The Mumbai Killings, Afghanistan and Ramesh Thakur

It is interesting to note that the hawkish Ramesh Thakur [http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=11831 : The Dilemma of Dealing With Terror Central] does not have a word to say about India's involvement in Afghanistan: India is clearly trying to encircle Pakistan. In the event, Pakistan has every incentive to let the Taliban thrive in the west and direct its attacks by proxy (if that's really the case) in the east. India must stop its Afghan adventures.

As for the comparison with India-Pakistan-Bangladesh in 1971, it is hopelessly outdated. That was before both Pakistan and India had nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan know that if it comes to blows, it'll ultimately come to nuclear blows. That would make the Mumbai killings look like a coconut shy! When the two armies met eyeball-to-eyeball in 2001, the whole of South Asia held its breath - Bangladesh's foreign minister voiced concern over the nuclear fall-out in this region.

It appears that for once, Indian politicians are playing a responsible role - they don't want to drag India into a nuclear holocaust. Better to trade and make money than trade nukes. In fact, better even to jettison democracy, than to commit collective suicide.

Also, Thakur has nothing to say about the promised plebiscite on Kashmir. Kashmir is, in the eyes of most Muslims, part of Pakistan, occupied by India.