MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH ON AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001107



STATE FOR SCA/INSB, PM/CBM, PM/PRO



STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU



SIPDIS



E.O. 12958 N/A

TAGS: KMDR, KPAO, PGOV, OPRC, NP

SUBJ: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH ON

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN



1. SUMMARY: Nepal's largest vernacular daily

"Kantipur", with circulation of 150,000, ran an OP-

ED in its December 4, 2009 edition about the

President's address on the way forward in

Afghanistan and Pakistan. The piece entitled

"Obama's trial in Afghanistan" was written by a

Nepali journalist and columnist. Reiterating the

President's statement, the piece said that the U.S.

security was at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

It further said that unless the Taliban and Al Qaeda

are quelled in Pakistan and Afghanistan, 'Uncle Sam'

would always be under threat. It also said that the

American victory would be uncertain without first

winning the confidence of the nuclear powers

Pakistan, India and China.



TRANSLATED EXCERPTS:



2. "His serious concern could be guided by the

strategy aimed at boosting the morale of the US and

NATO troops fighting against the Taliban and Al-

Qaeda. It could also be due to mounting internal

pressure against the 900 soldiers killed in the

eight-year long unpopular and expensive war. Or it

could be a combined form of real security threats

and to provide a psychological boost needed fight

this decisive war."



3. "As Obama said, America's national security

after 9/11 indeed depends on Afghanistan and

Pakistan. In other words, unless Al-Qaeda and the

Taliban are quelled, Uncle Sam would always be under

threat."



4. "But can Afghanistan's problems be solved by war

and the deployment of around 150,000 troops? The aim

of the American coalition is not just to ensure that

the controversial and corruption-ridden Karzai

government stays in power. If the US wants to

establish a free and sovereign Afghanistan, it

should first be able to win the confidence of Asian

and South Asian countries. There is doubt that

America can win this war without first winning the

confidence of nuclear powers Pakistan, India and

China. Could the deployment of additional 30,000

troops result into a never-ending war and

instability in Asia and South Asia? Obama hasn't

satisfactorily addressed these issues."



5. "America and China are competing to be the

world's superpower. China will be the happiest

country the day America's Afghanistan policy fails,

because this would cause a stain on Washington and

of which Beijing will undoubtedly take full

advantage. That is why Obama needed to win the

confidence of China."



6. "Another aspect is Pakistan. Pakistan's initial

public response that it will evaluate the review

policy cautiously means that Pakistan's support

cannot be expected, even though 2.3 of the total 680

billion dollar US defense budget has been set aside

for Pakistan's security. Despite setting aside so

much money for Pakistan, the US doesn't seem to be

getting Islamabad's full support because of its

nuclear pact with India."



BERRY