President strangelove
Even by realpolitik standards, US loving terror sponsor Pak is a new low. India should assume worse will come
Trump saying 'I love Pakistan' must be understood both in the historical and current context of US policy. That America's president is proclaiming love for a country widely known for funding, training, and protecting terrorists links back to decades of Washington policy. America has long perfected a kind of doublespeak when it comes to Pakistan-sponsored terror. Americans chose to unsee even the fact that Islamabad gave sanctuary to 9/11's architect bin Laden. Or that 26/11, which claimed American victims, was an ISI op.
Now, with Israel's war on Iran, and some American strategists advocating Israeli-US bombing runs, Washington's 'realpolitik' argument would run like this: Pakistan is the only Islamic nation with nuclear weapons, it has so far backed Tehran with which it shares a 909-km border, and Beijing has a key presence in all matters Pakistan, therefore, keeping Islamabad happy makes sense. That Trump met and dined with jihadi-in-uniform Munir reinforces the point that US sees Pakistan as a tool of war.
Sure, nation-states are expected to operate in national interest. Despite West's pressure, New Delhi stayed the course on buying oil from Moscow, the aggressor in the other war. But Russia, however unlovely Putin's regime is, isn't a terror sponsor. Only a few countries use terrorism as a strategic tool – Pakistan is one of them, and its target, as even Trump should know, is India. Therefore, 'loving Pakistan' and supping with its field marshal, who's a radical religious fundamentalist, isn't the same as India buying Russian oil. More so since, reportedly, Trump is offering Munir 'weaponry' in return for airspace access into Iran. Modi did well to tell Trump India won't brook any mediation. But New Delhi will have to assume things can get worse.
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump Fumes As Republicans Revolt Over Epstein Case
Donald Trump lost his temper as a growing number of Republicans distanced themselves from him over renewed scrutiny of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The backlash intensified after court documents and media coverage reignited public interest in past associations. GOP lawmakers are reportedly pressuring Trump to address lingering questions, causing internal party tensions. Trump, visibly frustrated, dismissed the concerns as politically motivated attacks. The revolt underscores a widening rift within the Republican Party as it grapples with fallout from the controversial Epstein saga. Read More
Deccan Herald
10 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Trump thinks China will begin sentencing people to death for fentanyl distribution
Speaking at an event for the signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act, attended by family members of people who had died from fentanyl overdoses, Trump said he imposed a tariff on China 'because of fentanyl'.
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Senator Adam Schiff hits back after Trump accuses him of ‘ripping off America' but did he game the system for a tax break?
Donald Trump is once again aiming his fire at Senator Adam Schiff. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Schiff is a "scam artist" and accused him of a "sustained pattern of possible mortgage fraud." He says the Democratic Senator should be "brought to justice" for allegedly misleading lenders to secure better mortgage terms. Trump's comments came after the Federal Housing Finance Agency reportedly sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department. The case centres on Schiff's Maryland home, which he listed as his primary residence in 2009, despite previously declaring it a secondary home and representing California in Congress. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Data Analytics MCA MBA Others Degree Management Data Science Design Thinking Digital Marketing others Product Management Healthcare healthcare Data Science Leadership Artificial Intelligence Technology Project Management Cybersecurity Public Policy PGDM CXO Operations Management Finance Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Visualization Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning Business Intelligence & Data-Driven Decision Making Analytics Strategy & Implementation Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Applied Business Analytics Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details "Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA," Trump wrote. The accusation is based on a rebate Schiff claimed for his California property, which requires the residence to be a "true, fixed, and permanent home" under state law. Live Events Schiff pushes back Schiff responded swiftly, calling the accusations a weak political smear. "Since I led his first impeachment, Trump has repeatedly called for me to be arrested for treason. So in a way, I guess this is a bit of a letdown," Schiff said in a statement on X. "This baseless attempt at political retribution won't stop me from holding him accountable. Not by a long shot." — SenAdamSchiff (@SenAdamSchiff) He continued, "This is just Donald Trump's latest attempt at political retaliation against his perceived enemies. So it is not a surprise, only how weak this false allegation turns out to be. And much as Trump may hope, this smear will not distract from his Epstein files problem." A spokesperson for Schiff also stated that the lenders were fully aware of his year-round use of both homes and that neither property was a vacation home. Legal grey area CNN first reported on the mortgage questions in 2023, but experts say Schiff is unlikely to face charges. California's property laws are open to interpretation, and there's no evidence of deliberate fraud. Still, a senior administration official told the New York Post the matter could lead to charges. "It is extremely serious and [Schiff] is not taking it seriously," the official said. "The senator could face a criminal count for each time he paid his monthly mortgage bill." Trump added more fuel during a White House press briefing, saying, "I would have thought he covered his bases a little bit better than that. Adam Schiff is a low-life, he deserves what he gets." Political scorekeeping This is just the latest chapter in a long political fight. Schiff was central to Trump's first impeachment trial in 2020, accusing him of abusing power to pressure Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden. Trump has targeted Schiff repeatedly ever since. He was later censured by House Republicans for his role in promoting claims of Russian collusion, and remains a favourite Trump target. The mortgage allegations come at a time when Trump is facing multiple legal battles of his own, including fallout from the Epstein files and ongoing civil fraud cases. As for Schiff, he's keeping busy. According to Quiver Quantitative, his net worth is currently $1.9 million. He has around $761,000 in publicly traded assets and raised $1.2 million in campaign funds last quarter. He has over $7 million in cash on hand. He's also been active on legislation, proposing bills on reproductive rights, gun control, and government oversight. Despite the noise, no formal charges have been filed. The Justice Department has declined to comment. Schiff insists he has nothing to hide. Trump, meanwhile, is doing what he does best: stirring the pot. Whether this goes anywhere legally is still unclear. What is clear is that, in this deeply polarised political era, old rivalries never really die. They just reload.
