This refers to the editorial, “New Pentagon papers” (November 6). The Pentagon has belatedly acknowledged that Pakistan is using militant groups as proxies to counter India.
This was known to all successive US Presidents right from Mr George HW Bush to Mr Barack Obama, but they have supported Islamabad considering their own so-called ‘long-term strategic interests’. Although Pakistan had joined the US war on terror, it covertly supported the Al Qaeda. And, while Mr George W Bush told Islamabad that it was either with the US or against it, it never took any punitive action.
If the US had taken its experts seriously, it would have declared Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’ long back. In fact, the Americans should have invaded Pakistan. But it is clear that the US is not going to call Pakistan a terrorist state. Hence, instead of expecting the US to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state, India should take the initiative.