MEDIA REACTION: PAKISTAN: TALIBAN INTERNAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000936

SIPDIS

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STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU

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USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PAKISTAN: TALIBAN INTERNAL
INFLUENCE, AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, NON-
PROLIFERATION, U.S. ECONOMY; 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.

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PAKISTAN: TALIBAN INTERNAL INFLUENCE
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1. "FIGHTING THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD," editorial in May 8
centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT. "Pakistan is involved in
one of the worst and most violent confrontations with the
Taliban. This is the time when the Pakistani government
needs the support of the entire global community. The
leadership in Pakistan is not above board. It has
perennially used insurgent and terrorist outfits to gain
short-term advantages."


2. "VOLATILE PAKISTAN," editorial in May 8 left-of-center
Assamese daily ASAMIYA PRATIDIN: "Had Pakistan taken a
strong stand against the radical forces during the
Taliban's fall in Afghanistan, it could have avoided the
current situation... Although the U.S. has kept up the
pressure on Pakistan, the international community is
still not sure of the safety of its nuclear weapons.
For, Pakistan's assurance has failed to convince them."

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AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN
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3. "OBAMA MAKING SAME MISTAKE," commentary in May 7
right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic
affairs expert Brahma Chellaney: "Obama's Af-Pak strategy
inspires little confidence. Showering money on Pakistan
is a folly. The U.S. military can never win in
Afghanistan without first dismantling the Pakistan
military's sanctuaries and sustenance infrastructure for
the Taliban and other state-reared terrorist groups like
Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad. Bush's national
security adviser Stephen Hadley himself admitted that you
can't solve Afghanistan without solving Pakistan."

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AFGHANISTAN
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4. "SOFT TARGET OF AMERICAN FORCES," editorial in May 8
right-of-center Urdu daily HINDUSTAN EXPRESS: "The brutal
massacre of innocent civilians, including women and
children, by American forces in Afghanistan May 5 has
surpassed the barbarity of the Mongols. America itself is
announcing an enquiry to wipe off the blood of innocents
from its hands. Such incursions are not the outcome of
any misunderstanding or mistake. They are, in fact, part
of a pre-conceived U.S. strategy in Iraq, Afghanistan and
Pakistan. How long will humanity remain a mute spectator?

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NON-PROLIFERATION

NEW DELHI 00000936 002 OF 002


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5. "NPT AND INDIA," editorial in May 7 centrist NAVBHARAT
TIMES Hindi daily: "Before mentioning India in his
statements on nuclear non-proliferation, President Obama
should have given it a thought. India is only opposed to
the NPT's discriminatory structure. India has repeatedly
proposed nuclear disarmament, but the nuclear nations
have ignored it. The U.S. itself has not ratified the
CTBT till date. U.S. Presidents should realize that the
days of heads I win, tails you lose-type diplomacy are
now over."

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U.S. ECONOMY
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6. "AMERICA RENDERS ONE MILLION INDIANS
JOBLESS," editorial in May 8 centrist Gujarati daily
GUJARATMITRA: "With his 'bye bye Bangalore, hello
Buffalo' statement, President Obama has delivered on his
campaign promise of withdrawing tax benefits to American
companies outsourcing their jobs. The IT sector in
Bangalore, and thereby one million Indians, will bear the
brunt of this decision... But MNCs appreciate Indian
talent. Eventually they will be back."
BURLEIGH