Fine-tuning the anti-terror chorus

THE GLOBAL `CAMPAIGN' against terrorism seems to be gradually acquiring some clarity as a possible broad mission, but the signs are still far from being definitive. Indeed, it remains undeniable that the United States and its impressive array of `allies and friends' in this `endeavour' have kept their microscopic attention focussed entirely on Osama bin Laden - a suspected wizard of terror, who is believed to be hiding somewhere in the Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan. Yet, the gathering international `campaign' appears to be gaining a somewhat broader sweep than meets the eye. This has been articulated by the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, during his brief visit to New Delhi on Saturday. Having emerged as a vigorous associate of the U.S. in forming the international coalition, Mr. Blair showed a sensitive awareness of India's view that any worldwide `campaign' against terror should be sustained beyond the current battle of wits or even a war with Osama and his Taliban allies. Official India made no secret of its strong feelings of dismay over Pakistan being accepted by the West as a key player in the emerging anti-terror coalition despite Islamabad's record of encouraging ``cross-border terrorism'' in Jammu and Kashmir. In a responsive fashion, Mr. Blair unambiguously affirmed that the evolving multilateral alliance was opposed to terrorism in all its forms. Now, unexceptionable is the suggestion by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, that the international community should prevent any country from exploiting the current global `campaign' as a ``cover'' or smokescreen for those ``sinister'' agendas of terror that might not affect the vital interests of the U.S. or the West at this moment. However, while India's concerns about the ravages of externally-inspired terror are entirely understandable, New Delhi should avoid an unseemly competition with Pakistan to serve as a logistical `frontline state' in the battle against Osama as now conceived by the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

In a subtle sense, the apparent gap between India's `moral' campaign and America's compulsions of the moment is not altogether inexplicable. As the conspicuously main target of a mass terror offensive on September 11, the U.S. has its own priorities. Its first objective is to execute a relevant agenda of identifying and silencing the perpetrators of that particular crime against humanity. India, on the other hand, is more cognisant of the `moral' imperative of seizing the present defining moment to persuade the international community to formulate a larger vision, as distinct from a mere agenda, to fight the politics of terrorism everywhere. However, the distinction between a political agenda and a `moral' vision is not an impediment to suitable cooperation between India and the U.S. as also the U.K. and others. The actual parameters of this cooperation will be determined by the interplay of each party's perceived national interests.

This may also explain why America's latest list of foreign terrorist organisations does not include some notorious outfits that seek to undermine India's authority in Jammu and Kashmir. The genesis of some of these anti-India factions can be traced to Osama or his perverse ideology. Yet, the U.S., already wary of Pakistan's sensitivities in this regard, seems to have gone by the legal determination that the anti-India groups do not appear to threaten America's security interests in a direct manner at this specific moment. Despite the ringing declaration that it is a campaign in defence of freedom, what is manifest is the strand of realpolitik in America's current diplomacy concerning Pakistan as a possible collaborator in the anti-Osama project. There can be no other credible explanation of the latest vote by the U.S. Senate to waive certain Pakistan-specific sanctions that were imposed to pull it back towards some form of democracy. It was not without reason, therefore, that the anti-Osama project was the dominant theme of Mr. Blair's dialogue with Pakistan's leaders at this time.

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Section  : Opinion
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