Saturday, September 19, 2009

Love thy Neighbor!!!


India’s reply to China by landing AN-32 just 23 kms form the China border in the Ladhak region today was indeed a step in the right direction, and that’s probably the only language China understands. It’s good to see that for once the forces are asked to take a proactive step and stake claim what is rightfully ours.

China is no Pakistan and that’s the problem, it’s not a democratic country, it does not understand soft power nor does it need US aid, so where does that leave India? The only way to keep the Dragon fire from spreading is by splashing water and keeping it wet time and again.

Given the fact that the politicians does not want the forces to gain more power than they want them to have, the forces are pushed up the wall to play a reactive role than a proactive role. What do we do with our troublesome neighbors? Trained terrorist from Pakistan, Tiger trouble from the Lankan waters, Fake currency from Nepal & Bangladesh, Dragon fire from Karakoram range to Kanchenjunga, do we sill want to say ‘love thy neighbor’ or stick to only ‘diplomacy or soft power’?

We have been pussy footing on all the major decision related to our neighbors for way to long, and its time we take a stand. In policy making the only way of forward is by taking a position and pussy footing would only mean pushing the decision for another day, without realizing that we still have to live that another day.

- Kavitha Reddy