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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000447 
 
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: PAKISTAN, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, 
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FIRST BUDGET; NEW DELHI - MARCH 7-9, 
¶2009. 
 
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. 
 
-------- 
PAKISTAN 
-------- 
 
¶1. "BIG MISTAKE," op-ed in March 8 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi 
daily by strategic affairs specialist K. Subrahmanyam: 
"The terrorist attack on the Lankan cricket team came as 
the biggest shock for Pakistanis. Pakistan is paying a 
heavy price for its mistake. The same terrorists whom it 
created and supported have turned against it and 
challenged its government. On the other hand, U.S. is 
continually launching missile attacks in the tribal 
areas. America has also warned that Pakistan will get 
U.S. aid only if its army will take effective actions 
against jihadis. If Pakistan, actually, wants to get rid 
of terrorism, it will have to confront the jihadi 
organizations. The U.S. claims to have tapped General 
Kiyani saying on phone that the Taliban is Pakistan's 
strategic possession. Thus, America also does not trust 
it. The Lahore incident shows that the jihadis do not 
even care about the public opinion and want to violently 
impose their Islamic belief on Pakistan." 
 
¶2. "PAKISTAN RUNNING AWAY FROM TRUTH," editorial in March 
7 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "With Pakistani newspapers 
themselves blasting the Zardari government for turning a 
blind eye to the truth, there are no doubts left about 
its worthlessness. After Mumbai the recent terrorist 
attack on the Lankan cricketers in Lahore is sufficient 
to prove that terrorists have the government's support at 
some level. Zardari has failed to combat terrorism and 
trusting the Pakistani army means fooling yourself. 
Merely expressing concern is not enough! The 
international community needs to put pressure from all 
fronts on Pakistan to get its government and the army on 
the right track. The liberal section of the Pakistani 
society, which wants to see the terrorists defeated, 
needs to be strengthened to save Pakistan. Pakistan is 
trying to divert attention by presenting itself as a 
victim of its own created terrorism." 
 
¶3. "ANARCHIC NATION," editorial in March 7 NAVBHARAT 
TIMES Hindi daily: "Pakistan is on the verge of collapse, 
but its rulers refuse to accept it. The Lahore terrorist 
attack on the Lankan cricketers has shown that the 
situation over there is much more serious than expected. 
The government may say anything, but its helplessness is 
pretty evident at every step... In fact, in Pakistan there 
are many centers of power, which have a lot of 
differences among them. The democratic forces are busy 
weakening each other instead of fighting together against 
the extremists. The common belief about Pakistan is that 
if the anarchy intensifies the army can again come in 
power. But, the lower level of the army has a lot of 
Jihadi influence. If the radicals somehow come in power, 
 
NEW DELHI 00000447  002 OF 003 
 
¶2009. 
 
a fraction of army could also turn treacherous. Now, the 
only way out is that the democratic forces should forget 
their differences and should stand firm, taking people in 
confidence, against fanatics." 
 
¶4. "MUSHARRAF LEARNS THE RIGHT LESSON IN INDIA" editorial 
in the March 9, 2009, Mumbai edition of left-of-center 
Marathi daily LOKSATTA.  "Immediately after Pakistan's 
former President Pervez Musharraf  called for an end to 
'atrocities' against Muslims in India, Maulana Asad 
Madani (a Muslim cleric and a member of India's 
parliament) asked Gen Musharraf  to leave Muslims in 
India alone, as they were capable of solving their own 
problems. Musharraf, in New Delhi addressing a conclave, 
said alienation of minorities in India was leading to 
terrorism and that core disputes like the Kashmir issue 
need to be urgently settled by the Indian political 
leadership. There was nothing new in what Musharraf 
said....  He reiterated that terrorist outfits like Jaish- 
e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba had come into being 
because of their sympathies for the Kashmiri people. 
While Musharraf's remarks are not surprising, but what 
came as a pleasant surprise was Maulana Madani's straight 
advice to Musharraf not to instigate Indian Muslims..." 
 
------------------- 
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY 
------------------- 
 
¶5. "AMERICA'S CORRUPT FOREIGN POLICY"  editorial in the 
March 9, 2009 Mumbai-based right-of-center Gujarati daily 
MUMBAI SAMCHAR.  "After the 9/11 attacks, America had 
declared that any nation sheltering and/or nurturing 
terrorists shall not be spared.  However, the present 
U.S. President and the Secretary of State seem to have 
forgotten this statement....  Pakistan has become 
synonymous with epicenter of terrorism and is on the 
verge of being a failed state.  Despite this, it is 
surprising to learn that it continues to receive American 
aid....  It is surprising that Obama, who had threatened to 
carry out missile attacks on terrorist hideouts in 
Pakistan, did not bother to act when the Swat region in 
Pakistan was taken over by the Taliban ultras....  There 
are large numbers of Taliban sympathizers in Pakistan's 
army itself....  Has anyone raised questions about the 
utilization of 71 billion dollars that Pakistan has 
received until now from America?  Has America benefited 
from this?  If America doesn't introspect, it won't be 
surprising to see America and its citizens bearing the 
ill effects of its foreign policy tilted in favor of 
Pakistan ...." 
 
------------------------------ 
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FIRST BUDGET 
------------------------------ 
 
¶6. "THE NEW 'NEW DEAL'?" editorial in the March 7 
independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. 
"President Barack Hussein Obama's first budget proposals 
are clearly different from that of his predecessor George 
 
NEW DELHI 00000447  003 OF 003 
 
¶2009. 
 
Bush. The first difference is probably in the honesty of 
the budget. During Bush's regime the characteristics of 
his budget proposals were intentional suppression of some 
inevitable expenses. Obama did not tread along that path. 
His budget shows deficits clearly ... Obama's decisions 
are significant at this hour of crisis. Democrat Obama's 
budget brings back memories of the 'New Deal' ... Today's 
rich community principally banks on the financial market. 
So, the rich community has been more impacted by the 
current financial crisis as compared to the great 
depression. It is important that the policy of tax 
collection reflects this reality." 
WHITE