People's Democracy

BJP-Led Govt's Unrequited Support To USA's War

Prakash Karat

WHILE the United States unilaterally prepares for war after the terrorist attacks on September 11, the response of the BJP-led government to the new situation has, once again, illustrated what is wrong with its worldview. The spectacle of the Vajpayee government scrambling to win the recognition of the Bush administration for a role in fighting terrorism has been unedifying and harmful for India's prestige.

It is absolutely necessary to unreservedly condemn the terrorist outrage in the US and be part of an international commitment through the United Nations to curb such heinous activities. It is completely wrong to utilise this tragic occasion to subordinate India to the global imperialist aims of the US ruling circles.

Instead of soberly evaluating the implications of the terrorist outrage in the United States and its consequences, the BJP leadership saw in the whole episode a golden opportunity to petition the United States to isolate Pakistan and to offer itself as a loyal soldier in the war against Afghanistan.

It would be instructive to trace how the BJP-led government acted in the first week following the attack on September 11. In one sense, the BJP regime's response was predictable, given its quest for the last three years to gain the status of a junior partner of the United States in South Asia. It is the pursuit of this goal which is central to its foreign policy, that landed the Vajpayee government in its current state of embarrassment and becoming an object of ridicule.

UNCONDITIONAL OFFER

On the night of September 11 itself, Prime Minister Vajpayee wrote to President Bush. The letter concluded by stating: "We stand ready to cooperate with you in the investigations into this crime and to strengthen our partnership in leading international efforts to ensure that terrorism never succeeds again." What is significant is the offer to "strengthen our partnership in leading international efforts" against terrorism. The same offer of a partnership to "lead" the efforts against terrorism was repeated in the prime minister's broadcast to the nation on September 14. The BJP-led government was under the illusion that it could be a partner with the US in leading the fight against terrorism. Unfortunately for the BJP, neither the US nor the rest of the world was thinking on these lines.

Within 48 hours of the attack, the BJP-led government had offered military facilities to the United States for whatever military operations it was planning. The Cabinet Committee on Security Affairs met on September 11 and conveyed this offer. This is now sought to be denied. But the foreign and defence minister, Jaswant Singh had made a categorical statement in the press conference on that day that the offer was unconditional and cited the prime minister's letter in this context.

Supporting the government's position, an array of security experts who are committed to India's strategic alliance with the United States, repeatedly advocated providing the United States with all facilities, logistical and operational, in the conduct of its war. They argued that this was the opportune time for winning the confidence of the US and ensuring that Pakistan with its support to the Taliban is isolated.

The euphoria generated by such hopes dissipated soon after when the United States approached Pakistan instead for military cooperation. By this time, Jaswant Singh and L K Advani had put out a full-fledged rationale for becoming America's warriors against terrorism in South Asia.

INDO-ISRAEL AXIS

Home minister L K Advani met only two ambassadors during this period ---that of the United States and Israel. It was a significant coincidence that the national security advisor of Israel, Major General Uzi Dayan, reached Delhi on September 12. He was here to attend an Indo-Israeli security meeting. Dayan met Advani and the prime minister. After meeting the latter, it was announced that they "discussed the terrorist strikes in the United States, India and Israel and how to develop effective like-minded responses to the global threat of terrorism."

For the BJP leadership, the terrorist strikes in America were seen as a god-sent opportunity to fructify its long held desire of an US-Israel-India alliance. The BJP and the RSS view Israel as a model for what India should be --- a reliable ally of the United States pitted against the Muslim countries. The BJP wants India to become like Israel in the South Asian region. Just as Israel acts as the agent of the US in West Asia, in our region, the BJP aspires to be the favoured US ally and use this status against Pakistan which is a "terrorist" state and as a possible counterweight against China.

When President Musharraf accepted the United States' ultimatum to cooperate with it in its moves against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the BJP leadership could hardly hide its disappointment and bewilderment. The BJP and the RSS which had attacked the communists for taking an "anti-national" position by opposing military cooperation with the US, now had to make convoluted excuses for the debacle. L.K. Advani rationalised that the Americans need Pakistan because of geographical compulsions given its location next to Afghanistan.

