Morgan BellThe Kashmir Diversion
December 1st 2008 18:02
The Chicago Tribune this week put forward an interesting angle on the Mumbai terror attacks.
The article gave a bit of backgroup into the history of tensions between India and Pakistan:
So was the Pakistani Government involved?
The China View also examined possible causes for the attacks and again the Kashmir conflict was cited:
There is a suggestion that this new group Deccan Mujahedeen is actually related to Kashmir separatists as a backlash towards the recent diplomacy between India and Pakistan:
In an interview with the International Herald Tribune, Christine Fair, senior expert political scientist for South Asia, also downplayed the al-Qaeda link, as well as suggestions that the group could have been a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a brutal Islamist organization based in Pakistan with a significant presence in Kashmir and links to al-Qaeda:
The UK Telegraph revealed:
It is likely that Deccan Mujahedeen is supported, or perhaps created, by Lashkar-e-Taiba, for the purposes of re-igniting conflict in Kashmir. However, it remains to be seen if this is all a diversion to facilitate Al Qaeda.
Reuters reported the Mumbai terrorist attack may cause Pakistan to abandon the Afghanistan border to focus on India if the Kashmir turf-war is re-ignited.
Hostilities between India and Pakistan would certainly benefit Al Qaeda, but it remains to seen whether it is coincidental or orchastrated.
"The attacks in India could increase pressure on Obama to seek a more regional approach to the war on terror in South Asia, and he previously has called for more attention to the Kashmir conflict."
"Renewed troubles between India and Pakistan would jeopardize U.S. progress in persuading Pakistan to confront Taliban- and Al Qaeda-linked militants in its tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, rather than marshaling its forces against India over the disputed territory of Kashmir on the other side of the country."
The article gave a bit of backgroup into the history of tensions between India and Pakistan:
"After Islamic militant groups—supported by U.S. and Pakistani intelligence agencies—helped push the Soviets out of Afghanistan in the late 1980s, Pakistani agents redirected some of the militants toward the Kashmir conflict,"
"India and Pakistan have been moving slowly to mend their long-fraught relationship. Preliminary talks over Kashmir have been going on for more than five years, and in recent months, Pakistan's new civilian government, nudged by the U.S., has been actively seeking rapprochement with India."
"The object of most of the conflict has been Kashmir, a Himalayan territory that was majority Muslim but stayed part of India. The two nations have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir."
So was the Pakistani Government involved?
"Pakistan vehemently denied involvement and vowed Saturday to investigate any evidence provided by India. But some analysts say the carefully choreographed attacks bore some hallmarks of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a now-banned Pakistani militant group created to foment unrest in Kashmir and suspected of having ties to Pakistani intelligence."
" ... many analysts contend that if there is even a hint of Pakistani involvement in the bloodshed in Mumbai, warming relations would likely turn chilly and mistrustful."
The China View also examined possible causes for the attacks and again the Kashmir conflict was cited:
"A previously unknown group calling itself Deccan Mujahedeen claimed responsibility for the attacks, fueling speculation they might be linked to the Indian Mujahedeen formed by Islamic extremists, which had sent emails claiming responsibility for four attacks it said it mounted between November 2007 and September 2008."
There is a suggestion that this new group Deccan Mujahedeen is actually related to Kashmir separatists as a backlash towards the recent diplomacy between India and Pakistan:
"The Kashmir separatists have grown more worried because of the improved ties between India and Pakistan and might have been involved the latest attacks in their bid to sabotage India-Pakistan relations."
In an interview with the International Herald Tribune, Christine Fair, senior expert political scientist for South Asia, also downplayed the al-Qaeda link, as well as suggestions that the group could have been a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a brutal Islamist organization based in Pakistan with a significant presence in Kashmir and links to al-Qaeda:
"There's absolutely nothing Al Qaeda-like about it ... Did you see any suicide bombers? And there are no fingerprints of Lashkar. They don't do hostage-taking and they don't do grenades."
The UK Telegraph revealed:
"satellite phones recovered after the attacks had been used to call known Pakistan numbers of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Kashmiri terrorist group."
It is likely that Deccan Mujahedeen is supported, or perhaps created, by Lashkar-e-Taiba, for the purposes of re-igniting conflict in Kashmir. However, it remains to be seen if this is all a diversion to facilitate Al Qaeda.
Reuters reported the Mumbai terrorist attack may cause Pakistan to abandon the Afghanistan border to focus on India if the Kashmir turf-war is re-ignited.
"Pakistan would divert troops to its border with India and away from fighting militants on the Afghan frontier, if tensions erupt in the wake of the attacks on Mumbai,"
"The warning will alarm the United States and other governments with troops in Afghanistan, as Pakistan currently has around 100,000 troops in the border areas, and the army is fighting Islamist militants in several tribal regions."
"The country's support is regarded as crucial to efforts to defeat al Qaeda globally and quell a Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan."
Hostilities between India and Pakistan would certainly benefit Al Qaeda, but it remains to seen whether it is coincidental or orchastrated.
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Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
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Comment by Chris Champion
moneywhither
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NewlyOld
The Blog of Lists
Excellent and informative bit of research. You have motivated me to write my own little anecdotal post here.
Chris
Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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i see youre in a constructive mood thismorning . . .
hi Chris,
it was one of those things i started to research and just kept uncovering more and more - a bit like tugging on a loose thread and unravelling a whole jumper!
ill go have a look at your article now . . .
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
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Footy Power
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Kashmir does look like paradise . . . i dont suppose we could world heritage list the area and put a big velvet rope around it and a little sign that says "dont walk on the grass" . . . i think the same thing about Jerusalem
if you dont share im gunna turn this car around . . .
Comment by Janet Collins
The Social Critic
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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ever since the first day the bombings were broadcast on the news and they reported that hostages were taken i thought it seemed like "old fashioned" terrorists, the kind that made demands for money or for political prisoners to be released . . . im very curious to find out why this has happened and what has motivated it
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
enjoy . . .