Replies

But instead, here we see the blessings of democracy in foreign policy. The United States has to move to placate an angry mob demanding JUSTICE; but, if the U.S. attacks there is no benefit in the short term or perhaps ever... IMHO, all that they'll accomplish is to produce a more bitter, disorganized enemy. They surely don't want to conquer Afghanistan, because then they would have to govern it!

I have taken the liberty of substituting the U.S. for India and Afghanistan for Pakistan in your post.

I'm not saying we should not have acted; I'm just saying that by your reasoning regarding what India should now do, we might not have.

It's not an analogous situation. IMHO, the terrorists that moved on India's Paliament did not do so with Pakistani government knowledge or sanction. The ISI is another matter, and may be as much a threat to Mushraaf as it is to India. Further, Afghanistan does not possess nuclear arms, nor does it border the US. From what I can tell, it is in India's interest to assist Mushraaf in consolidating his power. Giving him a justification to purge the ISI of fanatics is a move in that direction and could do much to move toward resolving historic disputes.