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India: Let Kashmir go

BanglaBhoot

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Resolving the disputed territory would benefit all.

By Bennett Ramberg

from the December 29, 2008 edition

Los Angeles - It now appears unlikely that India will respond to last month's attacks on Mumbai (Bombay) – its "9/11" – with a military strike on Pakistan, the terrorists' haven. With three major wars behind them, neither rival wants a repeat.

Unfortunately, the possibility of war may intensify in years to come if India ramps up its "Cold Start" military doctrine.

Cold Start transforms New Delhi's traditional focus on defense and lumbering mobilization of hundreds of thousands of troops to one that prizes nimble strikes against its neighbor within hours of crisis onset. The strategy assumes that occupation of limited Pakistani territory would be the bargaining chip to force Islamabad to heel. It also assumes that it could do this without crossing the nuclear threshold – not an easy feat where rivalries run deep.

India has war-gamed this strategy since 2004. Adoption still must overcome equipment and personnel deficiencies and interservice rivalries, but work continues.

Rather than intimidate Pakistan to constrain militants or suffer the consequences, Cold Start may do just the opposite by inadvertently putting militants in the driver's seat. Previously, terrorist provocations would be met with action only after deliberation and delay. Under Cold Start, response would be much more immediate, effectively empowering radicals to hold the subcontinent hostage to their crisis-initiating whims.

To avoid that outcome, the time has come for India to short circuit the most critical incendiary, the disputed area of Kashmir. Despite some recent Islamic militant clamor to dominate the entire subcontinent, Kashmir remains the eye of the Indo-Pakistani vortex.

Removing its centrality will help pull the rug from under terrorist groups that have used the dispute to target both the region and the heart of India. Failure will only heighten the probability that Cold Start might someday precipitate a nuclear conflict.

Recent history shows that it's not a far-fetched specter. On Dec. 13, 2001, five Pakistani gunmen dressed in commando fatigues and driving a diplomatic car entered the VIP gate of India's Parliament's compound armed with AK-47 rifles, grenades, and other explosives. Their audacious objective: decapitate the Indian government.

An alert guard foiled their plans, and the ensuing shoot-out left 13 people dead, including the assassins.

India demanded that Pakistan ban the responsible terrorist groups and arrest their leaders. To press Islamabad, it mobilized half a million men. But the intended impact stumbled as India's Army took three weeks to get to the border. This allowed Pakistan sufficient time to ratchet up defenses.

Tension then bounced down and up. They relaxed with President Musharraf's Jan. 12, 2002, televised address to the nation declaring his intention to crack down on the militants. But the May 2002 attack on an Indian base in Jammu that killed the wives and children of Indian servicemen renewed the drumbeat for war.

By July 2002, intense American diplomatic pressure, coupled with subtle Pakistan nuclear threats, caused the belligerents to stand their armies down, leaving a sour taste for many Indians: Pakistan remained unpunished.

For some defense planners, Cold Start offered the answer in future crisis. Now Mumbai gives the strategy renewed stimulus. But resolution of Kashmir is where momentum should be building.

In recent years, India has sought to relax tensions by promoting confidence-building measures – a bus line and commercial truck service between Srinagar and Muzzafarrabad, regular meetings between Indian and Pakistani local commanders, a crisis hot line, dialogue with moderate Kashmiri separatists, and improvement in the region's economic and human rights. These steps have tempered conflict but not Kashmiri objection to Indian rule.

New Delhi's reluctance to let Kashmiris define their future – options include independence, division along communal lines, comanagement by both India and Pakistan, a UN trusteeship – ***** against recent history demonstrating that "letting go" more than holding on benefits politically divided states. Witness the pacific and beneficial demise of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Serbia/Montenegro.

India's future rests not on maturing Cold Start but becoming a 21st century economic power house. Hanging on to Kashmir does nothing to promote that goal. Letting go not only will benefit New Delhi's modernization by reducing the heavy military burden bad relations with Pakistan engenders, it also will allow Islamabad to redirect its military resources to the tribal areas benefiting Washington's position in Afghanistan.

