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Smaller Pakistan in redrawn South Asia map sparks fear

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Agencies

Posted: Nov 23, 2008 at 1300 hrs IST
Pakistan map

New York, November 23: A redrawn map of South Asia showing a truncated Pakistan, reduced to an elongated sliver of land, has sparked fear among military planners in Islamabad who think India and Afghanistan are "colluding" to destroy the only nuclear powered-Muslim nation with the US help, a media report said on Sunday.

The map, first circulated as a theoretical exercise in some American neoconservative circles, has fueled a belief among Pakistanis that what the United States really wants is the breakup of their country, the New York Times reported.

That notion, it says, may strike Americans as strange coming from an ally of 50 years but as the incoming Barack Obama administration tries to coax greater cooperation from Pakistan in the fight against militancy, it can hardly be ignored.

Pakistan, says the Times, is upset over the Indo-American civilian nuclear deal as also big investments made by New Delhi in Afghanistan.

In this context, the paper makes special reference to the Iranian border road which, it says, would ultimately provide access to India to Iranian port of Chabahar, circumventing Pakistan.

Besides, India has offered training for Afghanistan's military, given assistance for a new Parliament building in Kabul and has re-opened consulates along the border with Pakistan, it adds.

The consulates, the Pakistanis allege, are used by India as cover to lend support to a long-running separatist movement in Baluchistan Province.

US military commanders, including Gen David H Petraeus, have started to argue forcefully that the solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, where the American war effort looks increasingly uncertain, must involve a wide array of neighbors.

Obama has said much the same. Several times in his campaign, he laid out the crux of his thinking. Reducing tensions between Pakistan and India would allow Islamabad to focus on the real threat the Qaeda and Taliban militants who are tearing at the very fabric of the country, he has argued.

But the Times says such an approach faces sizable obstacles, the biggest being the "conflict" over Kashmir.

Pakistan's army and intelligence agencies have long fought a proxy war with India by sponsoring militant groups to terrorize the people in Jammu and Kashmir, it noted.

After the 9/11 attacks, the paper says that Pakistan reined in those militants for a time, but this year the militants have renewed their incursions. Talks between the sides made some progress in recent years but have "petered out."

Pakistanis, it says, warn that the US should not appear too eager to mediate. First, they say, India has always regarded Kashmir as a bilateral question. India, they note, also faces a general election early next year, an inappropriate moment to push such an explosive issue.

Second, some Pakistanis are concerned about the reliability of the United States as a fair mediator, it adds.

"Given the US record on the Palestinian issue, where the Palestinians had to move 10 times backwards and the Israelis moved the goal posts, the same could happen here," Zubair Khan, a former commerce minister, is quoted as saying who has watched Kashmir closely.

If the Obama administration is indeed to convince Pakistanis that militancy, not the Indian Army, presents the gravest threat, it will not be easy, stresses the paper.

The new democratically elected President Asif Ali Zardari has visited the US twice since assuming power three months ago. He has been generous in his praise of the Bush administration. But that stance is criticized at home as fawning and wins him little popularity among a steadfastly anti-American public, the paper noted.

Among ordinary Pakistanis, many still regard al Qaeda more positively than the United States, it says, citing polls.

Talk shows here often include arguments that the suicide bombings in Pakistan are payback for the Pakistani Army fighting an American war.

Some commentators suggest that the US is actually financing the Taliban, the paper says, adding the point is to tie down the Pakistani Army, leaving the way open for the Americans to grab Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

Recently, in the officer's mess in Bajaur, the northern tribal region where the Pakistani Army is tied down fighting the militants, the paper says, one officer offered his own theory: Osama bin Laden did not exist, he told a visiting journalist.

Rather, he was a creation of the Americans, who needed an excuse to invade Afghanistan and encroach on Pakistan, he told a visiting journalist.

The map originally accompanied an article by Ralph Peters published in the US-based Armed Forces Journal in June 2006.

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truncated Pakistan by Jeddy Khan on 08 May 2009

It is not a moment of joy for the Indians that Pakistan should be truncated. Once the USA gets the taste of blood, it will expand to India. The new colianists will be the USA not UK. India has to seriously consider the repurcussions of this ideas. It is simply a proposal, but a great threat to Pakistan. If India allies itself with the USA, it would result in nuclear exchange between the Pakistan and India. As for the USA direct invasion plans would be met by hitting their navy with tactical nuclear missiles.So no beach landing. Paratroop carrying planes would be knocked down by SAMs and Stinger missiles. So American military personnel presence would be little, unless they find a way to actual land their troops in Pakistan - the Pakistan army which instead of fighting India, would be fighting US forces and slaugtering in the process. When it comes to a crunch Pakistan may well have the capacity to nuke the USA. If it cannot do that destroy all US oil installations inthe region.

No Pakistan at all by Mahendra on 25 Jan 2009

Actually this article is now outdated. A new article has appeared in a US magzine entitled "No Pakistan at all" or words to that effect.!