After the all-party meeting, Jaswant Singh had to shamefacedly admit that no request had yet come from the US to India. Jaswant Singh, who is the key architect of the craven policy towards the US, then put out a feeble new position. He and the ministry of external affairs called for a "concert of democracies" to tackle the problem of terrorism. Behind this "concert of democracies" is the idea that the United States and India being the two biggest democracies, they should jointly rally all democratic countries. This was the dubious concept sold to the Vajpayee government by the Clinton administration when it got India to sponsor the "community of democracies" in 1999. Jaswant Singh clung to this ragged concept as such a platform would exclude Pakistan.

US LINKS WITH FUNDAMENTALISTS

The blunder committed by the Vajpayee government in expecting the United States to acknowledge India as its key partner for fighting "Islamic terrorism" does not come as a surprise. Anyone with a minimal knowledge of history of US strategy would know that the US has always relied on conservative Muslim governments and Islamic fundamentalism, especially in its fight against the Soviet Union and communism. In its current crusade against "Islamic terrorism," the United States would definitely prefer to rely on its traditional allies in the Muslim world rather than India.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the two biggest supporters and patrons of the Taliban, happen to be also the oldest allies of the US since the fifties. The Saudi regime which is the bastion of all reactionary and fundamentalist values and has played a major role in purveying Islamic fundamentalism is the firmest ally of the US in the Middle East. Everyone knows that Pakistan was the base for the CIA and the Pentagon in conducting its war against the Soviet forces and the successive regimes it supported in Afghanistan during the eighties.

The Bush administration has in key positions persons who, in the eighties, forged the policies of support to the Afghan Mujahiddin and other counter-revolutionary groups around the world who were used to spread terror, be it in Nicaragua in Central America or Angola in Southern Africa.

The BJP leadership's hope that Musharraf would be unable to carry the Pakistani military establishment and ruling circles with its decision to cooperate with America was also futile. The United States had, over the decades, invested heavily in the Pakistani military. The ISI flourished because of the US patronage during the days of Ziaul-Haque. To expect such a suborned regime to rebuff the United States was wishful thinking.

PATHETIC  EFFORTS

The final efforts of the Vajpayee government were even more pathetic. It has been trying to persuade the Americans to at least use "turn around facilities" in India for its warplanes. If the American bombers land in India for re-fuelling on their return from their strike mission, then at least India could be seen as part of the military campaign. The naval facilities on the West Coast are also being offered for similar back-up facilities, if the Americans feel the need for it. Advani, as late as on September 22, reiterated that the government would "consider" any request by the US for logistical facilities. Such are the desperate lengths to which the government has gone to live up to its self-anointed role.

After repeated requests, Bush spoke to Vajpayee on the telephone on September 15, one day after he spoke to Musharaff. Vajpayee informed him that he is sending Brajesh Mishra to Washington to hold consultations with the US national security advisor Condoleeza Rice. Brajesh Mishra reached in New York from Moscow on September 19, had been cooling his heels there and got his appointment in Washington five days later, on the 24th. So much for Washington's priorities at this juncture as far as India is concerned.

HISTORY OF CAPITULATION

It is necessary to ask why the Vajpayee government finds itself in this unenviable position? For the past three years since 1998, the Vajpayee government has single-mindedly wooed the United States. After the Pokhran nuclear tests, it became imperative for India to get US recognition as a nuclear weapons power. To acquire this status, the BJP-led government was willing to accept the United States’ terms and conditions. Ten rounds of secret talks between Jaswant Singh and Strobe Talbott were conducted for this purpose.

During the Kargil war, it became evident that the United States was playing the role of an arbiter. India repeatedly asked Clinton to intervene and he did so. With nuclear weapons on both sides, the United States is not willing to allow this region to go unpoliced.

By going nuclear, the BJP-led government has only opened the door for US intervention in the region in a big way. Whether it is America's new and dangerous plan to set up a National Missile Defence system or Bush's unilateral decision to fight terrorism on a global scale by declaring war, the Vajpayee government has mortgaged any independent role for India by its subservience.

In his jingoistic speech to the joint session of Congress, President Bush challenged every country to respond to his arrogant question: "Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists." The only answer for a self-respecting country like India should be "we are with neither." Instead, Jaswant Singh praised Bush for his fine speech. Advani did not lag behind in commending it. And, these are the people who hurl "anti-national" at others!

We should be thankful that the United States has not accepted the offer of Indian participation in military operations. What is the BJP-led government's embarrassment is actually the saving grace for India.