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India, U.S. will win war against terrorism: Blackwill

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

The U.S Ambassador, Robert D. Blackwill, delivering his farewell address in New Delhi on Tuesday. — Photo: R. V. Moorthy

NEW DELHI July 29. A day before he leaves India for Washington, the outgoing United States Ambassador, Robert D. Blackwill, once again spoke of his ``strong views'' on terrorism. Addressing members of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Mr. Blackwill said even before coming to India two years ago he was keeping a count of innocent Indians being killed by terrorists.

He said what had happened on September 11, 2001, in the U.S. happened nearly every day in India. ``No respectable religion could excuse these merciless acts. No moral framework could sanction these abominations. No political cause could justify these murders of innocents. And, yet, they go on.''

``But, my friends, these terrorist outrages against my country and against yours will not continue indefinitely. We know this from the Ramayana, and many other holy books. Good does triumph over evil, although it takes more time than we would like.'' ``We will win the war on terrorists, and the United States and India will win it together — because we represent good, and terrorists are evil incarnate. God will make it so,'' Mr. Blackwill said.

Pointing to his strong views against terrorism, the outgoing Ambassador said ``to a considerable extent'' he drew on the ``white hot anti-terrorist convictions'' of the U.S. President, George W. Bush. ``But on this subject, like so many others, India has left its dominant and enduring imprint on me.''

In his ``personal musings'', Mr. Blackwill spoke of his visits to the Siachen (where jawans gave a new meaning to the word ``tough''), Andhra Pradesh (where food was hotter than hot), the forests of Sikkim and the border at Nathula, the North-East, Kaziranga and Brahmaputra. ``And, thank you, India for every single thing that I have discovered here. Mother India has changed my life — forever.''

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