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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002444 
 
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: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: COVERAGE OF POTUS AF-PAK 
SPEECH IN INDIAN MEDIA -- Part III (concluded) 
 
SUMMARY: President Obama's Afghanistan-Pakistan speech 
and related topics continued to feature prominently in 
the Indian news for the third consecutive day. In 
Parliament, Foreign Minister Krishna said India and the 
U.S. have a shared interest in the stability and 
development of Afghanistan and that India wanted 
Pakistan to take credible steps to destroy safe havens 
for terrorists. In a separate statement, the Indian 
Foreign Office welcomed the U.S. strategy "on 
strengthening the government of Afghanistan and the 
Afghan security forces."  In commentary, there were 
apprehensions about what would happen once U.S. forces 
exit Afghanistan. Editorialists expressed fears about 
 potential future Taliban control of Kabul and a 
worsening of Pakistan-guided violence against India. 
While conceding that the "longer the U.S. stays in 
Afghanistan and Pakistan, the more comforting it is for 
New Delhi," commentators felt that India will have to 
come up with a "fallback plan as and when Washington 
decides to reduce [its] presence."  Meanwhile, the 
vernacular press cautioned India to stay away from 
pitching in militarily with the U.S., because "the 
Afghanistan problem is purely of America's making." End 
summary 
 
------------------------------------------ 
NEWS SUMMARY: INDIA WELCOMES AF-PAK POLICY 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶1. Media reported that India on Thursday welcomed the 
emphasis in the U.S. strategy on strengthening the 
government of Afghanistan and the Afghan security 
forces, and that India hoped the international 
community was prepared for a long haul in the region. 
 
¶2. India's foreign office spokesperson was reported 
saying: "We also welcome President Obama's reiteration 
of the need to squarely tackle terrorism, and for 
Pakistan to ensure that terrorists do not enjoy safe 
havens on its territory. India believes that it is in 
the interest of the international community to impress 
upon Pakistan that it must use all its influence and 
resources to implement its commitments to dismantle the 
infrastructure of terrorism and to deny sanctuary to 
all terrorist groups who operate from its soil." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
--- 
INDIA, U.S. SHARE INTERESTS IN STABILITY OF AFPAK: 
KRISHNA 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
--- 
 
¶3. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday said 
India and the U.S. shared interests in the stability 
and development of Afghanistan and wanted Pakistan to 
take credible steps to destroy safe havens for 
terrorists. Minister Krishna was reported saying: "We 
hope in the days to come the U.S. will play a more 
active role and join hands with India to contain 
terrorism." 
 
NEW DELHI 00002444  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
--------------------------- 
EDITORIALS IN ENGLISH PRESS 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. "SURGE IN CLARITY," op-ed in December 4 centrist 
English business daily, THE ECONOMIC TIMES: "The 
announcement of US President Barack Obama's new 
Afghanistan strategy is a tacit admission of the 
failure of the reconstruction project while recognizing 
Pakistan as the major problem. New Delhi must remember 
that Indian and US interests in the region converge 
only until a certain point and that India will have to 
deepen and broaden its engagement with the various 
players in Afghanistan in order to keep pursuing its 
long-term interests in the region. While staying the 
course, India must also start hedging its bets." 
 
¶5. "A GOOD STRATEGY FOR DEFEAT," editorial in centrist 
English business daily, THE MINT: "With the likely exit 
of US forces from Afghanistan in 2011, there is a high 
possibility of Taliban taking control of Kabul again 
and a Pakistan-guided violence against India taking a 
worse turn. Given the pace at which our national 
security establishment works, the chances are the 
results of 2011 are already upon us. Do we comprehend 
the dangerous situation in our western neighbourhood?" 
 
¶6. "CHANGES IN SCRIPT," op-ed in December 4 centrist 
English daily, THE INDIAN EXPRESS: "The longer the US 
stays in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the more comforting 
it is for New Delhi. So now that Obama has made his 
political decision, India too will have to reassess and 
that would also have to include a fallback plan as and 
when Washington decides to reduce presence. Status quo 
in policy is no longer an option." 
 
