If World War III were to begin, most defence and political experts the most likely place will be Kashmir and between Nuclear powers India and Pakistan. Everyone seems to sense this, yet the two countries remain locked in a dangerous confrontation. The main flashpoint is Kashmir.

What are the origins of the problem and what keeps the fire of conflict raging?
Having no legal right to claim Kashmir but desiring it all costs, a belligerent and aggressive Pakistan has waged four very costly and unsuccessful wars on India seeking to wrest control of Kashmir from India by force. Pakistan's greatest military and political supporter always has been America. Why?

Conflict is an expensive affair. Yet Pakistan with an economy that survives on handouts, grants and subsidies primarily from America and American allies.

Why would the world's most powerful nation, which portrays itself as 'The Champion of Freedom and Democracy' support an incompetent, corrupt, theocratic, fundamentalist, terrorist, military regime with state of the art weapons and training etc. to continuously wage war on India, a peace loving secular democratic nation? Why?

Why in the name of fighting terrorism give Pakistan weapons that can only be used only against India such as aircraft with nuclear weapons delivery capabilities? Why?

This requires us to travel back in history before Indian independence.

Britain became an empire by being effective, in protecting and furthering her own interests at all costs, while being extremely polite and diplomatic. Britain's interest was to retain indirect control of India even after independence. This is still done in many ways, but here we will only discuss the military one.

A weakened Britain backed by a powerful America did not want to leave a power vacuum in which communist Soviet Union and a possibly China could take control. So they proposed British bases and armed forces to be retained in India after independence. Indian leaders refused to allow the stationing of foreign troops

Jinnah on the other hand made a deal with the British, that if they partitioned India, and provided provide military and economic aid to Pakistan, then he would give free rein to the British to do as they chose. This was a major incentive for the British to partition India. Bengal and Kashmir were two strategic areas from which British and American forces could keep in check, both Russia and China.

In pursuit of their grand objectives, the Americans in 1954 chose Turkey, Iran and Pakistan as their defence partners to contain Russia and communism. In 1955 SEATO and CENTO was formed and had expanded to include UK and Iraq also.
In 1959. Massive American aid began gushing into Pakistan, turning a relatively small insignificant nation into a monster.

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America always desired that Kashmir be available to them for their use, where they could have bases and a strong military presence. Kashmir as part of a non aligned India was a second choice to a Kashmir within a willing and compliant Pakistan.

There is always a matter in the madness. This explains the seemingly irrational American, financial, military and political support for Pakistan's misadventures, conflicts, and terrorism activities.
This is why America vetoed or abstained from almost every resolution that would condemn irrational and unlawful actions of Pakistan. This explains why nearly almost all weapons and ammunition that are used by Pakistan against India have been donated by America or through their proxies like Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia etc. and reimbursed by America.

America thought they had a brilliant strategy in place. They had however never anticipated the incompetence, corruption and insincerity of Pakistani military and political leadership, the harmful influence of Pakistani clerics and the corruption levels of Pakistani institutions.

What has America got in return for supporting and funding a major part of Pakistan's budget every year? A hostile Pakistani people, with 95% of the Pakistan's population hating America and all Westerners with all their heart and minds. They have thrust Pakistan into the clutches of an increasingly belligerent and aggressive China. Pakistan gifted a large part of POK to China. Now the Chinese have bases in POK and intend to use them to push for Chinese Hegemony over Asia at Pakistan's cost.

On the other hand, even though American administrations have been relatively hostile to Indian interests, most Indians still have good regards for and support America and Americans.

With no credibility and limited ability, a dysfunctional two-timing Pakistan has turned out to be a frighteningly bad and very expensive bet. Nuclear armed Pakistan a client state, hobbled by strong vested interests internally and externally is so anarchic now that one could call it a failed state, on the verge of implosion.

It is important for countries to have principles, but they must be relevant and beneficial to the nation's interests. In the past, Indian leadership had pompously adopted too many irrelevant, fruitless and mostly self defeating policies. Now that is undergoing dramatic change.

America and her allies have always courted Indian cooperation and partnership. The nations have recently grown more intimate and this can only help stabilise and make secure the region.

Abandoning its ineffective, and destructive pseudo socialistic stance, the new Indian government's pragmatic approach to political and military affairs primes India to rise as a non threatening superpower. India by its very character is a natural and attractive partner not only for America but also Russia and China.

India already trades extensively with China and Russia. America and India are greatly enhancing their already strong economical, business, strategic, and technological partnership with greater political and military partnerships. The recently passed National Defence Authorisation Act 2017 of America has upgraded India as a major defence partner while placing severe conditions placed on Pakistan for the bulk of any assistance they might receive from America.

Barring a few countries, the world follows where America leads. The result is a pro-India global tilt. If it plays its cards right, India can provide a win - win partnership to all major powers and also itself.

America has moved from embracing to tolerating Pakistan because of the Afghanistan mess it finds itself mired in. Its only a matter of time, but if Indian and Pakistani leadership and governments continue on their present political, military and economic trajectories then the Kashmir problem will resolve itself soon. With that India and the world will be more peaceful.

Peace always yields rich dividends. India can get on with its rise as a cultural, spiritual and economic global power. A country which betters the lives of humanity and of all Indians, including the Kashmiris, be they Hindu, Muslim Sikh, Buddhist or Christian.

Written and posted Jan 2017 - by Gurvinder Singh