US supports Indian role in Afghanistan

[Ruag]

On Afghanistan, Obama finds friend in India

WASHINGTON, November 26, 2009 (AFP) - US President Barack Obama, faced with a wary Western public days before he unveils a new strategy on Afghanistan, is embracing the role of India, one of the countries most worried about a Taliban resurgence.

India -- not a traditional donor -- has been a top aid supplier to Afghanistan, but greater commitment could hit a major obstacle -- Pakistan, a frontline nation in the US-led war effort and one which resents historic rival India's growing influence.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in Washington for the first official visit of the Obama presidency, signed a joint statement pledging to "enhance" cooperation to root out extremists in Afghanistan.

Obama and Singh in their statement voiced "their shared interest in the stability, development and independence of Afghanistan and in the defeat of terrorist safe havens in Pakistan and Afghanistan."

Ashley J. Tellis, a South Asia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said India's reconstruction efforts fit in neatly with the Obama drive to ensure Afghanistan will no longer be a haven for extremists.

"India has a comparative advantage in this area and it provokes the least Pakistani anxiety," Tellis said.

Owing to India's cheaper labor and proximity to Afghanistan, Tellis estimated that Indian-led reconstruction projects cost up to 10 times less than a Western-driven efforts.

Since the US-led military operation ousted the Taliban in November 2001, India has committed 1.2 billion dollars to Afghanistan including for social services such as health and education.

India is constructing the new parliament, roads and power lines as well as building new tube-wells, improving sanitation and giving medical assistance.

India has historically been a top contributor to UN peacekeeping missions but there has been little talk of sending Indian troops to Afghanistan.

Pakistan, fearful of being trapped between hostile nations, had reportedly urged the United States to limit the Indian presence.
Army chief Ashfaq Kayani told US national security adviser Jim Jones in a meeting this month that India's role in Afghanistan was "counterproductive in the war on terror," according to Pakistan's The Nation newspaper.

But Singh, in a Washington news conference Wednesday, said he found support across the board among US policymakers.

"I have not come across any criticism of India's role in Afghanistan," Singh said.

Obama has put a new focus on bringing stability to Pakistan and hailed its recent offensives against extremists holed up its lawless northwest.

But some in the Obama administration are also skeptical about Pakistan, suspecting that some intelligence elements still support the Taliban, which came to power in Afghanistan with Islamabad's support.

"They're probably frustrated with the Pakistani complaints as there's very little to substantiate any of their claims about a nefarious Indian role in Afghanistan," said Lisa Curtis, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

"Clearly, as the joint statement showed, the US and India share the same goals," she said.

Obama is set to deliver a speech Tuesday that may announce more than 30,000 more US troops to Afghanistan.

The conflict has grown increasingly unpopular in Western nations, with many questioning why troops are still fighting more than eight years after the September 11, 2001 attacks orchestrated by Al-Qaeda. But India feels a major stake in the outcome as many of the Islamic extremists who found haven in Afghanistan also virulently oppose the secular but Hindu-majority regional power.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, the extremist group India believes carried out the grisly assault a year ago on its commercial hub Mumbai, was created in Afghanistan.

"India's core interest is for the Taliban not to return to power. They fear Afghanistan would then once again provide a haven to anti-Indian groups who before long would find sustenance in Pakistan," Tellis said.

Laredo Sun |National News |On Afghanistan, Obama finds friend in India

Seems Pakistan's constant whining about Indian role in Afghanistan is paying no dividends.

 

[arya]

On Afghanistan, Obama finds friend in India



Laredo Sun |National News |On Afghanistan, Obama finds friend in India

Seems Pakistan's constant whining about Indian role in Afghanistan is paying no dividends.

omg what a tight slap on gen....... face

 

[xdrive]

India is involved in Afghanistan? lol where?

Unless it is troops on the ground it is worthless.

 

[indiatech]

India is involved in Afghanistan? lol where?

Unless it is troops on the ground it is worthless.

1. Training the administrative and govt officers.

2. currently building the national parliament and assembly.

3. Financing students with plenty of scholarships for education.

4. Supplying low cost transport facilities , rural telephone exchanges .

the list goes on. Military crackdown is not the only solution to Afghan problem. Afghanistan is our historical neighbor and they are good people.

By the way, there is no indian military in afganistan, but I am sure if they are there, they will fix the war. Its a different and unconventional war.

 

[BATMAN]

omg what a tight slap on gen....... face

What are you refering as tight slap and who's 'gen...' ?

 

[xdrive]

1. Training the administrative and govt officers.

2. currently building the national parliament and assembly.

3. Financing students with plenty of scholarships for education.

4. Supplying low cost transport facilities , rural telephone exchanges .

the list goes on. Military crackdown is not the only solution to Afghan problem. Afghanistan is our historical neighbor and they are good people.

By the way, there is no indian military in afganistan, but I am sure if they are there, they will fix the war. Its a different and unconventional war.

We need soldiers over there. What's the point of building things if it just gets destroyed? Alot and i mean ALOT of new stuff that have been built has been destroyed by being blown up by the taliban.

Need soldiers.

Atleast india is contributing though. IF only Pakistan could meet the level of contribution.

 

[indiatech]

We need soldiers over there. What's the point of building things if it just gets destroyed? Alot and i mean ALOT of new stuff that have been built has been destroyed by being blown up by the taliban.

Need soldiers.

Atleast india is contributing though. IF only Pakistan could meet the level of contribution.

