'Pakistan is no longer a front-burner issue for America.'
'We are too important to want to be paired with Pakistan but too intensely connected to it to successfully detach ourselves,' asserts Aakar Patel.
Stephen P Cohen, noted South Asia expert has described Pakistan as "America's most dangerous ally," and has said that while Islamabad "professes to be a democracy," it's most important allies are the most authoritarian regimes in the world, namely "the People's Republic of China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia."
In a scathing critique of 'the incoherence of the US government' and the 'dysfunctional organisation', Stephen P Cohen, considered the doyen of South Asia experts in Washington, said the continuing missteps were a no-brainer.
The only thing that might justify a response is the desperate state of Pakistan's economy and how its people are suffering. But it's better to be heartless for now, argues Shekhar Gupta.
Stephen Cohen interacted with rediff.com readers on November 6 about the political and security issues in the subcontinent, and much more.
'The expectations on the two sides are so divergent that disappointment is inevitable for both.'
India and Pakistan are not yet ready for a true settlement of disputes between them and the two countries would gain by pressing towards increased trade, commerce and shared approach to problems of terrorism, water shortage and environmental degradation, US experts have said.
While criticising Musharraf for not acting swiftly and ruthlessly to set Pakistan's politics on a proper course, Stephen Cohen of the Brookings Institution, a known South Asia expert, praised him for his position on Kashmir.
A change in the Pakistan Army's mindset is the key to normal ties between the two neighbours, South Asia expert Stephen Cohen tells Aditi Phadnis.
They rejected India signing a fissile material treaty or any such thing as a pre-condition for Congressional approval of the civilian nuclear deal, and said it could have negative consequences for both India and the United States.
A study conducted by the San Francisco-based Asia foundation on America's role in Asia, said, India's economic performance have made it Asia's third great power.
If Pakistan does not cohere as a modern, more or less centrist state, if the army loses its grip, and if regional separatist and radical Islamists grow in influence, Pakistan could become a grave threat to the United States and its neighbours.
Modi might use military option against Pakistan if the next terror attack is traced back to them.
'What is required is to make Pakistan less war-like and more modest in its ambitions. To normalise with India and to reduce the State's fondness for religion.' 'It is pragmatism and not charisma that it required and it is by being boring and not heroic that this can be achieved.' 'This is the moment of realisation which brings the Pakistani leader into conflict with the army.' 'Imran Khan will learn the lesson in time,' says Aakar Patel.
'A new doctrine now needs to be evolved for a new situation, and the army will do it.' 'You won't see more Kashmiris driven in front of army columns.' 'Nor will the army massacre hundreds, Dyer style,' says Shekhar Gupta.
'The US-India relationship is in a different league altogether,' Obama administration officials tell Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com in Washington, DC.
Jaswant speak of his new book India At Risk, Mistakes, Misconceptions and Misadventures of Security Policy and explains to Sheela Bhatt why India is at risk.
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