A Friend called Foe

A Friend called Foe

I am aware that billions of articles have been written, though all against the move, in direct variance with the amount of financial aid, America has showered on Pakistan in the past and is upholding that legacy in the present, with the same likely to continue in the foreseeable future and ultimately to eternity.
So my views are like a needle in the haystack. But as is with the haystack that ultimately reveals the needle, more often painfully, when the haystack has been searched completely, I feel that my views too shall find a place in the haystack of archives preserving articles on the issue and will reveal itself, albeit not painfully.

I remember an incident from my student days. Specifically when I was a post-graduate student. On that day, our seniors were according us “Freshers Welcome”. In the course of our assessment by seniors, I was asked:

“What would you do if you are made the President of The United States of America (in short America)?”

The perceivable improbability of the option, forced me to answer with the smug logic: “For that I will have to become an American citizen first”.

The seniors that they were didn’t budge an inch and refused to accept my reasoning as the answer and pressed on.

Out of the blue and without my conscious articulation of words, I blurted: “I would stop helping Pakistan”.

Such was the deeply entrenched conviction on the subconscious that Pakistan is sustained by America, their main patrons. And today after so many years have elapsed, I see no reason to have doubts regarding that conviction. The continuing American foreign policy on India and Pakistan has convinced me of the accuracy of my conviction.

I am neither a diplomat nor a bureaucrat and I care a fig about the diplomacy that plans to dissolve our sovereignty by forcing an abject submission at the feet of Uncle Sam.

The question that everybody keeps asking and whose answer is also not that unfathomable is: Why America helps Pakistan, that too unconditionally (at least the world can’t see the conditions, though if they are invisible then the visibility of the conditions should be made conditional!)?
Who has made America the guardian of the World? Oops! Nobody decides anything for America; rather it is the other way round!

Without getting into the details of its various policies, I seek to delve on the one that concerns us, Indians.
Naturally, the burning question in every Indian’s mind, not to mention globally as well, is why America continues to pamper Pakistan? The reason this query crops as an irritant is because of its impact on the international political scenario and more specifically on India. Apparently it seems queer, with the whole world’s knowledge and by the admission of the Americans as well, of the fact that Pakistan is the epicenter of international terrorism with India and anything Indian being their prime target. So even after acknowledging this fact if they keep on providing unconditional financial aid to Pakistan, which is enjoying a borrowed life, reasons are not what are being projected.

The reason America forwards for their sustained sustenance of Pakistan is that it wants to stabilize Pakistan by helping it to eradicate the terror havens that are wrecking havoc in Pakistan as well, along with elsewhere, with India being its major victim. As if the terror havens have sprouted overnight, without the knowledge of Pakistan!

America has been doling out its taxpayer’s money shamelessly and insensitively, as “non-military aid” to Pakistan, to apparently help fight the terror outfits and for the betterment of the life of the innocent Pakistani citizens. But this aid is without any “riders” attached to it, till date. America knows fully well that the money is being used, but not for the purpose implied. Rather, it has been, is being and will be, used for strengthening Pakistan militarily by garnering more and more ammunitions: conventional and nuclear, with the sole objective of using them against India. They have the license too to do so, having quite conveniently evaded the commitment of “no first use”. Thus it is very clear that the term “non-military” as in “non-military aid”, is nothing but a “Burkah” (forgive if the spelling is incorrect) to conceal the actual identity and nature of the aid. It can’t be anything else, under the apparent circumstances. It seems that it is in the interests of the American diplomats and politicians to do so. Because, it is at least not in the interests of the American citizens and various other immigrants who throng that land neither it is in the interests of the world as a whole.

Please correct me, if I am wrong. Why is that after the grievously unfortunate 9/11 incident, America has been spared of such inhuman and dastardly attacks of such a large scale? Not that it should’ve happened anyway. It should not be happening anywhere in the world. But the rude question keeps staring at us, more so with our nation bearing the brunt of such attacks, that too very frequently. The images of the Mumbai tragedy, one out of many that has been inflicted upon us, have left an indelible imprint on the mind and I think has made innocent people more God fearing, if not God abiding. And if that was not enough, India has shook with further terror attacks.
This stark contrasts in the aftermath of such deplorable incidents in the two countries, has thrown up one and only one answer. America, post 9/11, has taken various security measures and God knows what else, to ensure that the great all accommodating nation isn’t ravaged again. Commendable.
But what about us? Post 26/11 Mumbai tragedy, we were not allowed a free hand to take adequate action and prove that we have the spine called self-respect. One word that was given enforcing prominence was: restraint. When Indian Government complied with the American version of restraint, America extended the salvo of praise that added insult to injury. Because this when extrapolated, meant praise for not doing things that should have been done. We were defensive when we should have been the aggressor, the motherland being injured and insulted, not to mention the lives lost and families curtailed. We had to take permission to defend ourselves! So much for the sovereignty of the sovereign, independent country of India.
And paradoxically (no, no naturally, as for them offense is the best defense) what did Pakistan do after 26/11? They increased their troop strength on their border with India, which they scaled down only after pressure (Oh really?) and reassurances (yes, that might be true!) from America. Thus we, despite being the victims where victimized further, as always, by being prohibited from taking adequate counter actions. While Pakistan was, and is being, and shall be, if the trend continues, rewarded for its terrorist activities with billions of dollars. It is like punishing the victim and rewarding the perpetrator!

