Should New Delhi trust Washington in its war on Islamist terror? Observers say that Washington’s response has hardly been encouraging in the wake of the recent Islamist terror attack in Pahalgam. Instead of backing India to combat Islamist terrorism and reprimanding Pakistan’s self-styled Field Marshal Asim Munir, the principal source of the Pahalgam terror, US President Donald J Trump invited him to a lunch at the White House. His Vice President JD Vance said the Pahalgam incident was “none of our business.”
The United States is supposed to lead the free world and protect its democratic values which are under the constant attack of the Islamist forces. However, the US record in the matter has been very ambivalent. Today it seems to have developed cold feet even in defending Israel, one of its most trustworthy allies and the only democracy in the Middle East, against the existential threat the Jewish state perceives from the Islamist forces in the region.
Pertinently, during his first term in the White House, President Donald J Trump did appear to be highly supportive of Israel. He publicly declared that his administration would “ always stand with Israel.” His administration also did what no previous US presidency dared to — recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. For some time, President Trump showed the same passion for Israel in his second term too. Just over three months ago, President Trump gave Israel “a green light to resume fighting in Gaza.” But all that seems to be past now. President Trump is hardly firm in supplying the weapons Israel needs to exterminate the enemies of peace in the Middle East.
The observers counsel New Delhi would better take a lesson from Washington’s treatment of Jerusalem. New Delhi should remain cautious about the shifting political moods of Washington as well as other Western capitals today. The nature of the Western society is in danger of being replaced in a way that could impact its liberal values. Politics in the region is getting increasingly inclined towards radical Islamism. Zohran Mamdani, an antisemitic politician , has recently won the NYC mayoral primary. He may win the mayoral election in November. In Europe, anti-Western, radical Muslim migrants have come to dominate the politics of the local populations. Their numbers are burgeoning in Germany, France, Spain, Malta, Ireland, Sweden, and Austria. It cannot be ruled out that they may gain positions of power in the governments of their respective host countries.
Given such realities of the Western world, the observers suggest , India could coordinate better with Israel , Japan , and other democracies in Asia to neutralise the threat radical Islamist terrorism poses to it. Jerusalem and Tokyo are being reliable partners of New Delhi in fighting the Islamist terror today . In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba reiterated their commitment to fight all forms of terrorism.
The observers warn the democracies the world over ought to bear in mind that Islamist terrorism is hostile not only to India, but also to the entire civilized world. Time is running out for them to act. The US and its Western allies must get up and take remedial measures before it is too late.
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