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RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000187 
 
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. POLICIES, WAR AGAINST 
TERROR/INDIA-SRI LANKA RELATIONS; 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. POLICIES 
------------- 
 
¶1. "FIRST OF ALL ERADICATE OPPRESSION AND ITS USURY", 
editorial in the January 29 right-of-center Urdu daily 
URDU TIMES, Mumbai: "Barrack Obama is a symbol of a 
'Change' in the America of the 21st century. Therefore, 
the American hand of friendship extended by the American 
to India, through the good offices of President Obama, 
must be welcomed. But the problem is that the American 
people and the American administration are not two sides 
of a coin. No doubt, the majority of the American people 
are 'peace-loving,' but that cannot be said with 
confidence about the American administration. Henry 
Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State and part of the 
think tank of Zionist power, once said 'America's 
friendship is more dangerous than its hostility.' Iraq 
and Pakistan are the two recent, glaring examples that 
vindicate that statement. In the same way, Obama's 
statement that 'The American people are not enemies of 
Muslims' does not hold true. Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza 
are recent examples. Unless and until politics becomes 
bereft of tyranny, injustice and corruption, and 
economics gets rid of usury, gambling and selfishness, 
mere talk will not help establish peace in the world, nor 
will the world come out of the current economic crisis." 
 
¶2. "STRATEGY GOING OFF TRACK," op-ed in the January 29 
right of center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "President 
Barack Obama, with a new strategy -- a surge of U.S. 
forces, not to militarily rout the Taliban but to 
establish a position of strength from which to strike a 
political deal with local tribal leaders -- intends to 
pursue in Afghanistan what the Bush administration did in 
Iraq. The move turns a blind eye to the danger that such 
militias could terrorize local people. The U.S. cannot 
reclaim the global fight against terror without targeting 
Pakistan. Even if the Obama administration manages to 
bring down violence in Afghanistan, the Taliban will 
remain intact as a fighting force, with active ties to 
the Pakistani military. Such a strategic gain would pose 
serious long-term dangers to regional and international 
security. In seeking such short-term success, the Obama 
team is falling prey to a long-standing U.S. policy 
weakness. It is ignoring the security of friends. India 
is already bearing the brunt of the blow-back from past 
failed U.S. policies in the Afghanistan-Pakistan belt." 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
WAR AGAINST TERROR/INDIA-SRI LANKA RELATIONS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. "SRI LANKA AND INDIA: MUKHERJEE'S WISE COUNSEL" 
editorial in the January 30, 2009, Mumbai edition of 
centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT.  "India's foreign minister 
 
NEW DELHI 00000187  002 OF 002 
 
 
Pranab Mukherjee's advice to the Sri Lankan government to 
suitably differentiate between the peace-loving Tamil 
civilians and the LTTE separatist rebels comes at the 
right time. In a bid to tighten its hold on the last 
pocket of territory held by the LTTE (separatists seeking 
an independent homeland in the island's north and east) 
the Sri Lankan military used cluster bombs on January 
27th. Disapproving this random use of force, Mukherjee 
directed the attention of the Sri Lankan government to 
the fact that these bombings have killed and injured 
innocent Tamils.  Mukherjee in one sense has effectively 
urged Sri Lankan authorities to recognize the fact that 
terrorists, like LTTE, do not represent any people or 
ethnic group, but only themselves. Mukherjee's stance 
underlines India's deft understanding of the power 
dynamics in South Asia." 
MULFORD