War - No War

Tony Blair has condemned the terrorist outrages in India as an attack on democracy.The Prime Minister told an audience in Bangalore that only politics can solve the dispute with Pakistan, unlike Afghanistan of course, where Mr Blair firmly believed that only military force could solve that problem.

"The starting point of any dialogue must be the total and absolute rejection of actions such as those of October 1st and December 13th" Mr Blair said "I view an attack on your parliament with every bit as much outrage as I would an attack on the parliament in which I sit"   Does this mean that in the event of a terrorist attack on Westminster that the British Prime Minister will opt for a non-military response of the sort he is presently urging upon his Indian hosts?

In a performance that bordered on the preposterous and which could be considered more than a little patronizing to his hosts, Mr Blair has once again cruelly exposed the limits of his claim to being a statesman. Glib and ill thought policy ideas have been floated as sound bites suitable only for the top of the 10 o'clock TV News. Diplomatic reality based on years of experience in the region has been abandoned for the tabloid-style comment which while lacking substance, make tomorrows headlines.

Confused thinking - confused message

Tony Blair has also set out his vision for Britain's role in a world changed by the terrorist attacks of 11 September, however judging by the confusing message the Prime Minister is giving, his vision of Britain's new role may well turn out to be an old nightmare for the British people.

The first responses in Britain were predictably down-beat with the Shadow defence secretary Bernard Jenkin accusing Mr Blair of trying to divert attention from the government's domestic difficulties. "Other countries will not take lectures about the so-called new world order from a British prime minister who cannot deliver basic public services run by his own failing government," he said.  While Menzies Campbell, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, cast doubt on the prime minister's ability to achieve his aims. "Without substantial additional investment in military and diplomatic capability and a significant increase in overseas aid these aspirations simply cannot be achieved."

A doubting view from India

While an interesting view was expressed by an Indian Colleague, Mandeep Singh when he commented that; Tony Blair has expressed his pride in the leading role played by Britain in foreign affairs after the WTC attacks. But his professing support for what he calls Pakistan's 'very strong position' on Kashmir has not gone down as well. At the same time Blair has strongly condemned terrorism and the killing of innocents. Britain of all countries should have a clear position on Kashmir. After all India and Pakistan came into existence through an Act of the British Parliament. The Indian Independence Act clearly and unequivocally allowed the Princely States to accede to either Dominion. History records that the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India.

India is a partner in the international coalition against terrorism and expects that at least its viewpoint on the grave terrorist threat faced by it be recognised. Unfortunately any understanding or expression of support for India's predicament is always prefaced with a reference to Kashmir forgetting the ongoing proxy war unleashed by Pakistan in that State which has now escalated to a direct and murderous attack on the Parliament of the world's largest democracy.

The free world must stand up and not let this most grave of attempts to browbeat democracy go unpunished. We owe this much to posterity. Lastly, nearly 400 years on, Guy Fawkes' farcical plot has still not been forgotten by the British. Does the world expect India to forget the assault on its Parliament ? Richard M .Bennett and Mandeep Singh Bajwa (South Asia Editor - Orders of Battle Internet Magazine)
 

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