MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS, IRAQ,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 003181 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATE FOR AID/APRE-A USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS, IRAQ, TERRORISM, GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS; NEW DELHI. This cable reports on relevant media reaction from India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi reports on English-language media via email in the daily "Early Edition." USG customers please write to Geeta Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early Edition." -------------- INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "LETS RID OURSELVES OF THE FEAR PSYCHOSIS OVER PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR ARMS" op-ed article by retired air marshal P L Purohit in the December 18, 2008, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "Pakistan is acting under international pressure as of now. But once the pressure recedes, the notorious neighbor is bound to go back to its treacherous ways leaving very little scope of action for India. To guard India against such a situation, our rulers should start thinking of various long-term options to deal with Pakistan. India can choose a variety of options, the most obvious being snapping diplomatic and trade ties with Pakistan. But this option does not work with Pakistan. An economic blockade of Pakistan would have worked if Pakistan had been dependent on India.... So we are left with the option of military action against Pakistan. Of course a superpower like the U.S. will not support this military option because it does not serve U.S. geo-political interests. But the point is why should India fall prey to the fear (systematically instilled by the U.S.) of Pakistani nuclear arms? It is true that India will have to bear the brunt if Pakistan uses nuclear weapons against India. But Pakistan will also suffer a worse retaliatory attack. And this fear of retaliation will make Pakistan think thrice (if not more) before using nuclear arms..." ¶2. "PAKISTAN'S DILEMMA" editorial in December 18 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center AJIR ASOM. "...Apparently, Pakistan's army chief Kiyani did not like Prime Minister Gilani's sympathetic and supportive attitude towards India, and subsequent developments reflected this... Pakistan's current overtures clearly show how much power the army wields over its politics and system... Although Pakistan, under tremendous U.S. pressure, took certain steps against terrorist outfits, India considered it a mere face-saving strategy... Now, the question is how long will India keep its patience in view of Pakistan's defiant and non-cooperative stand? On the other hand, it is also doubtful whether the army's interference will allow Zardari and Gilani to do their job without risking their position..." ¶3. "THE MOTIVE OF THE MUMBAI ATTACK AND THE ILLUSION OF WORLD VICTORY," commentary in the December 17 influential Kolkata bimonthly DESH by senior editor Sumit Mitra. "It is hard to say which act of the internal power play is being staged at this moment in Pakistan. However, the Pakistani Army no doubt wants to send out a strong signal to President-elect Barack Obama through the Lashkar-e- Toiba by organizing such an abominable massacre in NEW DELHI 00003181 002 OF 004 Mumbai. The suggestion is clear: Let Washington refrain from exerting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to establish a democratic regime in the country. The Army wants to run the government from the cantonment or they will exploit a puppet government at their will. They want America to stop providing support to India. They caution the U.S. Government from operationalizing the civilian nuclear deal with India and want the Americans quit Afghanistan along with the Karzai government. In return they may shut al-Qaeda's anti-American operations. A secret brotherhood of the Pakistani Generals has shown just a snippet of probable consequences if the incoming Obama Administration does not yield to their pressure... Unbridled power seems to have infiltrated not only into Pakistan's societal existence but also into every pore of the country's army and the government." -------------- IRAQ -------------- ¶4. "AL-ZAIDI HAS DONE WRONG BY THROWING SHOES," analysis in the December 18 Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN by Associate Editor Kunal Ghosh. "Probably this is a sensitive issue. Still it is better to call spade a spade. The Iraqi television journalist Muntader al-Zaidi did not do a right thing by throwing shoes at President Bush, rather he has committed wrong. Nothing could be said had Zaidi been an ordinary citizen and his deeds reflected the attitude of the Iraqi sentiment. In that case we could have encouraged interpretation of Iraqi people's anger by analyzing what Zaidi had said while tossing his shoes to Bush. For, what Bush has committed in the name of combating terrorism cannot be supported. The way countless people died or wounded and hundreds of thousands of families have been ruined in Iraq or in Afghanistan is unpardonable. Still in my opinion, Zaidi was not justified. Since Zaidi is a journalist he has committed a sin by throwing shoes. Zaidi got an entry to the press conference by virtue of his professional identity. Journalists gain access to different important places and can rub their shoulders with VVIPs so they can suitably discharge their professional duties. That does not mean that they will personally attack someone or dishonor somebody and