If President Obama accepts the Hadley proposition that Pakistan itself is the central problem for the US, then the leverage the Pakistani army can exercise on US will be significantly reduced. The Pakistan army, as revealed in ISI chief Ahmed Shujaa Pasha’s interviewto Der Spiegel has already agreed to the US launching its drone-launched missiles on Pakistani targets.

Therefore the US has enormous economic leverage over Pakistan, if they choose to exercise it. The US-NATO operations on the Afghan border and the Pakistan army being compelled by US to act against the Taliban and others are bound to lead to a confrontation between the army and the jihadis. One wonders whether the Obama presidency will allow itself to continue to be taken for a ride, or will Pakistan become the focus of attention?

The last month has demonstrated that India and the US can effectively cooperate on counter-terrorism efforts. Obama, in his letter to the prime minister when he was still the Democratic candidate, had highlighted the need for Indo-US cooperation on military, intelligence and law enforcement matters. The Indian diplomatic effort should focus on the paradigm shift envisaged by Hadley.

In the next few days, the home minister’s visit to the US means there is an opportunity to discuss the problem with both the outgoing and incoming administrations. It should be obvious to the US that the central problem of Pakistan cannot be solved without Indian cooperation. That calls for a comprehensive Indo-US strategic dialogue on aiding the development of democracy in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region and elimination of jihadi terrorism.

... contd.