Do you think the additional 40K soldiers from US will kill the remaining Talibans ? I think there were more soldiers sometime in afghanistan then at present. Who was able to fix? How do you stop the mass rate of recruitement by the talibans ? Well bring in 100K and taliban will still live.

This is a slow process and they have to be fixed from the grassroots.

 

[BATMAN]

1. Training the administrative and govt officers.

2. currently building the national parliament and assembly.

3. Financing students with plenty of scholarships for education.

4. Supplying low cost transport facilities , rural telephone exchanges .

the list goes on. Military crackdown is not the only solution to Afghan problem. Afghanistan is our historical neighbor and they are good people.

By the way, there is no indian military in afganistan, but I am sure if they are there, they will fix the war. Its a different and unconventional war.

I'm not sure if india has done any of those but surely you are involved in killing Afghan adults taking out their vital organs and using there kids as sucide bombers in Pakistan.
Since indian involvement drug bussiness has flourished.
Indian is selling arms to terrorists.
On top of this all US aid to Afghanistan is being transfered to indian pockets, in disguise of road construction contracts.
Evil as usual.

 

[mrwarrior006]

^^^^again whining

except u all the world accepts the vital role of india in rebuilding afghanistan tat u have ruined by funding taliban for so many years

US aid- oh man good one, hope ur american aid also gets transferred to our pocket

you are involved in killing Afghan adults taking out their vital organs and using there kids as sucide bombers in Pakistan.
Since indian involvement drug bussiness has flourished.

wy dont u ask afghanistan tey will tell u in better way -wat has pakistan done for them in so many years and wat india is done for them
by the way we are here to help afghanistan not pakistan

 

[mosnsg]

I'm not sure if india has done any of those but surely you are involved in killing Afghan adults taking out their vital organs and using there kids as sucide bombers in Pakistan.
Since indian involvement drug bussiness has flourished.
Indian is selling arms to terrorists.
On top of this all US aid to Afghanistan is being transfered to indian pockets, in disguise of road construction contracts.
Evil as usual.

Indias role in afghanistan is mainly for rebuilding purposes, but if pakistanis think tht we are promoting terrorism then so be, it we will keep on promoting always.

If ISI/Kiyani has the guts then stop us

 

[arya]

Indias role in afghanistan is mainly for rebuilding purposes, but if pakistanis think tht we are promoting terrorism then so be, it we will keep on promoting always.

If ISI/Kiyani has the guts then stop us

lol

 

[arya]

What are you refering as tight slap and who's 'gen...' ?

think it again what i mean

 

[xdrive]

Do you think the additional 40K soldiers from US will kill the remaining Talibans ? I think there were more soldiers sometime in afghanistan then at present. Who was able to fix? How do you stop the mass rate of recruitement by the talibans ? Well bring in 100K and taliban will still live.

This is a slow process and they have to be fixed from the grassroots.

the extra troops will be used to hold already captured parts, too often do parts get captured and then fall back to the taliban because there isnt enough soldiers to hold it.

 

[gogbot]

the extra troops will be used to hold already captured parts, too often do parts get captured and then fall back to the taliban because there isnt enough soldiers to hold it.

That's when they went to vietnam.
more troops and we can do it.
Those gorillas are outnumbered and Ouut gunned.

Face it Bullets may change governments faster than any politics.

But unless you build a nation. that is capable both economically and Milatary wise.

The Taliban are just going to keep recruiting from the dissidents and the dis enfranchised.

Yes troops are important there is an enemy to be fought.
but what is also important is the economic development that also needs to happen.

And trust me on this If for some bizarre reason India does decide to sned troops, to Afghan .

Pakistan will be up in arms about how this is an India plan to Encircle and destroy Pakistan.
Until we resolve our issues with Pakistan. It would be better if India did not deploy troops on the other side of their country.

They dont even trust UN Indian troops.

 

[deckingraj]

We need soldiers over there. What's the point of building things if it just gets destroyed? Alot and i mean ALOT of new stuff that have been built has been destroyed by being blown up by the taliban.

Need soldiers.

Atleast india is contributing though. IF only Pakistan could meet the level of contribution.

Pakistan will be up in arms about how this is an India plan to Encircle and destroy Pakistan.
Until we resolve our issues with Pakistan. It would be better if India did not deploy troops on the other side of their country.

They dont even trust UN Indian troops.

I agree with gogbot...Xdrive in my eyes there are few important reasons we should not indulge our Army there

- Unnecessary casualities of Indian armed forces
- You got to be sensitive about Pakistan feelings... Please do not forget they are an important party for the resolution of Afghanistan issue.... No matter how it sounds but without Pakistan it would be very hard for US troops to carry out their operation...rest assured about the problems Indian troops will face....
- Troops involvement can be counter-productive unless and until India found a way of fighting with Talibs without any civilian casualities...As of now we have lot of good will with Afghans and our construction work is definitely earning lot of brownie points...



Now as far as our involvement is concerned

- Militarily we should only concentrate safegaurding our interests are concerned which i believe we are...Though recent bombing on Kabul embassy caused casualities but could not achieve a single Indian casuality(which was the target)...
- Keep in mind our larger goal.. We have no intentions of making military basis in Afghanistan(as least not in near future)...Our larger goal is to ensure Afghan don't fall back to Talibs...A militarily(NATO) and economically(India) stronger Afghanistan will ensure that...SO far we have done a lot yet much more has to be done...So let's concentrate our efforts on that and let NATO-US take care of military needs...