By rattling South Asian relations, Mumbai's tragedy can give momentum to resolving one of the 20th century's most confounding impasses. A fast diplomatic start, not Cold Start, would benefit all.

• Bennett Ramberg served in the State Department during the George H.W. Bush administration. He is the author of three books and editor of three others on international politics.

India: Let Kashmir go | csmonitor.com
 
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"India: Let Kashmir go" - by allowing the people of Kashmir their internationally recognized right to self determination (recognized by India, Pakistan and all five permanent members of the UNSC through the UNSC resolutions) and implementing the UNSC resolutions?

What a thought!

Irrational nationalist egos must be sated, amidst a trumpeting of platitudes of 'the most peaceful of peaceful nations and civilization', all the while perpetrating a shameless, brutal and patently illegal occupation of a people and their land.
 
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What part of Pakistan can they possible occupy? Their "modern" air force does not guarantee them anything...............Pakistan is not the kind of country where you can win a war by Air Superiority alone. I dont recall that they ever were able to cross BRB canal ever ,although an Indian kid I know was telling me how Indian Army was inside Lahore in 1965. So I guess they will have to do a repeat of that scenario to force Pakistan into something they want!
 
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The best possible solution to the problem is to let the people decide and then accept it. Let them vote under the supervision of international community and settle this issue once and for all.
 
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I dont think India will ever let go of Kashmir and its not because of beautiful mountains its because of WATER.
 
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Hello gentlemen,

Have you noticed something funny----this article and many others as well as assessments by commentators state what india can do in cold start----but indeed they conveniently forget what pakistan will do in return----or possibly at the same time when the indians strikes are coming in----pakistani response will be going outwards.
 
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How can we be so sure elections weren't rigged?

Besides many Kashmiris didn't vote because they boycotted elections, we all know how most Kashmiris feel about India.

Who are the "Most Kashmiris" we are talking about?
and if the elections were rigged, why are Pro-Pakistan and Seperatist parties allowed in the election process in the first place. Election is not a cheap process you know? :what:
 
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If India let's go of Kashmir, India will gain an ally (Pakistan). Perceptions and relations will change for the positive almost immediately, no more Hindu vs Muslim nonsensical violence, no more slaughter and tit for tat murder, India will be free to achieve what it wants economically with no large burden while Pakistan will provide a massive military buffer zone for India from the West instead of a large fire breathing threat from the west, and Pakistan will finally after 60+ years of existence have time and resources to pursue developmental projects that would benefit humanity as well. In fact India will be honouring the doctrine of the Mahatma and Hinduism along with Indian institutions will be espoused throughout the world as a truly progressive and sane ideology. India will finally be able to make that step into super power status.

If the same old same prevails, Pakistan will make sure India stays a struggling 3rd world nation till the end of time and beyond. This is our promise as a nation, give it some thought.
 
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ha ha ha if these mullahs get a land then they will never stop. NO way not even an inch should be given. Once these guys got a taste in Afganistan they turned it in to a sad place. The same they are doing in Pakistan and trying to do same in Kashmir. I think if Pakistan leaves the claim and instead try doing something useful for there society it is good for them only. Because India is on verge of growth path and even Kashmir have seen it. The proof is the latest election results. The mindless quest for Kashmir is not taking Pakistan any where.
 
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No way I have mentioned you as mullah or something. It is "non state actors" whom I am referring to.
 
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I don't count mullahs and neither I am interested in it. I am just referring to the dangers of such guys. They are not good for any society. They have converted Afghanistan in to ruins and now trying to do this is other areas. If these are not stopped then..........

Any way hope you understand what i am saying.
 
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Now this is not a good sign I just said something very simple and straightforward way.
 
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Now this is not a good sign I just said something very simple and straightforward way.

Your question is basically a stupid one or you do not know about the problem.

There are two parts of Kashmir one is on the Pakistani side and the other on the Indian side. Their status is disputed as per UN resolutions and in fact it was India who took the matter to the UN and agreed for a plebicite. Elections are being held on Pakistani side of Kashmir since 1947 while on your side on some occassions and majority of people have never participated.

Elections by the way are not substitute to the plebecite and untill that is done the status quo shall remain.

The sooner that is done the better for the people of Kashmir.
 
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