Rail and Obama

I read with interest the reports in news about the new economic stimulus package which states that there is large sum allocated to development of high speed rail corridors in US. This is a positive and encouraging development. In US if you have to go from one city to other air travel is the only real public transport which is obviously very expensive for all. Or you have to drive yourself. So there was always the need for encouragement of developing public transport which was apparently blocked till date by oil lobbyist for obvious reasons. But if the proposed spending on rail develops into better way to travel between two cities it will be very nice way to travel safely, cheaply and indeed a green. So all the greetings to new US president Obama for encouraging this funding. Hope this comes down even to Houston and we may not be blocking roads next time htere is threat of hurricane as with railways it will be very easy to evacuate lot many people within a short span, at least there will be a very good additional way to do that.

Holbrooke's Kashmir mandate?

So, does he have a mandate regarding Kashmir? Given his area of action Afghanistan and Pakistan, it will have to come into picture whether India want it or not, whether Obama wants it or no. Pakistan's existence has always been linked to Kashmir so given any opportunity it will be a topic of deliberation. And exactly what he should do so as it to this issue so as this may help all the people. Mostly to people of Kashmir or Jammu and Kashmir to be precise.

• What will benefit most to Kashmir people is stability and trade, so he should advice Pakistani people that there should be every attempt by them for it.
• There should be de-linking by Pakistan to every violence to Kashmir issue.
• He should make every possible attempt to have a secular and stable Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Most importantly for the long term benefit of world and USA, he should not see at all the short term interest of US and should not act like a super cop. It should try to respect the correct mandate of local population. In case of Jammu and Kashmir, it may mean a greater autonomy to whole Kashmir including POK and free trade in south Asia.
  

India's Afghan Policy

I believe that India should try to achieve following things in its policy

• First and formost establishment of secular government, India should help in whatever way to stabilize this nation's secular government. Give money, help in infrastructure and help in intelligence. Most of it is probably being done and people should commend Govt of India for it.
• India should try to get rid of opium trade for two reasons, it funds rebels in that country and part of that opium finds its way into India.
• In present situation its wise to avoid direct military assistance, but we should keep that option open as it will have some impact on Pakistan as in that scenario we will have India's army on both side of Pakistan.
• Covertly try to ignite nationalistic feeling in Pashtuns, for their own land which will not be part of Pakistan but probably an autonomous region within Afghanistan and controversy regarding Durand line should be exploited as its unacceptable to Afghan people.
• As India has developed with road infrastructure project, develop good relations iwht Iran ans establish very well route to Afghanistan without crossing pakistan, through this India can also offer help to US so as to decrease need for Pakistan a bit for logistics.