MEDIA REACTION: PAKISTAN, WAR AGAINST TERRORISM;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000335 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: PAKISTAN, WAR AGAINST TERRORISM; NEW DELHI-FEBRUARY 21-23, 2009. This countrywide cable reports on relevant media reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. The Mission reports on English-language media via email through the daily "Early Edition" summary. -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶1. "MEANING OF HOLBROOKE MISSION," op-ed in the February 22 right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic affairs specialist K. Subrahmanyam: "The Pakistan army and its supporters have given three clear messages to the U.S. during the first step of Richard Holbrooke mission. They tried to show by releasing A.Q. Khan that the nuclear proliferation in the past was backed by the U.S. Second, Pakistan recently accepted links with the Mumbai attacks under U.S. pressure. And the third message was conveyed through a truce between the Pakistani troops and terrorists that Pakistan army is not willing to fight the whole fight in the war against terrorism... Sooner or later the U.S. and the NATO nations will have to accept that the Pakistan army will not support them in the war against the Taliban and Al-Qaida. Pakistan's nuclear weapons and talibanisation are a grave danger for the international community. The entire world, including the U.S., NATO, Russia and India, should control Pakistan economically, politically and strategically. We should not let Pakistan become a failed state. U.S. and NATO troops should be increased in Afghanistan. India should also increase its role in Afghanistan. Pakistan should be kept under a strict watch to prevent nuclear proliferation in the future." ¶2. "TALIBAN TERROR IN SWAT" op-ed article by Prashant Dikshit in the February 23, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "One is curious to know how the U.S. has dealt with the Pakistani government's handshake with the Taliban militants in the Swat region. The truce is a sort of temporary ill-conceived measure to stop beheadings, kidnappings, and the destruction of Swat's population. The U.S. policy response to this truce is crucial for India as well. Former U.S. President George W. Bush had upheld the noble aim to reinforce democracy in Islamic nations. The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan was also part of his noble agenda of promoting democracy. It is another story that the U.S. was hardly successful in eradicating the extremist elements in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now that ally Pakistan has openly shaken hands with Taliban, the U.S. seems to be more accepting of Taliban..." ¶3. "TALIBANI OUTBREAK" op-ed article by senior editor Ashok Panvalkar editorial in the February 22, 2009, Mumbai edition of left-of-center Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "The deal between the Pakistani government and Taliban in the Swat region does not seem to usher in good times for Pakistan. Hours after the deal was signed, militants kidnapped the Pakistani government administrator and six of his guards. The development is worrying for India as Islamabad's decision to cede NEW DELHI 00000335 002 OF 002 geographical and ideological space to extremists could have dangerous consequences to the entire South Asian neighborhood..." ¶4. "DON'T SHED TEARS FOR PAKISTAN" editorial in the February 21, 2009 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR. "There is absolutely no need to show any mercy towards Pakistan. It is going to be consumed by the fire it has generated... For decades, Pakistan has remained a mute spectator to the killing of innocent Indians by the religious extremists in the name of jihad. Now the dragon of religious extremism has become a threat to Pakistan... In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks last year, Al Qaeda threatened India of grave consequences if it attacked Pakistan. Pakistan should have immediately reprimanded Al Qaeda for this statement and should have stated that it would first eliminate such a blasphemous organization. Pakistan has dug its own grave. There is no need on the part of our leaders to show any sympathy for Pakistan's state of affairs." -------------- WAR AGAINST TERRORISM -------------- ¶5. "FEAR OF THE BOMB," editorial in the February 21 centrist NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "The Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta recently pointed out that terrorists may exploit weak security at Indian ports to smuggle in nuclear weapons. After the attacks in Mumbai, the government has been thinking of increasing container security. Immediately after September 11 the US launched its Container Security Initiative (CSI) program, but India is not a part of it. India should sign up for this program. That is one way to prevent dangers from the sea. The way Pakistan is drifting toward lawlessness, it is not impossible for the Taliban to get hold of the nuclear bombs in Pakistan's possession. Pakistan's civilian government is weak and ineffective in preventing religious fanaticism from engulfing Pakistan." MULFORD