MEDIA REACTION: TERRORISM/LAHORE ATTACKS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000662 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: TERRORISM/LAHORE ATTACKS, AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN,G-20 SUMMIT; NEW DELHI. 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. -------------- TERRORISM/ LAHORE ATTACKS -------------- ¶1. "BLOOD ALL AROUND", editorial in April 2 right-of- center Urdu daily HAMARA SAMAJ: "As was expected, the conspiracy behind the terrorist attack on the police training academy in Lahore was unearthed. Baitullah Mehsood, the leader of the Taliban, was said to have owned up to the attacks in a conversation with the BBC. The extremists led by Mehsood have their headquarters in the tribal areas of Baluchistan, and dominate some of the tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan. It is important to remind ourselves that America has lost the ground battle against Iraq and Afghanistan. History speaks for itself: no force, however big, has ever been able to defeat Afghanistan. The primary reason is the tough terrain and uneven topography; the attacker himself tends to suffer more in a bombardment. The other reason could be that the ground supply line of the Afghans has not been interrupted. No one has been able to break it so far. Britain, one of the most powerful countries to fight in Afghanistan, also returned empty-handed." -------------- AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN -------------- ¶2. "BAITULLAH'S THREAT," editorial in April 2 RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "Pakistan Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud's threat to attack the U.S. demonstrates the Taliban's enhanced boldness, despite the U.S. announcing a $5 million bounty on his head. It is difficult to say how real the threat will turn out to be, but action on these threats in Pakistan is very much possible. The U.S. also admits the increased military competence of the Taliban. The attacks could intensify in Pakistan's tribal areas, after the announcement of President Obama's Af-Pak strategy to wipe out Al Qaeda and Taliban. This new Laden will try to step up attacks, since the Pakistan Government supports the U.S. It is not difficult to imagine the consequences. Obama has said that Pakistan will have to take help from other countries because defeating terrorist groups is not easy." -------------- G-20 SUMMIT -------------- ¶4. "PAKISTAN TERROR: INDIA NEEDS TO ACT," editorial in the April 3 pro-BJP Kolkata Bengali daily, BARTAMAN: "The truth is that both Britain and America want to interfere with the Kashmir issue. They are sympathetic to Pakistan in order to fulfill their own political agenda. Pakistan takes advantage of this. However, America and Britain NEW DELHI 00000662 002 OF 002 have become friendly to India due to the threat of terrorism ... Indian leaders now must take stern measures against (Pakistan's) state-sponsored terrorism in order to protect national security." ¶6. "ONE MORE BOOSTER DOSE FOR A WORLD AILING UNDER RECESSION" editorial in the April 3, 2009 multi-edition centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA BHASKAR. "The world's superpower economies... have now decided to inject one trillion dollars into the global financial system to resurrect ebbing economies. However, this effort will only bear fruit if it promotes trade and commerce between nations. For this to happen, the developed nations will have to open their markets. The Indian Prime Minister's hint to developed nations to shun protectionist attitudes assumes significance in this light... one hopes that global efforts will prove positive..." WHITE