Pakistan/India Conflict
...le scenario is one in which India strikes against militants in Pakistani territory under the guise of a “global war on terrorism.” Significantly outmatched militarily, Pakistan may very well launch a nuclear strike against India in an attempt to level the balance of power in the region. One of the only ways to combat the disruption of the South Asian power structure is for the United States to ensure that it will forge a closer relationship with India, just as it has with Pakistan. Also, the U.S. can pressure Pakistan to crack down on militant infiltration into Kashmir during important domestic events such as the fall election, which was viewed as a litmus test for Pakistani cooperation against terrorism by the Indian government. However, the U.S. needs to wean both India and Pakistan from seeing it as the buffer between intensely rocky relations. Rather, the United States must use its considerable regional leverage to encourage India and Pakistan to adopt new and improved confidence building measures along the Line of Control. Instead of having to diffuse each crisis situation between India and Pakistan, by laying a strong foundation of effective confidence building measures, the U.S. can hope to eventually diffuse Indian/Pakistani rivalry on its own, making further U.S. intrusion unnecessary. Apart from bilateral India/Pakistan relations, greater U.S./Pakistan ties could threaten to undermine Pakistan’s internal domestic order. Not quickly forgetting the U.S. abandonment of Pakistan following the fall of the Soviet Union, many Pakistanis are weary of the true U.S. aid commitment to Pakistan. Musharraf needs to assure his people that Pakistan is an equal partner in the war on terrorism and not merely the lapdog of the powerful United States. If such delineation is not made, it is plausible to predict that Pakistani cooperation with the west will not be viewed upon favorably, especially by the Islamic extremists now holding a substantial position in Parliament. Certainly for these religious zealots, seeing their government abandon their own fundamentalist creation in Afghanistan is not reassuring to Pakistan’s commitment of being the South Asian Islamic advocate and protector. From a strictly international perspective, a U.S./Pakistan alliance signals that the U.S. is prepared to negotiate with undemocratic, authoritarian governments when its interests are served. Furthermore, by cooperating with Pakistan, the United States is sending the message that it is prepared to overlook disturbing internal matters, such as nuclear weapons programs, if a country serves U.S. interests. To combat this apparent hypocrisy, the U.S. needs to publicly demonstrate to the global community its commitment to greater Pakistani democratiz...