Posted on 05/25/2002 8:30:30 AM PDT by flamefront
New Delhi, May 25: Musharraf is reported to have ordered Pakistani Army's 10th Corps, deployed in northern Pakistan and facing Indian forces in Kashmir, to block the mountain routes traditionally used by militants to cross the border. The Washington Post on Saturday reported that the Bush administration is stepping up pressure on Musharraf to halt the militants? infiltration into Kashmir.
The US Sate Department officials hope this move will definitely calm the tension in the South Asian region. "We're focused like a laser beam in trying to stop a war over the next two to three weeks," a senior administration official has been quoted by The Post as saying.
Earlier, the Sate Department had announced its plans to send Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to the region to cool the tension. British Foreign Secretary is also scheduled to visit India and Pak next week.
Meanwhile, the US strategy of pressing Musharraf is aimed at keeping India from launching military operations against Pakistan. The Post adds: "Pakistan's military commanders have decided to take whatever steps necessary to prevent extremists from crossing into Indian territory, according to senior Pakistani officials familiar with the discussions held Thursday at the Joint Staff headquarters in Rawalpindi."
A Pakistani Minister also said: "The government decided to take a leap forward toward a durable peace with India by realigning its position on militant violence after receiving international assurances that India would also take significant steps to end the decades-old stalemate over Kashmir."
Musharraf has also told his Cabinet that Islamabad had to adjust its Kashmir policy to the new global realities without compromising its position that the territory be freed from Indian control, according to a meeting participant, The Post says.
At least not anytime soon.
When these baby's go...they go with an explosion. There aren't all of these bureaucratic delays where troops slowly are called up and built-up along fronts, militia's are activated and armies are positioned just so. When the balloon really goes up there isn't time to contemplate whether or not there will be war, it's just here. This whole process was a part of diplomatic maneuver intended to scare the opponent in a talking game.
Had India truly wished to wage war, they would've been shooting for effect five days ago.
Wrong border. This is on the opposite side of the country from Afghanistan.
That's an unrealistic fantasy.
There is a lot of posturing for political effect in both nations.
In real war there is rarely any warning. Surprise is the most important weapon in any war. When a nation is going to war they never give warning. Hitler did not call up France and say the Germans are coming. Japan did not try a couple of low level attacks on Hawaii before Pear Harbor.
Low level attack and low level counter attacks are always for potlitical effect.
Always consider the goal of the media. The prime goal is to gain audience. Informing you of the true situation and probable outcome is not much of a factor. It comes in about 93 on the top one hundred media goals list.
Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes has already said that it won't happen before September, after the elections in Kashmir are held. In fact, he's ordered his officers to take all this year's vacation by September, and a lot of them are now doing so.
I think the chances of an imminent war are quite slim.
Nothing in Osama bin Laden's wildest dreams could unite all of Islam against us than that attempted action. The betrayal of a country who has provided invaluable cooperation to us in the war on terror would never be forgiven.
I would like to see Pakistan and India develop into strong allies and pro-Western democracies. We need more strong allies, especially in the islamic world. Turkey is not enough, and Oman and Jordan barely count. We need to build on our relationship with Pakistan, not stab them in the back.
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