In a recent report by The Brookings Institution, Professor Stephen P. Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta, have outlined features of American policy that heralds the beginning of a cold war in Asia with China as the ostensible target and India its anchor. In India, the report says:
Many members of the new Bush team perceive India as a potential partner in maintaining stability in the Indian Ocean region, particularly in fighting Islamic fundamentalism and checking Chinese ambitions.
“A closer strategic relationship between India and the US is predicted on what happens to the US- Pakistan relationship. Indians clearly want to prevent the revival of a US-Pakistan alliance and, if possible, even a warming in Washington’s relationship with Islamabad. As such, the administration’s success at trying to improve relations with Islamabad, without alienating Delhi, will be a key test of its diplomatic skills”.
On Pakistan, the report says:
“Although Pakistan is less important to the US than India, it is likely to occupy considerable attention in Washington over the next four years. This is mainly because of the belief among some US policymakers that the country could collapse into anarchy with unpredictable consequences for the surrounding region. Pakistan combines the two major security threats to the US: weapons of mass destruction and perceived links with terrorism. The presence of a military regime in Islamabad may make these tasks harder”.
Plundering politicians: The report reveals that the US is likely to offer review of its sanctions on Pakistan in three stages.
While India is presented with benefits (all of them dubious), Pakistan is to be offered the bait of lifting sanctions. The fact that all the three layers of sanctions got a mention, the US hopes to secure its three objectives by linking the lifting each layer# of sanction on a specific marker. The return of plundering politicians who have sold out to the USA is one marker, compromising the credibility of the nuclear deterrent is the other, restraining Taliban and Mujahideen is the third.