I have nothing against America or for that matter Pakistan, personally. But when their policies are, in direct conflict with, and attacks, our sovereignty, to an extent of making a mockery of it, it hurts. Whence, harbouring benign thoughts becomes impossible.

Our country, in 1947, got Independence. But by paying a heavy price. In terms of lives lost and a curse called partition, which dissected the country. Has America faced such a dissection? It being the United States of America, it can’t feel the pain and the irreparable damage that accompanies the dissection. Thus, the dual standards, it has set for acceptable reactions in the wake of terror attacks on India vis-à-vis such attacks on its own soil or air or sea. It seems that while taking the oath of office, the people concerned there take the “Hypocritical Oath”.
It is blatant hypocrisy on their part. They proclaim to be our friend. So is it a case of friendly hypocrisy or hypocritical friendship? Because that is what the Indo-American relationship is. Instead of reining in Pakistan, it fills their coffers with the money that quite easily gets translated into destruction inflicting and unleashing items. And paradoxically, India, the land of the great Mahatma Gandhi, is asked to exercise restraint!
Don’t they know, we need not be taught a lesson in restraint? We naturally carry the legacy of Ahimsa with the inertia of Gandhism too strong to overcome and carry out any retaliation, leave aside an unprovoked violent military action. Rather we can teach the world a lesson in restraint, gracefully digesting humiliations more often than not, with our heads held high! So instead of worrying about our actions and reactions, America should tell Pakistan to learn from us. And if it fails to convince Pakistan, at least it itself should take a lesson on Ahimsa from us. Because America is in need of this lesson very dearly. It is America that has started this menacing terror chain and reactions thereof, by supplying the chain sustaining money.

Its first step was to clinically dismantle Russia, the erstwhile USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic), the then only Superpower, apart from its own self. That demolition completed, it stamped its authority as the sole Superpower by extending its own monopoly and exercising its self-proclaimed guardianship (albeit divisive) over the world. In the meanwhile with Pakistan’s help, it created Taliban, to evict the Russian troops from Afghanistan. Now it says that there is a good Taliban and a bad Taliban, with the latter perpetuating terrorist activities. What does this imply? That America created Mr.Jekyll but not Mr.Hyde? Simply absurd. But then they can get away by saying and doing whatever they wish to.
In their very list of nations to be suppressed, India ranks quite high. Because America is perpetually perturbed by the potential of India. It fears India as the intellectual intelligence and talent of Indians can take our nation to great heights wherefrom we shall be a force to reckon with. More importantly we will have the bargaining powers. This is what America doesn’t want. Otherwise what is the reason of providing a lifeline to Pakistan, which actually is diverted and directed towards the sustenance of the terror groups that are hand in glove with the Pakistani militia? Pakistani plea that they themselves are victims of terrorist activities and that these people (terrorists) are “stateless actors” doesn’t convince me. Pakistan with its acts can put even a chameleon to shame; past and present bear enough proof of it to enable its extrapolation for the future as well. Knowing all this and not acting adequately on it, thus makes apparent that it is in America’s interest to keep us occupied with malignant thoughts of subversive activities of Pakistan and on ways to counter it, which again, it will not allow us to use appropriately. By hook or by crook it wants to keep us on the tenterhook.
Thus it is America, which promotes Himsa and not Ahimsa. By shelling out unthinkable amount of money repeatedly to Pakistan, it is sustaining the “Incubator of Terror”. The definition of “incubate” is “to cause bacteria etc. to develop by maintaining temperature”. Well, some bacterias too come to the aid of human beings, but not the terror outfits, that are being incubated by the temperature of American money. Once you create a monster you should control it and if you fail to control it, you should demolish it. America has powers unlimited for the purpose, but instead of doing so it is seemingly intent upon empowering the monster (albeit indirectly!), as it can’t deny the fact with a hand on the heart that Pakistan cannot be believed. Since it is not ready to act sincerely and accordingly, in my eyes America is to be held responsible for all such acts of terror. Mainly American money sustains the terror outfits (along with some other countries as well), so maybe their motherland is spared a bit. After all, there is honour even among thieves and here we are talking of nations. So naturally, one doesn’t dishonour one’s own patron, more so with an eye on long term further gains.

Well, I can’t change the way of things. But as usual can give an unsolicited view, which I have done.
I know American diplomats and policy makers will be peeved by my views. Though I am not quite sure of the reactions of common American citizens and immigrants as they too are reeling from this siphoning of their hard earned money they pay as taxes. So, I challenge the people concerned, there, to defy me, deny me the satisfaction that accompanies a fact when one is right, and prove me wrong by taking some concrete and sincere steps towards the cause that is not a mere eyewash. I assure you, that defeat shall be the happiest defeat of my views and I look forward to that day eagerly. But as of now and as in the past, America with its apparent intent of “brokering peace” has ended up as “breaker” of peace, in Indian context, “brokering tension” by not “brokering” appropriate action. And like all brokers in their varied field, must be gaining commissions. What all are they, I can’t enumerate, but one of them is the loss of the “Sense and Confidence of Independence” of the citizens of Independent India. America says that it has our best interests in its heart. It is our friend.
But what are we to call America, actually?
(i)A Friend?
(ii) A Foe?
(iii) A Friendly Foe?

None of them, as I feel the most suitable tag would be,
“A Friend called Foe”.

Sushmita Mukherjee,
June 14, 2009