VZCZCXRO5956
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
DE RUEHNE #1819/01 2441212
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011212Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7874
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1961
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 5064
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 4285
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD 0917
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2354
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6280
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 2799
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9674
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 4103
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 6755
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8422
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMCSUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001819 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS, INDIA- 
CHINA RELATIONS, INDIA NUCLEAR TEST, PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN 
STRATEGY, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN; NEW DELHI. 
 
This countrywide cable reports on relevant media 
reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. 
The Mission reports on English-language media via email 
through the daily "Early Edition" summary. 
 
-------------------- 
U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. "LATE WISDOM DAWNS ON THE U.S.," editorial in 
September 1 left-of-center Marathi daily, MAHARASHTRA 
TIMES: "The U.S. has made a great and late discovery - 
that Pakistan illegally modified missiles given by the 
US to expand its capability to strike targets in India. 
There have been countless instances when Pakistan has 
trained its nuclear and conventional forces against 
India, instead of dismantling Taliban and other 
terrorist targets. But the U.S. has not paid much heed 
to these glaring breaches on the part of Pakistan. Is 
it the changing geo-politics that have brought about a 
change of heart? Or is the U.S. finally convinced of 
the risk posed by Pakistan?" 
 
--------------------- 
INDIA-CHINA RELATIONS 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. "CHINA'S TREACHEROUS INTENTIONS," op-ed in August 29 
centrist Marathi daily, SAKAAL: "India cannot dismiss a 
Chinese military strategist's objectionable anti-India 
remarks recently posted on the Internet. The strategist 
says that India can be easily broken into smaller 
divisions, along political and parochial lines. This is 
not an individual's opinion, but this is a widespread 
sentiment of the Chinese government. China's support to 
the insurgent guerilla groups in India's north-eastern 
states betrays the same sentiment. Moreover, the 
Chinese government has not taken any action against the 
strategist who dared to challenge India's sovereignty." 
 
------------------ 
INDIA NUCLEAR TEST 
------------------ 
 
¶3. "NUCLEAR TEST UNDER A SCANNER," op-ed in August 31 
right-of-center Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "Defense 
scientist K. Santhanam, who coordinated India's nuclear 
weapons program during the Pokhran nuclear tests in 
1998, threw a bombshell declaring that the first and 
most powerful of the three tests conducted was a dud. 
Just because the truth is not always convenient does 
not mean we demonize a senior scientist who dared speak 
the truth. India should not expend its energies in 
denying this revelation, but should instead get to the 
truth of the matter. Santhanam is no ordinary man - 
he's a scientist par excellence. All he wants to say is 
that the last tests did not yield enough data, and 
therefore India should not sign the CTBT and there is a 
need to test more conclusively!" 
 
NEW DELHI 00001819  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶4. "FORGET N-TESTING, INDIA HAS MANY MORE CRYING 
ISSUES," editorial in centrist August 31 Hindi daily, 
NAVBHARAT TIMES: "K. Santhanam is one of several 
scientists who believe that the doctrine of minimum 
credible deterrence adopted by India is unacceptable 
till the Hydrogen bomb is perfected. What's the big 
deal about a scientist contesting India's 1998 nuclear 
test in Pokharan? Effectiveness and accuracy of nuclear 
tests are always argued and debated the world over. Why 
do we in India make such a big issue of it? There are 
bigger issues confronting the nation - like price rise, 
recession etc." 
 
------------------------------------- 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. "AFGHAN ELECTIONS AND APPREHENSIONS," editorial in 
August 31 right-of-center Urdu daily, SIASAT: 
"According to some Afghanistan observers, America made 
efforts to make the Hamid Karzai camp successful 
because it wants to accomplish its vested interest in 
Afghanistan and the entire South Asia. The Americans 
say, however, that they had no role in the election 
process. The U.S. desire is to make the election 
process credible in the eyes of Afghan people. The 
election commission should focus attention on 
allegations and apprehensions of the people, or else 
the significance and reliability of the election 
process will be nullified." 
 
----------------------------- 
AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN STRATEGY 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. "NEW TERROR TACTICS," editorial in August 18 Oriya 
daily SAMAJA: "Continuous U.S. attacks on Pakistani 
terror camps have unnerved the terrorists. Instead of 
acting individually, these organizations are now coming 
together under a common banner to face the American 
drone attacks. That the terrorists are on the back foot 
is evident from the declining number of training camps. 
They are facing a severe financial crisis and the ISI 
is also not in a position to help them. It seems the 
terrorists are waiting for the American retreat. This 
is the big opportunity to wipe them out. Both India and 
America must now come closer with this end in view." 
 
-------------------- 
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. "IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS THREW AMERICAN SOLDIERS 
ON THEIR BACK," commentary in August 31 right-of-center 
Urdu daily, ETEMAAD: "Iraq and Afghanistan were the 
main causes of the downright defeat of George W. Bush. 
The country had to bear an extraordinary financial 
pressure due to these issues. It would have been wise 
 
NEW DELHI 00001819  003 OF 003 
 
 
for America to withdraw its forces. America should read 
the writing on the wall, or else its fate will not be 
much different from that of the erstwhile Soviet 
Union." 
ROEMER