BIG FAT CRY BABY

BIG FAT CRY BABY

India & Pakistan love dancing with each other.

The two have been dancing this dance ever since they came into being as independent nations. Switch on the news and you’ll know what I am talking about. The headlines scream the usual lines line “Pak backtracks on its word”, “Zardari under pressure”, “Pakistan’s lies exposed in international forum”, etc.

This article is not about who is right or who is wrong. This article is a manifestation of the frustration and exasperation of any intelligent and educated Indian at being led by a team with no will to ever take a stand on any issue.

India in the international scene behaves like a helpless baby. Let me state my case with a few points:
1. Whenever there is a terror attack, India goes on hyper drive to prove that Pakistan was involved.
2. Whenever the US sanctions weapons or aid to Pakistan, India goes ape all over again.
3. Whenever terrorists are caught crossing the border, India goes ballistic.
4. When our PM recently confronted Zardari at a meet about terrorism, the news played it till every viewer puked out of sheer overdose.
5. After the infamous 26/11, Pakistan has brilliantly played ball with every accusation we’ve made and ‘pooh-pooh-ed’ our videos, facts and dossiers with the ease of dusting lint off an old suit.

My list could go on but does it need to?

Here are some thoughts that come to my mind:
1. If India is convinced about Pakistan’s guilt, what are we doing about it (other than pointing fingers)?
2. If our borders are porous, what are we doing about it?
3. How much responsibility do we take for ourselves?
4. Why is our relationship with the US tied with their relationship with Pakistan or anyone? Let the US supply and support whoever they like. Our equation has to be free of this baggage. What stops us from building relations independent of others?

We need to take concrete pro active steps to protect ourselves and anything that we value. The US is a case in point, it is probably the first on every terror groups’ hit list. In a country where guns are freely available, there hasn’t been a single terror attack since 2001. Wow, they must be doing something right!

Besides bawling before the UN, US, SAARC, G8, Common wealth and anyone else who pretends to listen, what really are we doing? Even when the world collapses and death is in the air (for example the recent atrocities on Tamils in Lanka or the attack on Indians in Australia), the toughest line I’ve ever seen us take is when our spokesperson makes a serious poker face and says “India is watching the situation very closely.”

We’ve seen North Korea, Australia, US, Israel, Pakistan, UK, France and so many other nations do what they feel is right regardless of consequences. Once convinced on any issue they all follow it up with action. Does it mean that we believe in nothing? Is it a desperate need for international popularity and a pat on the head saying “good child”? We love to be the big cry baby who keeps complaining but does nothing!

When will we take responsibility for ourselves? Learn some ownership? Let’s stop pointing fingers outside and do something about it instead. Let’s just grow up it really is about time!!
Captain Vinod Nair