Friday, December 28, 2007

Benazir Bhutto is Dead. It's effect on India: Zippo, Nadda

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated yesterday. The buzz is that democracy in Pakistan is doomed. Well, to most Indians, that's hardly a news. Democracy in our Western neighbor's yard has always been a sham, a cover for feudalistic patriarchs with the military thrown in for spicing things up. One military general is discarded, other uniformed clone replaces him to warm the military seat. One feudal clan gets booted out, its equivalent steps right in. There. That's pretty much the sum total of Pakistani democracy for you. There's no reason to get mushy over it. Stuff happens, though I sympathize with the Bhutto family for there complete loss - first the father, then brothers, and now daughter, the Bhuttos are wiped clean, and perhaps consumed by the monster they nourished.

Pakistan's instability is not really dangerous for India.

As irresponsible as it may sound, the two most feared outcomes of an unraveling Pakistan are non-events from Indian point.

First, that terrorists will sneak into India- they do so now too, big deal. Though the terrorists' primary concern will be to take over Pakistan and Afghanistan before turning their guns to India, in the opportunity-rich scenario post-Bhutto. They would want to seize the day too.

Second, that its nukes may fall into terrorists' hands. But the destination of those nukes will become West and other countries, unlike their current target addresses in India. That way, US might be forced to get rid of the Pakistani nukes, solving our problem.

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