Obama's Af-Pak challenge: India cautious

New Delhi: When a US President speaks, the world watches. And on Wednesday, when Obama spelt out the policies of his administration, his speech was watched with much anticipation in this part of the world. From Kabul to New Delhi, analysts were weighing in the pros and cons.

But no one watched Obama's speech more closely than the people of Afghanistan and American troops stationed there. And as expected, there were mixed feelings.

"Increasing the number of US troops could simply increase the Afghan people's anger against strangers in their country. Russia increased its troops here, but it did not work. Increasing troops will not stop the fighting, but will increase the fighting," said a Kabul resident.

New Delhi, which is the other player in a complicated war, watched the speech with some anxiety.

Sources say India is worried about the following:

Advertisement

• A US pullout from Afghanistan, just after 18 months is too soon; it may be an unfinished war
• An American withdrawal means the US won't be around to keep an eye on Pakistan
• And whether Afghan forces can cope alone
  

In Pakistan, many Afghan watchers feel setting a deadline for withdrawal could just make the insurgents wait out the American presence.

The New York Times says Obama has quietly authorised an expansion of war against terrorism in Pakistan under which the CIA would widen its campaign of strikes by unmanned drones.

Advertisement

But given that an overt American presence could further fuel violence, Washington is still trying to convince the Pakistani government on this plan.