Opinion ‘We have partial responsibility because we helped Pakistan develop the Taliban’

Let me begin by first expressing condolences from everybody in America for what happened in Pune… we understand what that feels like to your country. What is important to remember,however,is terrorists do these things in order to prevent good things from happening between governments,between people. Terrorists don’t want India and Pakistan to succeed in having a better relationship. Terrorists don’t want a secular government to succeed and be strong in India. I think it is very very important not to give in to feelings that one country or the other is not doing enough yet. It is important to sit down and talk about what more needs to be done. If you don’t talk about it,things get worse. Can Pakistan do more? Absolutely,yes. And many of us have had those conversations and will continue to have those conversations… We respect the Prime Minister’s decision to have a conversation about the needs of the region and the needs of India. I think it is courageous leadership. My hope is that India and Pakistan will have these talks and that these talks will produce better cooperation from here.

How important is the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan to the overall US Af-Pak strategy?

First of all,I don’t use the term Af-Pak,I just think Afghanistan is Afghanistan and Pakistan is Pakistan. I think they both prefer to be treated as separate countries. This dialogue is critical to the US,but I think it is also critical to South Asia…[and to avoid real issues of contention. Mumbai,we know,came from people inspired and trained by people in Pakistan and LeT is exporting its terror. Pakistan must be part of the effort to remove that threat not just to India,but to all of us. So this dialogue,given the US-India relationship,is I think very,very important.

The US Director of National Intelligence has said Pakistan views some of these groups as part of its “strategic arsenal” against India. Do you agree?

Historically,they have been. We all know how they were founded. We [the US have partial responsibility because we helped them [Pakistan in the development of the Taliban to take on the USSR in Afghanistan and we worked with the ISI and the ISI worked with them. Then it was all one focused Cold War effort. And in the end of the Cold War,unfortunately the United States turned its focus elsewhere and the problem didn’t go away. So,we have to help deal with it. But fundamentally,Pakistan needs to decide where it is going,what kind of country it wants to be and what kind of relationships it wants in this region. And you know there is no place for state-sponsored terrorism by anybody,by any country.

The other concerns stem from the fact that Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Now,there has been some serious commentary in the US arguing why not get Pakistan on board safety and safeguards arrangements by also offering it a civilian nuclear initiative. Would you even entertain any such ideas?

Well,it depends on where we go in terms of these issues… If Pakistan enters into an entirely new relationship with India,if you had what your Prime Minister and others have called a “grand reconciliation” of some kind,if Pakistan can move authoritatively and positively on groups like LeT and others,then you can certainly begin to have discussions about what other kinds of relationship we may or may not have. But India has a history of having been a non-proliferating peaceful user of nuclear power. Pakistan regrettably has had a history of being a proliferator. And so you will have to have a number of significant changes and a number of very significant safeguards… But I can’t tell you that under the right circumstances you couldn’t get to that conversation.

President Barack Obama has spoken of starting troop withdrawal next year. Some will argue that this could do to secular democracy what the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan did to communism. Your thoughts?

Well,let me be very clear with you. I want to be crystal clear that the US is going to stay involved in the region… What the President did … is to establish some deadlines for people and make decisions and get action… We will make judgments that where we are at the time. It would be based on the situation on the ground and that under no circumstances are we planning to have no presence or suddenly depart. We envision a long-term commitment with a long-term engagement in order to assist Afghans and to guarantee the security arrangements for the region. But setting a date for the beginning of drawing down some troops is an important way to say to people [in the Afghan government to get serious… Personally,I believe that the most important thing for what will happen in Afghanistan will be decided in Pakistan. Western Pakistan is the key to tranquility in Afghanistan.

Do you really believe there exists a distinction between good and bad Taliban?

I personally believe there are different kinds of Taliban. You have the Quetta Shura — Mullah Omar,several thousand very hardcore Taliban,who escaped and came over the border and sought sanctuary in Pakistan. I think there are many other people who have become Taliban,some of whom are young kids,who are unemployed,who are given a job in a village to do whatever; there are thugs and criminals who have become Taliban,to take advantage of the power. So,I think there are different gradations of Taliban,different motivations… I do think the situation on the ground could change by seeing local government deliver services,civilian-ISAF coordination,delivering water,livestock,seeds,food and if local communities,tribals mostly,begin to assume responsibilities for their communities,I think the Taliban will have a very hard time.