I told you. But you didn't listen.
In the Outlook of September 27, this column said that Vajpayee's bus ride to Lahorethreatened three decades of Chinese policy to keep India and Pakistan divided. AfterLahore, the events that followed were tell-tale.
India's Gang of Four (Sonia, Surjeet, Jayalalitha and Subramanian Swamy) emerged totopple the government. But Sonia failed to become PM. So the Kargil card was played. Butthe Indian army jawans showed great valour. The Pakistanis were repulsed. Then during thepoll, massive efforts to discredit the Kargil operation were launched. But the nda won amajority. Vajpayee was back. He could resume his dialogue with Pakistan. At the Indianend, things were again consolidated.
So the opponents struck in Pakistan. Remember how Pakistani army generals were in Beijingone week before Pakistan's nuclear test? How the Chinese defence minister was in Lahoreon the day that Vajpayee visited Nawaz Sharif? How the Pakistani army generals were againin Beijing one week before the Kargil invasion? How the taped conversation between thePakistani generals revealed that Sharif was being kept in the dark?
Was the interaction between Pakistani generals and China at all crucial moments merecoincidence? Tell it to the marines!
This column wrote: "Let politicians choose carefully their priorities on China andPakistan. This unspoken issue (attempt by India to settle with Pakistan) caused thiselection. It will cause the next."
Things happened faster than anticipated. Even before the Vajpayee government could takeoath, the crisis in Pakistan erupted. Pakistan's army hawks had never fancied Sharif'shandling of the Kargil issue. Sharif sacked the army chief. He replaced him with GenZiauddin, isi chief, just returned from meeting cia officials in the US. Clearly,Sharif and Gen Ziauddin had American backing.
But the army hawks were undeterred. They struck back. They staged a coup. They were notscared of America. So did they have anyone's backing? Make one guess.
Now what next? Most likely, a conflict within Pakistan. It could be violent. Proxiesof the US and China will fight for control. If not, India could face war with Pakistan.Because now cross-border terrorism will escalate. And Vajpayee will have nobody to talkwith in Pakistan.
Hindi Chini bhai bhai,
Hindi Roosi close tie,
Hindi Amreeki guy guy,
Hindi Paki die die?
