Opinion Partners,not allies
On the eve of the Indo-US strategic dialogue in Washington between June 2 and June 4,the US president has released his National Security Strategy document.
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On the eve of the Indo-US strategic dialogue in Washington between June 2 and June 4,the US president has released his National Security Strategy document. It outlines the broad overall strategy President Obama intends to pursue to sustain US leadership in the world and advance US national interests. With reference to the Indo-US strategic dialogue,it says,the US and India are building a strategic partnership that is underpinned by our shared interests,our shared values as the worlds two largest democracies and close connections among our people. Indias responsible advancement serves as a positive example for developing nations,and provides an opportunity for increased economic,scientific,environmental and security partnership. Working through our strategic dialogue and high level visits,we seek a broad-based relationship in which India contributes to global counter-terrorism efforts,non-proliferation,and helps promote poverty-reduction,education,health and sustainable agriculture. We value Indias growing leadership on a wide array of global issues,through groups such as the G-20 and will seek to work with India to promote stability in South Asia and the world.
On Afghanistan it has made it clear that the US only intends to begin a responsible draw-down of forces beginning July 2011 and even that is predicated to ground realities. The Pakistani army can forget about a US withdrawal in 2011 enabling them to move into Afghanistan to create strategic depth. The US promises to strengthen Pakistans capacity to target violent extremists who threaten both that country and the US within its own borders. To strengthen Pakistans democracy and development,the document says,we will provide substantial assistance responsive to the needs of the Pakistani people and long-term partnership committed to Pakistans future. It promises an engagement with Pakistan in the years to come.
In other words,contrary to popular belief,the document envisages a long-term US commitment to the Af-Pak region. Presumably the USs expectation is that the lure of long-term US aid and a presence in Afghanistan with capabilities of drone strikes in Pakistani tribal areas will persuade the Pakistani army to behave responsibly.
This issue will no doubt figure prominently in the Indo-US strategic dialogue.
This is the first time in the 63 years of Pakistans existence that the US is committing itself publicly to strengthening Pakistani democracy. This time the US has to serve not only its own national security interests against Al-Qaeda and its associates,but is also committing itself to Pakistani democracy,in consonance with the worldview that underpins this national security document. In that sense it will appear to be a break from the past. But only time will tell whether optimism about a commitment to a democratic Pakistan is warranted.
On China the document says we welcome a China that takes on a responsible leadership role in working with the US and the international community to advance priorities like economic recovery,confronting climate change and non-proliferation. We will monitor Chinas military modernisation programme and prepare accordingly to ensure that US interests and allies,regionally and globally,are not affected. More broadly,we will encourage China to make choices that contribute to peace,security and prosperity as its influence rises. We are using our newly established Strategic and Economic Dialogue to address a broader range of issues and improve communications between our militaries in order to reduce mistrust. We will encourage continued reduction in tension between the Peoples Republic and Taiwan. We will not agree on every issue and we will be candid on our human rights concerns and areas where we differ. But disagreement should not prevent cooperation on issues of mutual interest because a pragmatic and effective relationship between US and China is essential to address the major challenges of the 21st century. That is a comprehensive reply to those who talk of a G-2 hegemony and Chinamerica. Though the immigrants of Chinese descent in the US outnumber those of Indian descent,this portion of the document does not refer to close connections among the people as it does in the case of India.
Commenting on the document,Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that we are in a race between the forces of integration and the forces of disintegration,and we see that every day… In a world like this,American leadership isnt needed less; its actually needed more. And the simple fact is that no significant global challenge can be met without us. At the same time,she added,the US needs partners to help it tackle common problems. Leadership means… building the coalitions that can produce results against those shared challenges. It means providing incentives for states who are part of the solution,whether they recognise it or not,enabling them and encouraging them to live up to responsibilities that even a decade ago they would never have thought were theirs,and disincentives for those who do not.
While George Bush is popular in this country for his Herculean efforts to modify the international non-proliferation regime to accommodate India without India having to give up its strategic arsenal,his unilateralism in international politics did not click with the Indian approach. As has been pointed out by many observers,the Obama National Security Strategy has both elements of continuity and change with Bush strategy. Obama has a more realistic appreciation of the limitations of US power,even while he is determined to ensure that the US will continue to be the worlds foremost military power. He is also aware of the multiplicity of challenges; and there is a clear realisation that the US needs partners as Secretary Clinton has emphasised partners,not merely allies.
In a single document the US national security establishment has assessed the challenges it will be facing and has spelt out the strategy it will adopt to deal with those challenges. It is obvious those leaderships who need to engage the US in strategic dialogues need similar assessments of challenges facing their respective countries and their own strategies to deal with them. This is an area where India is comparatively weak. This is evident in the foot-in-mouth epidemic prevalent among our ministers,and the lack of coherence in the goals and vision of our leadership.
Most of the areas covered in this document have found a mention in the Indo-US joint communiqué of November 24,2009. The shared values,goals and vision of a joint effort are all there. The Indo-US strategic dialogue will need to concentrate more on tactical aspects than on strategic goals.
The writer is a senior defence analyst
express@expressindia.com
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