west, India and Pakistan itself. Asking the Indians to restrain themselves in the face of terrorism runs counter to the west's efforts to contain it. US should aggressively pursue the roaches on the Paki-India border as they are doing now on the Paki-Afghan border. It is the interest of the US and the incidental beneficiary is India. This way the Americans can avoid an Indo-pak war, once the terrorists are stopped on the Indo-pak border.
It is widely reported that the Pakis and the Indians have no idea of the devastation that could be caused by a nuclear exchange. Pakistan will enjoy a short-lived vicarious glory and euphoria over hitting India with a nuclear weapon in conformity with their expressed first strike option, but the Indian response will destroy Pakistan. It is a fore-gone conclusion that Pakistan will ask or has already asked China to open a front to deal with the Indians, while the Indians will approach the Russians for help in case the Chinese open a front to attack Indians. Where US stands in this mess is open to guess. |
