Re: US general criticises Indian influence in Afghanistan
Yes we have a problem. Because according to the Americans you have a negative influence over the matter. Additionally you are arming and supporting the terrorists. Who would not have a problem with that?
If India withdrew, the first thing that would happen is that the terrorist would lose all their support. A positive development to say the least.
^ Look, India cares about Afghanistan because it wants to keep Pakistan at bay. There is no denial in India or elsewhere. But to say that India is supporting people attacking Pakistan is ridiculous. India has its vested interest in not having Pakistan spreading its influence there. Remember Taliban, hijacking, safe haven. India does not want a repeat of taliban and people sympathetic to it in Afghanistan and act as a magnet for attracting people opposed to India. If Pakistan is feeling threatened then they should increase their humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and work with Afghan govt. This way India will not have any premise to be in Afghanistan at all.
And we have a vested intrest in not allowing Afghanistan to give Indians a foot hold on our western Border...
We also have a vested intrest in not allowing hostile (They have been hositle to Pak well before the Taliban) Afghans from inciting Pashtun nationals in Pakistan.
If India cared so much for the Afghans, perhaps they should have been the ones to host the Millions of their refugeses!
India could care less about Afghans, and India doesnt give a damn about the Taliban, except for the fact that with the Taliban is power, India loses its own influence.
Pakistan cannot work with the Afghan govt because the Afghan govt has ALWAYS been hostile to Pakistan. They are hostile as they dont recognize the Durrand line, and claim a huge portion of PAKISTANI territory.
They will NEVER acquiese to PAKISTANI support because they will ALWAYS be after Pakistani territory. And since India is there to support the Afghans, this encourages their beligerance towards Pakistan.
And working with the Afghans is useless.. For one thing, the so called govt doesnt control anythig outside Kabul. And we have supoprted these people, we took in MILLIONS of their refugees while India sat about doing nothing.
Indians have the luxury of not having crap hole like Afghanistan to deal with on their border. So they reap all the benefits when they can, and leave all the dirty work to the PAKISTANIS when things get heated...
Regradless, I seriously doubt the US or NATO will be able to defeat the insurgency in any meaningful way in the long run. The Afghan govt is so corrupt and so inept that even if the Taliban were to be destroyed tomorow, a new Taliban would quickly take its place. Unless the US intends to stay in Afghanistan for the long run, nothing will come of it. Basically, India is barking up the wrong tree.
Yes we have a problem. Because according to the Americans you have a negative influence over the matter. Additionally you are arming and supporting the terrorists. Who would not have a problem with that?
If India withdrew, the first thing that would happen is that the terrorist would lose all their support. A positive development to say the least.
Even if they arent directly supporting insurgents fighting Pakistan, the Indians by their mere presence create an inducive atmosphere for anti Pakistan elements.
Indias intentions could be completely docile and harmless (laughable..), but even the stupidest general knows enough to not allow an enemy to flank their postion for any reason.
The Indians knew this of East Pakistan, which is why they did their utmost to disturb relations between the two wings of Pakistan. It had nothing to do with Bengali refugees and the suffering of Bengalis, and everything to do with severing the links between the two wings.