End this hatred by Muslim on 05 Dec 2008

These comments and articles show nothing but hatred for Muslims and pakistanis. Everybody knows that India will never get along with Pakistan even though and idiot can tell that together that can make forceful allies. All I got to say is we need peace in this world, not breaking up country, creating boundary lines... we need to drop these barriers and accept each other with open arms. Being a Muslim, I know that at this time, people are losing respect for us because some people have decided to use tha name of the relegion to their gain but what I don't understand is when KKK came and openly killed coloured people, nobody blamed Christianity, when Hindu's massacred Sikhs in India, nobody blamed Hinduism, when Israel raid Palestinian land, nobody blame Jews than why does it have to be Islam to get blamed. We know those who spread terror have no relegion and no country, so stop this hatred and let it be at where it is. Learn to accept each other, this is what each relegion teaches.

end this hatred by HAAS on 07 Dec 2008

I read this one sided article, well one should investigate and read how Islam came to India, through converting and conquering,i have no problem in reading the Quran,Bible,Torah and Gita. But i dont believe in converting people from this religion to that religion, then the society gets confused and hatred. Please be specific when Indiraji was killed by a Sikh militant in 1993 at that time the Hindus were going wild and killing the Sikhs. that is wrong, but what did you Islamic people did to Guru Gobind Singh Son tortured him becuase he didnt want to convert to Islam. My friend a religious life becomes where there is no conflict. (J.K). We humans are responsible for this mess and rotten religious confussed society. Lets be openminded, please dont write onesided article, India was also ruled by Muslim Kings, only one King was good and kind hearted he was Akbar The Great. About Israel and Palestianan issue Jews cannot be 100 percent responsible for the conflict. Israel is a powerful country. I would love to see both sides live peacefully. With love and compassion we can change this society good. we should read other religious beliefs and try to live multireligious. ALLAH,BUDDHA AND CHRIST ARE SAME. PEACE AND LOVE SHIVA

Pakistan by Jayesh Patel on 27 Nov 2008

The new Obama administration should consider the "Balkan Option" for Pakistan The only reason for its existence is Islam. Baluchisthan is festering should be assisted to become independent.

ignore pakistan by anandita on 24 Nov 2008

India don't want terrorist infested pak territory...let any small or big part of pakistani go to afghanistan..

Disintegrating Pakistan--- by romesh.sharma on 24 Nov 2008

This was to come and it will happen that Pakistan will disintegrate to become still smaller than shown in the Map.Pakistan all these years after independence has lived as absolute dependant on the mercies of charity/aid/khairaat coming from arabs and USA.It has never seriously bothered to be self-sufficient.The have seen Pakistan couldn't filfull their hope/dream to break Kashmir from India and intensify efforts to further Islamalize India and have withdrawn most of the Khairat like aid/support.The USA are well known to be most selfish and will never give kind of help(monetary and weapons etc)without their deep interest later to make best use of those who have ingratiated themselves not pondering upon long term consequences.USA wants it back not in cash but through dictating the policies and success in their strategic tactics even if they are to brak that Land into pieces.Yugoslavia is an recent example.Pak will be divide soon if it doesn't come out from mendicant idealogy.

Why war and not peace by Sajjad on 24 Nov 2008

The true intentions of NEOCONS ultimately seeing the light of day. I wish this madness and greed will stop. How can the warmongers sleep knowing that so many people are suffering world over due to their actions. What the world needs is more peace and mutual respect and less war and hatred. Don't be fooled by what the media tells you. The poor and ordinary people in the west and the east are the main sufferers of these policies.Support peace and reject war where ever it may be promoted. You can make a difference simply by having a more realistic view and rejecting the lies that re being told by the world leaders taking us for fools. Start today and maybe our children may see a better world.

Smaller Pakistan by Mahendra Mathur on 23 Nov 2008

It does look like a good plan for all the three countries and the world. A smaller Pakistan would be more managable for Pakistanis themseves. With Baluchistan and NWFP forming part of Afghanistan' AL Quaida and Taliban can be eliminated. With whole of Kashmr becoming part of India Kashmir problem would at last be over.

Destruction Of Pakistan by kk on 23 Nov 2008

Pakistani belief that USA and India are going to destroy Pakistan. So for as my feeling is that India has no interest in bankrupt, full of terrorists and already a destroyed state. India has learned a big lesson by isolating Bangldesh who are thankless and troublemakers for India. They are suppressed people and they will remain so for a long time. I have no respect for most of Bangla desi who live in dreams and false pride.There is nothing in Bangladesh to appease me or most Indian except arrogance.

Reducing tension in SA by Aryawarta Jambudweep on 23 Nov 2008

USA can never play positive role in reducing Indo-Pak tensions. The good statesman of both the countries should form a consortium to pave way for reducing tensions and unification of South Asia.

Smaller Pakistan redrawn.... by Aravind on 23 Nov 2008

This is the latest gimmicks the Pakis areplaying to save their skin! India did not creat Taleban or Al Qeida! Every attempt to isolate India using Islam, terrorism as a tool has backfired on Pakis themselves! India did not give a piece of Kashmir to China (making Kashmir to loose). In fact Pakistan tried to takeover the whole of Agfanistan and use it (Taleban)and the Agfan people understood it too late! India has no history of agression; the right thinking World know it. Indian philosophy is prosperity and peace for the whole world. Pakistan was and is still trying to distroy India (terrorism using religion, economic terrorism - printing couonterfeit currency and giving shelter to underworld dons, to mention a fiew). Pakistani military should be educated that harbouring ill towards India do not augur well for themselves. In fact a good welfare state in Pakistan is what we Indians aspire too.

India by Usman on 26 Nov 2008

U said that india haas no history of aggression.then why indian govt is emphasizing on large scale military preparations.who played important role in isolatin bangladesh from pakistan?which country put one million troops on pak border in 2002.what one can say about a country whose people are dying with hunger and it has 800000 in kashmir.

Justice Banerjee and Laloo ji can easily prove Osama does not exist by Seclallular Kangracey Laloo on 23 Nov 2008

Well said Paksitani brother seclallular Muslim that Osama is not existing only but being created by America only to encroach Paksitan. Manniya Lallu ji with help of Justice Bonner jee can easily prove this by holding an enquiry commission because they are very seclallular and know all Jew Hindu upper cast conspiracy by Brahamns against Muslim OBC Christian SC ST.

smaller pakistan by joseph on 23 Nov 2008

If such truncated pakistan happen most welcome,and it case everlasing peace in this area.i

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