INDIA-PAKISTAN: The Border Bewilderness

[Valin]

Strategy Page:

August 18, 2012:

 

Pakistani politicians were quick to denounce Western reports that the United States and Pakistan had agreed to shut down Islamic terrorist sanctuaries in North Waziristan. American officials have long demanded that Pakistan take action and now insist that Pakistan has agreed to do so next month. Pakistani leaders have never been confident about their national independence and are constantly warning of threats that are rarely real. India has, according to this myth, been plotting for generations to take control of Pakistan. Pakistanis are not impressed that you find nothing about this in the Indian media. Quite the opposite as Indian observers are quick to point out that Pakistan is, compared to India, an economic, cultural and political disaster. But this "we are under attack" myth has proved durable, reliable and very resistant to reality; so Pakistani politicians continue to use it.

 

In Pakistan, efforts to pass new anti-corruption laws are being resisted by many corrupt politicians. The Supreme Court is responding by allowing prosecution of senior officials (who are supposed to be immune to this while in office.)

 

In Indian Kashmir police and army commanders are being prosecuted for trying to cover up incidents where civilians were mistakenly attacked and the incidents were reported as terrorist encounters. The military and police leadership are resisting official and media investigators.

 

In eastern India (the Bengal-Jharkhand border) thousands of special police have assembled and are moving against Maoist rebels who have been reorganized and reinforced in an effort to reclaim rural territory the leftists have lost control of to the government. The earlier government effort included economic reforms, which the Maoists are particularly hostile to as the Maoists insist that their brand of extreme socialism is the only solution to rural poverty.

 

(Snip)