Terror and 2009

Our neighbors on each border espouse varying degree of hostility to us a s a nation.
The change in dispensation augurs well for a resolution on the east.
While we may talk about this being aided and abetted by forces that have a rabid anti India posture we need to examine and calibrate our approach to relationships with each of these nations with whom we were in step not so long ago and understand why they should now be indifferent if not insidious to our security concerns
Is there something about us that threatens them or are there other reasons for us to take a good long look in the mirror?
Is there something that makes them see us unlike we perceive ourselves, a liberal, peaceful, fun loving, compassionate and accommodating people whose leadership is often willing to do foolhardy acts of charity in the hope of being seen as statesmen.
It does sound a bit cowardly to raise such issues at a time when we should have been pounding targets in Pakistan that are the cradle to a vicious lunatics who are threatened by peoples' ability to make their own choices.
Nevertheless we would also have to examine these aspects of the problem simultaneously and if we in our rise to a greater global impact and sidestep the kind of moronic mistakes that the US seems to have a penchant for.
Most of what we are fighting today is the fruit of these two naieve approaches.
What are the principles that must govern our foreign policy and indeed our domestic choices in the way we govern ourselves?
The results of mistaking tactic and strategy for principles are there for all of us to see.
The certainity that is obvious is that change is urgently needed.
Let us ask ourselves these questions singularly and collectively.
The answers are too important to put off for tomorrow.