will let their uncontrolled emotion overflow by exploiting the opportunity. It is a crime if any journalist hits someone at a press conference even with a pen instead of with a pair of shoes. I cannot bestow heroism on Zaidi. I would rather say that each and every journalist across the globe should be professionally ashamed of what Zaidi has done. They should become more cautious. Because of such deeds the state power gets an opportunity to wield its control over the media more ferociously." -------------- TERRORISM -------------- ¶5. "TWO STEPS AGAINST TERRORISM," editorial in December 17 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The Indian government has NEW DELHI 00003181 003 OF 004 finally introduced bills to create a federal agency to combat terror and to strengthen the existing Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act. But is it enough to pass bills? Do we have the political will to fight terrorism? Terrorism can be checked only if the NIA works. Similarly, the anti-terror law would be effective when it really discourages the anti-national elements. It is more important to implement these laws correctly and carefully. A firm political will, which the government lacks, is required for this... These steps taken by the government against terrorism could also be false because its priority is to win election. Despite the Mumbai massacre, the working ethics of our policymakers has not yet changed as it should have. So, this has raised doubts about their intentions." ¶6. "AT LEAST NOW U.S. ATTITUDE SHOULD CHANGE," op-ed article in December 17 DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily by strategic affairs specialist Brahma Chellaney: "The recent Mumbai terrorist assaults underline the imperative for a major change in U.S. policy on Pakistan- a shift that holds the key to the successful outcome of both the war in Afghanistan and the wider international fight against transnational terror.... Without balanced civil- military relations Pakistan will neither become a normal state nor cease to be a "Terroristan" for international security. Despite the continued U.S. aid Pakistan gives shelter to the world's most wanted terrorists. Further aid should be linked to definitive measures by Pakistan to sever institutional support to extremism. Only when the institutional support for terrorism is irrevocably cut off will the sanctuaries for training, command, control, and supply begin to wither away. Unless the US reverses course on Pakistan, it will begin losing the war in Afghanistan. Before the chickens come home to roost, the U.S. pampering of the Pakistani military has to end." ¶7. "TERRORISM AND LEGISLATION", editorial in December 17, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "Some organizations active in the country are making all out efforts to dissuade the government from playing a proactive role in waging war against terrorism. People's recent experiences show that terrorism, ignoring the supremacy of law, trampled human rights and massacred guileless, innocent citizens. These terrorists are already a challenge for international law agencies. They, through the acts of some organizations, are trying to pitch different peoples and nations against each other so that dread and alarm may occur everywhere." ¶8. "FEEBLE LAWS" editorial in the December 18, 2008 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR. "....the Indian political class seems to have come out of their hibernation, as is evident from the constitution of a National (Federal) Investigating Agency and making amendments to the existing Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) to meet the challenges of terrorism. However, what the government doesn't seem to comprehend is the fact that such agencies will prove to be inadequate and ill-equipped if they are not supplemented by tougher laws to deal with terrorists who NEW DELHI 00003181 004 OF 004 carry out acts of terror with hand-held grenades and AK 47 guns. A law should be such that anyone who dares to violate it assumes that she/he will not be spared. It is good to know that government has become vigilant after the Mumbai terror attacks but it shouldn't forget that the people of this nation have now become more vigilant!... India is a 'soft' target for terrorists because they know the laws here are feeble and toothless. Terrorism can be crushed not by simple laws but by stringent laws." -------------- GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS -------------- ¶9. "AN IMPENDING DANGER", editorial in December 16, 2008 right-of-center Islamist bi-weekly "DAWAT", New Delhi: "The global financial crisis, which engulfed America, is getting wider day by day. A large part of Europe feels that the present economic system prevalent throughout the length and breadth of the world is forced upon it by America and Britain. It was envisaged to get rid of the market recession of 1930. It was reframed in 1944. The aforesaid feeling is not restricted to Europe only. The emerging economics too feel that the present global financial system is based on immoderation and injustice. Injustice is inherent in it. In this system, the only ones taken care of are those who envisaged the system. No care has been taken for others. It seems that efforts are being made to create a particular type of situation in the world. The Iraq drama is one of its glaring examples. The Afghanistan drama was staged for the same objectives. Now, it seems that another drama is in the offing so that fresh blood may be supplied to the market economy. It is really a great danger." MULFORD