Fear of situation escalating to nuclear flashpoint is pushing US to intervene
NEW DELHI: The US is concerned that the Mumbai terror attacks may trigger a war between India and Pakistan and threaten the stability of an already fragile region.
Now that India has said it has clinching evidence that the terrorists had come from Karachi, US diplomats are worried that the domestic political fallout may force the Manmohan Singh government to launch an attack on infrastructure which New Delhi insists remains intact in the POK.
Either way, it will lead to more instability in a region where US and NATO troops are fighting a war on terror in Afghanis-tan. The fact that both nations have nuclear weapons adds a worrying dimension to the insecurity in the area for the Americans.
The sabre rattling between India and Pakistan especially in the newspapers and television channels in both countries could force both governments to act irrationally.
Washington is more or less convinced that elements within Pakistan are involved in the outrageous attacks on Mumbai.
The fear of the situation escalating to nuclear flashpoint is pushing the Americans to play big Daddy and get Islamabad to co-operate with New Delhi and take immediate action to clam Indian public opinion.
Despite the polite words in public, the US is turning the heat on Pakistan to do more along its border with Afghanistan, from where the jehadi elements operate. President Zardari’s government, already facing flak from the people for US air strikes inside his territory, will now have to deal with another front of pressure from New Delhi.
