Swaminathan

Submitted by Sword of Islam & The Babies of Beslan (United Kingdom), Sep 10, 2006 at 18:56

Submitted by Swaminathan, Sep 10, 2006 at 01:12

"Pakistan was purely created on religious lines"

Submitted by Swaminathan, Sep 10, 2006 at 01:12

"Millions of 'Indian' muslims were 'wiser' in choosing to stay back (to our detriment) and build a prosperous life. Yet in their hearts and minds they are 'Pakistanis'."

- Exactly, you'll forgive the irony that was inherent in my question. It seems patently absurd that such an dramatic exercise in division was done in such a 'half-baked' manner. I'm sure it was well-intentioned but I think it safe to say that WWII left the world with a series of messes that were given 'quick-fixes' that are now coming back to bite us all! This applies to pretty much the whole of the Middle East as well as India/Pakistan. Modern day Iraq seems to have certain parallels.

However, I'd be grateful for some further historical background info. Is it completely inaccurate of me to believe that prior to the Raj the bulk of India was actually predominantly ruled by Muslims (in particular the Mughals and latterly the Persians) meaning that Hindus actually had less territorial control prior to the arrival the British East India Company than they did after Independence? Is this imperial history related to the comparitive arrogance of your Pakistani neighbours that you mention? I'd be grateful for your input on this (presumably stupid!) question as you clearly have a strong knowledge of the subject that can perhaps remedy my 'cluelessness' in matters sub-continental.

Submitted by Swaminathan, Sep 10, 2006 at 01:12

"My contention is that the West has always played a double game in matters relating to Kashmir, dismissing it as a regional conflict, and as it best suited them. Now you expect India to support US in the war in Iraq or even Afghanistan (though the reasons for not supporting is purely appeasement of muslims to garner votes) ."

- 'Double-game'? How exactly. You mention one aspect, ie dismissing it as a regional conflict but you don't mention what the other 'game' is. What is the other face that you are shown? We don't particularly expect from India given the fact that it is a bit late in the day. But we don't expect to ask for a couple of hundred troops as an exercise in international solidarity, and be told 'we'll only help if the UN tell us too' and the receive criticism for not bypassing the UN ad coming to India's aid in such matters. Only a fool would expect us to.

If your government has to 'appease' Muslim voters I'd suggest that you are in even bigger trouble than I had hitherto suspected!

It would have been nice to have received Indian support on the matter of Iraq or Afghanistan (in which you presumably have an interest given it's proximity) but you made it clear as a country that any action had to go through the UN. Let that be the case with Kashmir or risk justifial accusations of hypocrisy or (allegations of playing a 'double-game')! My question to you is what have you done for us lately? As questionable as their motives may be the Pakistani's have provided us with considerable more assistance in the 'war on terror' than India has and was an ally during the Cold War. We can hardly be expected to turn on them. If they're such a threat why don't you deal with them?

"The US has always sided with Pak. right from the cold war era due to India's closer ties with the erstwhile USSR."

- Maybe you should have picked your friends a little more carefully then! It may be ancient history but it's considerably more recent than colonialism!

Maybe the Russians might feel obliged to help you out....

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