Dear Mr Kristof

It’s 2008

This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.

…we should push much harder for a peace deal in Kashmir—including far more pressure on India—because Kashmir grievances empower Pakistani militants. [NYT]

Now you are a perspicacious man. So it is baffling that you miss the point by a thousand kilometres. Because today Pakistani militants are far more empowered by Afghanistan, NWFP and Islamabad’s Red Mosque grievances than by anything else. Would you say that the United States should push for a peace deal in Afghanistan then?

Update: On his blog, Mr Kristof adds:

Many Indian readers are taking me to task over my suggestion that the U.S. put more pressure on Kashmir. Let me clarify that this is not just to “appease” Pakistan, but because India’s own behavior in Kashmir has often been shameful. Paying more attention to Kashmir and to human rights violations (in both Kashmirs) is not only geopolitically correct, but it’s also the right thing to do. Incidentally, I heard on this trip that Islamabad is now again allowing more Pakistani militants to infiltrate across the border into Indian Kashmir, which, if true, is a disaster that will aggravate Pakistani-Indian tensions and focus attention away from issues like education.[On the ground]

Mr Kristof ought to decide which problem he wishes to solve. Does he really mean to suggest that Pakistan sending terrorists across the border into Kashmir to set right human rights violations? It’s nearly headless, Nick!

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