India's own concern

Sir, - Before jumping on to the U.S. anti-terrorist bandwagon, India would do well to ponder the security and foreign policy concerns of its own. By present indications, the American approach in the context of global terrorism is Osama-centric.

The American approach is primarily about terrorist bases located in Afghanistan. India is, on the other hand, mainly concerned about the terrorist production line operating in Pakistan and the open encouragement towards this effort from the establishment there.

The Pakistan President, Gen. Musharraf, has declared his full support and cooperation for any anti-terrorist effort on the part of the U.S., including the use of Pakistani land and airspace.

The question is whether, in this rather obligatory mood, the U.S. would be capable of initiating any action against Islamabad in the not too distant future for its role in sponsoring terrorism.

Or whether the American resolve to eliminate terrorism would lose its intensity once Osama and his benefactors have been taken care of. In spite of several thousand civilian and military lives lost in India over the years due to the menace and provision of irrefutable proof of our neighbour's complicity, America has failed to do the minimum of pressuring Pakistan to give up this reprehensible path. If India decides to make available its airspace and land for counter-terrorism operations, it should only be for an exercise mandated by the United Nations.

Subhashis Roy,

Udyogamandal, Kerala

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