archive: Nuclear bombast
Nuclear bombast
Editorial
Indian Express
June 26, 1999.
Title: Nuclear bombast
Author: Editorial
Publication: Indian Express
Date: June 26, 1999.
Nawaz Sharif has thrown in his lot with the generals
Pakistanis should be worried by the new posture Nawaz Sharif has been
adopting. There are unmistakable signs of political desperation in it
which could lead the country deeper into trouble. As the complete
diplomatic isolation of Islamabad becomes apparent, Pakistan's prime
minister is being increasingly at tacked at home for failing to secure
his country's interests. Among the more outspoken critics are the
Pakistan People's Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami, a former president
and former ISI chief and influential sections of the media. It is at
this juncture that Sharif has chosen, for the first time since India
began air and ground operations in Kargil, to make a trip to a forward
army post, seven kilometers from the Line of control if the morale
boosting visit to Pakistani troops in the company of the army chief,
Pervez Musharraf does not convey the message that Sharif has thrown in
his lot with the generals, his rhetoric leaves no room for doubt. In
seeking a political victory by outdoing the generals in belligerence
he is giving up all effort to pull Pakistan back from the inevitable
disaster which will occur if the army is allowed to pursue its
brinkmanship in Kargil.
There is noting particularly subtle in Sharif's warning about
"irreparable" losses to both sides if the conflict in Kargil escalates
into a war. It is part of the irresponsible nuclear blackmail
Pakistan's political military establishment regularly resorts to in
times of difficulty. Pakistan's foreign secretary who was more in
tune with the generals than his prime minister in early June was an
early sabre-rattler; politicians from Pakistan- Occupied Kashmir
followed suit. Pakistani nuclear threats are used by politicians to
shore up sinking popularity at home, by the military to try to
compensate for their inferiority vis a vis India in conventional
weapons, and in the diplomatic arena to try and frighten the
international community into intervening in Kashmir. All three
elements play a part in Sharif's statements in Gultari. Far from
having its intended effects on any front, nuclear blackmail will
worsen Pakistan's crisis. The sheer irresponsibility of the prime
minister's rhetoric could compel a severe political reaction at home
because, leaving aside the crazies, no one in Pakistan is foolish
enough to believe the country can gain anything by reckless talk on
the top of the recklessness on the LoC. Nuclear threats may be
routine for Pakistani politicians but in the midst of a military
misadventure, diplomatic isolation, economic crisis and political
instability, they are the final blow to Islamabad's credibility. What
that will do immediately is increase international pressure on
Islamabad to withdraw its forces from Kargil. It will probably lead
to Pakistan being starved of multilateral finance and military
supplies more rapidly.
The long- term effect will be to put Pakistan into the category of
states no on wants to do business with because of its unreliability,
irresponsibility and unpredictability and its total disregard of
international norms of behavior. The Pakistani people must hope that
the US mission led by General Anthony zinni has succeeded in bringing
about a more sober perspective in Islamabad.
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