Thanks for sending the very interesting article, C'da.
Just wanted to add that the title of the article (I think it is a direct quote from Prof. Cohen's speech) is:
US has lessons to take from India on terror: Cohen
and I think everything makes very good sense including this:
"Academics and policy-makers in the two countries should look for common
concerns, since I believe that, by and large, your country has been
successful in reconciling many complex differences, such as caste, religion
and language. I believe there are lessons for US policy-makers in your handling of separatist groups," he added.
What do you think? :)
with the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development, where
Stephen Cohen presented the following.
cm
Eminent scholar Stephen Cohen in the city on Thursday. (Sentinel)
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 30: "As far as the political response to the September 11
attacks is concerned, I believe that the Bush administration over-reacted
in declaring a `war on terrorism'. The language used by the Bush
Administration in defining their policy on the issue of terrorism was
actually not useful. Global and Islamic terrorism cannot be dealt with as a
form of total war," said Professor Stephen P Cohen, an internationally
respected scholar on South Asia and a top advisor to the US Government on
foreign policy matters, while delivering a talk entitled "September 11: New
Research Agendas"!
, in the city today.
Professor Cohen, Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program of the
Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, and a consultant to various
foundations and US Government Departments on international security
matters, delivered the talk at the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social
Change and Development here.
"Prior to the September 11 attacks, global terrorism had not been a
priority for the Bush administration. Their number one strategic concern
had been the rise of China as a potential threat to US interests. There had
also been some thought about India as a counter-balance to this growing
Chinese presence. However, the September 11 attacks changed all that,"
revealed Professor Cohen.
On the effect of the September 11 attacks on US attitude towards terrorism
in other countries, Prof Cohen said: "After the attacks, Americans became
more interested in countries such as India, which have facing terro!
rist
activities for quite some time. I believe now we have greater sympathy and
understanding for the problems in other countries."
On the current state of Indo-US relationships, Prof Cohen felt that after
the attacks, "the Indian government hoped that the US government would
fully side with them against Pakistan. However, this has not happened,
since there are limits to which the US can pressurize Pakistan to give up
support to terrorist activities in India."
However, Prof Cohen added that both the US and India shared a vital
interest in ensuring that Pakistan did not become a 'jehadi state'.
"Academics and policy-makers in the two countries should look for common
concerns, since I believe that, by and large, your country has been
successful in reconciling many complex differences, such as caste, religion
and language. I believe there are lessons for US policy-makers in your
handling of separatist groups," he added.
Refusing to classify all terrorist activities under a single head, the
South Asia security expert instead drew a line between "idealistic
terrorism, violent activities against real or perceived injustices, and
criminal terrorism, under which a god cause is used as a cover for criminal
activities."
"However, we have never been able to come to a universal definition of
terrorism, since as Ronald Reagan has said, `one man's terrorist is another
man's freedom-fighter."
Cheer a special someone with a fun Halloween eCard from American Greetings!
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