EDITORIALS & ANALYSIS

Eating out of the general’s hands

There is no big difference between Osama bin Laden and Maulana Masood Azhar

HARINDER S. SIKKA

CNN has been airing views and interviews on General Musharraf’s speech as well as the build-up of troops at the LOC that are tilted in Pakistan’s favour. It often tends to read more than what is stated by Musharraf, only to be repeatedly quoted verbatim by the Pakistani media. Similarly, on January 12, barely did the general finish his speech than the CNN went to town lauding his effort. Opinions began pouring thick and fast out of thin air, urging India to respond to the Pakistani president’s historic move.

 EDITORIALS & ANALYSIS

US’ job is yet not done

It must find those missing nuclear scientists

HARINDER S. SIKKA

The UN hopes to create peace and tranquility in war torn Afghanistan. It is a tall order indeed. It will not be easy to contain the volcano of anti-US hatred that still simmers. 

General Pervez Musharraf would have learnt by now that it is not easy to live by the sword. The Taliban is not his main worry. Not right now, with the backing of the US government. But he will do well to observe Osama bin Laden’s movements. When the war is over, and the US forces are withdrawn, he may need to use the same caves that bin Laden is using now.

Given the supersonic speed at which Musharraf has switched sides, the US too would do well to see that he is not playing a double game. Pakistan’s stability is also of major concern not only for Pakistanis, but, and more importantly, for the civilized world as well. Its nuclear arsenal is a subject of debate due to its possibility of falling into the hands of rogue nations. In such an eventuality, the US itself could be topping the threat chart followed by Israel and India. Economically too, Pakistan is likely to be tightly strapped. With millions of Afghan refugees pouring in, who will invariably dissolve into the interiors and eat into the already scarce resources, it will have to bear with multiple crises and increased violence.

The global hijackers

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