October 23, 2003 ☼ Foreign Affairs

India has decided to soften its stance again. See Indian Express: October Spring. While it is certain to score brownie points in the international press and receive lavish praise from “State Department spokesmen” or even their bosses, it is equally certain that Pakistan will see it as a vindication of its policies.

Whether it is an act of high statesmanship or of astute politicking I just hope India is on guard for a Kargil replay. If Advani talks to the APHC moderates, the Geelani guys are’nt going to return the AK47s to their ISI handlers. Neither is Pakistan ever going to give up its Kashmir claim. They are sure to see this as a sign of weakness and intensify their ‘struggle’. I am keeping my fingers crossed for next spring.

The appropriate thing to do would have been to scale up developmental activities in Kashmir, give them a share of the growing prosperity of modern India, demonstrate democracy. Let them see for themselves how well placed they are compared to their brethren in Gilgit or Baltistan.

There was no need at all for softening up to Pakistan. New Delhi had a monkey menace, hopefully this is not the start of the surrender monkey menace.

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