¶7. "SELF-CONTRADICTORY: OBAMA'S ESCALATION-EXIT 
PARADIGM," editorial in December 4 centrist English 
daily, THE STATESMAN: "One facet of Obama's Afghan 
policy contradicts another, and it is unlikely in the 
extreme whether public opinion within USA will be 
convinced. Obama has renewed the pledge to carry out 
Bush's war. Mr. Obama has no alternative but to work 
with a spurious centre of authority. He has made a 
pregnant statement, but it is doubtful if the 
escalation-exit strategy will be remarkably 
successful." 
 
¶8. "SEPARATELY TOGETHER," editorial in December 3 left- 
of-center English daily, NEWS TODAY:   "The biggest 
risk Obama runs with this strategy is that it gives al- 
Qaeda a motive to launch new attacks against the United 
States. For, the Taliban wants the US troops out of 
Afghanistan, but al-Qaeda wants them to be stuck there 
indefinitely, taking causalities and killing Muslims. 
New Delhi would do well to play its cards based on its 
own realities. Kabul has potential to cause more harm 
to, say Mumbai than Minnesota. Let's face it; India is 
in this with America, separately together." 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00002444  003 OF 004 
 
 
---------------- 
VERNACULAR PRESS 
---------------- 
 
¶9. "OBAMA, AFGHANISTAN AND US," editorial in December 4 
Hindi daily, PUNJAB KESRI: "Obama has demonstrated that 
he wants to decisively take on the Taliban and Al Qaeda 
and hand over the reins of the country to those who it 
rightfully belongs to. India should keep working in 
Afghanistan, but we need to be careful about not being 
seen to be too close to the U.S." 
 
¶10. "NEW AMERICAN PLOY," editorial in December 4 Hindi 
daily, RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "Obama's call to Prime 
Minister Singh is a clever American ploy to ensnare 
India into sharing some of its Afghanistan burden. 
Obama needs to pacify an irate American public back 
home and that's what his new Af-Pak plan is all about. 
India needs to stay away from providing any military 
help that it may be asked for, because the Afghanistan 
problem is purely of America's making." 
 
¶11. "AFGHAN SURGE," editorial in December 4 Hindi 
daily, NAI DUNIYA: "Obama's decision to expand troops 
in Afghanistan may or may not be good for America, but 
it is definitely a welcome development for the rest of 
the world. India should carry on with the development 
work we are doing in Afghanistan, but we should decline 
requests for any military assistance in that country. 
This will not be in India's favor, because the war in 
Afghanistan is not going to end any time soon." 
 
¶12. "OBAMA ON BUSH'S WAY," editorial in December 4 Urdu 
daily, MUNSIF: "U.S. President Barack Obama's 
announcement of withdrawing American troops from 
Afghanistan in 2011 is worth appreciating, but the 
announcement of sending more troops is not. On the one 
hand, Obama criticizes Bush on Iraq, but on the other 
hand he is adding fuel to the Afghan war! Perhaps Obama 
wants to extend America's military operations to 
Pakistan." 
 
¶13. "OBAMA'S AFGHAN TANGLE," editorial in December 4 
left-of-center Marathi daily, LOKSATTA: "The decision 
of sending additional troops to Afghanistan is in 
itself an acknowledgement of U.S. failure in the 
country." 
 
¶14.  "ONE MORE PROOF OF AMERICAN DOUBLE STANDARDS," 
editorial in December 4 centrist Gujarati daily, DIVYA 
BHASKAR:  "Obama's strategy doesn't reflect the lofty 
talks of 'change' he spoke in his early days.  In fact, 
what he has tried to achieve, by simultaneously 
announcing additional reinforcements and a timeline for 
troop withdrawal, is to strike a balance between war- 
mongers and those who are against it. Besides, while 
allowing his troops to strike deep inside Pakistan, he 
has also rewarded Pakistan with more aid and 
ammunition. One doubts if Obama's dreams of withdrawing 
from the strife-torn, complex region in 2011 will be 
realized." 
 
NEW DELHI 00002444  004 OF 004 
 
 
ROEMER