Despite India’s no, Trump again offers ‘help’ on Kashmir

WASHINGTON: Asserting that the situation over Kashmir is a “little bit less heated right now than (what) it was two weeks ago,” US President Donald Trump offered again to “help” India and Pakistan resolve issues, even as New Delhi and Islamabad fought it out in global forums over each others' record on terrorism and human rights.


Trump made the familiar offer– rejected previously by India, which insists on bilateral mechanisms to address issues– on the tarmac of the White House driveway, scene of his usual pow-wow with the media.

"India and Pakistan are having a conflict over Kashmir as you know. I think (it) is a little bit less heated right now than (what) was two weeks ago," Trump told reporters adding, "I get along with both the countries very well. I am willing to help them if they want. They know that. That (offer) is out there."

Trump’s remarks came even as his effort to negotiate a peace deal with Taliban in Afghanistan collapsed over the weekend, reigniting a 18-year-old conflict, the current phase of which began after 9/11.

"They (talks with the Taliban) are dead. As far as I'm concerned, they're dead," he told reporters, claiming, "We have hit the Taliban harder in the last four days than they have been hit in over 10 years. So that's the way it is."

Over the weekend, secretary of state Mike Pompeo revealed that the US had killed over 1000 Taliban in the last ten days, a claim that attracted no attention. He did not mention where or how the casualties were inflicted.

Trump though laid the blame on Taliban for going on a killing spree to gain leverage in talks. "They (the Taliban) thought that (they) had to kill people in order to put themselves in a little better negotiating position.... You can't do that with me," he said while responding to a question on scrapping a prospective deal at the last hour.

Although Trump did not mention Pakistan in the context of talks with the Taliban, the breakdown was a stark reminder of how much and how long Pakistan has manipulated the Taliban to maintain its foothold in Afghanistan, which it wants as part of its ‘strategic depth’ policy against India.

The US has long tried and failed to achieve a grand bargain that addressed Pakistan's security concerns relating to India and its obsession with Kashmir in exchange for Pakistani cooperation in Afghanistan, but both India and Afghanistan have rejected effort to link the two issues.

Indian interlocutors have said in the past that Pakistan's insecurities with India are foundational, and even resolving the Kashmir issue- which Pakistan wants done to its satisfaction- will not address Pakistan's deep neuroses.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan have begun to duke it out in world forums, including at the UNHCR in Geneva, trading charges and questioning each other’s bonafides on terrorism and human rights.

Pakistan’s effort to flog India with charges of genocide and linking the Modi government to fascism, Nazis, Hitler etc, have had little effect considering its own record on breeding the Taliban, harboring some of the world’s most notorious terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, nurturing terror groups etc., all of which has brought on it financial sanctions.

Personal attacks against Modi by Imran Khan have also had little effect considering the ease with which India’s Prime Minister is traversing the world, participating in multilaterals (most of which is out of bounds for Pakistan) and collecting awards from what Pakistan regards as its Muslim ummah.

Pakistani commentators have noted how deeply humiliating it is for Islamabad to be rebuffed by its Islamic patrons, which engage India more seriously both on account of business ties and the relative security and harmony associated with India’s secular fabric, notwithstanding the trouble in Kashmir Valley.

Countering the charges about human rights in Kashmir, India has now begun turning the spotlight on the situation in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Baluchistan, Sindh, and Pakistan’s constitutionally sanctioned discrimination against minorities, including Christians and Ahmadis.

The battle for perception is expected to reach a crescendo on September 27 when both Prime Minister Modi and Imran Khan will be in New York City for the UN General Assembly session.