All are clueless. Americans do not know what to do with a favoured ally where the state apparatus is unable and unwilling to help the hegemon. The British are puzzled. Rich Pakistanis buy properties in London. But when Pakistan-trained terrorists attack London’s Underground, there is no help from the Pakistani state in turning off the spigot. India is in a quandary. The attack by Pakistani nationals on India’s biggest city is not generating a mature response from the Pakistani leadership. Instead, key actors are making confused and contradictory statements. “The ISI director general will visit India.” “No, he will not. The earlier statement was a ‘miscommunication’.” “Kasab is a Pakistani national.” “Kasab is a Pakistani national, but XYZ should not announce it, only ABC should inform the press by means of an SMS text.” “Pakistan will act because Pakistan is the principal victim of terrorism.” “These folks are patriots, not terrorists.” “America is an ally.” “America is a bully sending drones into our territories.” “We want friendship with India.” “India is conspiring with Karzai in Afghanistan to encircle Pakistan by stoking Baluchi separatism.” “Kashmir can be resolved through trust and dialogue.” “The only way to deal with Indians is to fight a strong Jihad in Kashmir.” “Indians and Pakistanis are brothers.” “Indians are part of the Crusader-Zionist nexus.”

One can argue that the Indian leadership too is confused. But this confusion is legitimate because quite simply all of us are incredulous that the Pakistani state and its leadership so misunderstand the seriousness of the situation or are choosing not to. Do they not see that while India is hurt, the growing cancer within Pakistan could destroy that country and make Sudan or Somalia look like tea-parties? Apparently not — or the compulsion of domestic politics is such that no one dares to talk about the elephant in the room. The Indian media adds to the confusion airing loony ideas like military action which play into the hands of the Islamist extremists who want attention turned away from Pakistan’s western borders to its eastern ones. Net-net, no one knows what to do.

... contd.