World lucky to have Manmohan Singh as Indian PM: former Obama aide
The world, the United States in particular, is lucky to have Manmohan Singh as Indian Prime Minister who has taken personal risk to avoid confrontation along the western border despite provocations, but that might not be the same if there is another terror attack, a former Obama aide has said.
"We are lucky to have (Indian) Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh who has taken personal risk along the Pakistani-Indian border to make sure that there's no provocation. But it's a sensitive time because another attack from Pakistan on India then it will be hard-pressed to contain a reaction that would greatly destabilise the region," former US National Security Advisor, Gen (retd) James Jones, said.
Jones, who was President Obama's NSA for nearly two years, told reporters at National Press Club luncheon that the US has made this aware to Pakistan in clear terms.
"We have carried that message to them several times. So let's hope that now that bin Laden hunt has been concluded that we can build on the relationship and do the things that are absolutely important for our collective security," he observed.
"The downside risks are that any other attacks emanating from the territory, where the Pakistan government could have and did not move against a terrorist safe haven, and a successful attack is carried out in another country, whether it's Europe, the US or India, it will be very hard for any leader to resist the hue and cry from the public to say, you know, why don't you do something about this?" Jones said.
Jones is to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today on current situation in Pakistan.
"If and when that happens, that is very much the downside in terms of future stability for the region. We will embark, on a new set of completely different parameters that we are working on now," he said.
"So let's hope the upside of things can carry the day here. Logic would indicate that it should. I think we should continue to try to understand Pakistani sensitivities and perspectives. If we need to come to some agreements about what happened or didn't happen 10 or 20 years ago, let's get beyond this. We are worried about what's happening today and what's going to happen tomorrow. That's what's important," he said.
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