Kashmir’s Future

Now we have a brief insight into the history of Kashmir and some knowledge on why this little country is at the center of a 50 year old dispute between the neighboring countries of India and Pakistan. So what is next for this country? First, let us take a step back and review what has recently taken place with Kashmir, India, and Pakistan.

December 27, 2007, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated.  She was thought of as a good leader, but she was quite controversial. The United States thought that her working closely with Pakistan’s President, Pervez Musharraf would be the latest hope of redeeming Pakistan because Musharraf is considered a vital ally to the United States.  However, that all changed on December 27, and now Pakistan needs help more than ever.

As of January 1, 2008 both India and Pakistan divulged information concerning the whereabouts of their civilian nuclear facilities. In hopes to alert the other country that these places should be avoided and remain unharmed. Hopefully, this is a step in the direction of peace and resolution.

U.S. Involvement

According to author, Nicholas Burns, he says that the Bush administration is taking the Kashmir conflict as a very serious and important matter that needs to be resolved. The United States wants to help improve relations between India and Pakistan, which involves settling the dispute for control over Kashmir. There is also a serious threat of a nuclear war breaking out. This fear of nuclear war not only will impact India and Pakistan, but also the entire world. That is why, “this is a vital U.S. interest and is essential to securing South Asian stability”(Burns, 2007).

Nuclear War

Just the thought of a powerful country owning nuclear weapons invokes fear and trepidation. However, if you mix that with an area that is in constant chaos and  that is known to be a place that has some of the world’s major terrorist groups, well that seems like a recipe for disaster.

The fight over Kashmir, may seem like a problem only concerning the countries directly involved, such as India and Pakistan. Yet, the fact that India and Pakistan have the means to start a nuclear holocaust, according to S.P. Cohen, should make us all realize that this is a global threat.

According to the Voice of America (VOA), both India and Pakistan began nuclear testing in 1998. On the other hand, during that same year, both countries signed an agreement that prevents either country to attack the others nuclear systems.

As of January 1, 2008, India and Pakistan informed one another of their civilian nuclear facilities (VOA, 2008).

More Than War

The website kashmir-information.com, offers a different perspective on Kashmir. It provides information of the culture, history, and scenery that embodies Kashmir. There was a time when Kashmir was a high tourist area because of it’s lakes and the Himalayan mountains.

A writer for the New York Times wrote an article about Kashmiri art. She said that America has the largest collected of this art, outside of Asia. It is not widely known or recognized in America because it was first thought of as Tibetan, but that artwork was actually Kashmiri. Some of the artwork depicts struggle and pain, while others capitivate the beauty and serenity of this long forgotten paradise.

Art Imitates Life

 

Kashmiri art has recently been recognized and admired. The artwork ranging from sculptures to paintings to rugs, like all art, tells a story. The Kashmiri art illustrates a variety of emotions because it reflects what the people of Kashmir have gone through and continue to go through.

Some of the art shows emotional, yet others capture the relgious aspect of their people. It has been said that Kashmiri art is among the finest of Hindu art.

The picture on the top offers a more serene image highlighting nature and animals. The colors are also bright and lively.

The picture on the bottom is a bit different. The title of this painting is called “Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits”. The colors are dark and the overall image is scary. I placed these pictures side by side to show the real diversity of Kashmiri art.

Why Nukes?

What I have a hard time dealing with is why nuclear weapons exist at all. As I stated before, India and Pakistan have the means to start a nuclear holocaust. Nuclear weapons can be used for leverage to get what you want because of their high threat. However, if launched they will not only dramatically devestate whichever country they were intended for, but also they will impact the entire world. The radiation from the nuclear weapons will have an affect on the atmoshphere and probably enhance the problm of global warming.

As I previously mentioned, both India and Pakistan began nuclear testing in 1998 and that same year they signed a pact that stated they would not attack the others nuclear systems.

So my question is why even have the nuclear weapons at all? Each country knows the other one has nukes, yet they try and cover their bases by signing an agreement that prohibits the other country from destroying the other’s nuclear systems. It seems like the agreement is just a formality because of the serious threat surrounding nuclear weapons. In feuding countries that is constantly in chaos and turmoil it seems far-fetched to think that they will remember this agreement, especially one from ten years ago.

Is U.S. Involvement Necessary?

As I have mentioned before, the United States has taken this India-Pakistan dispute seriously. I believe more from the political aspect and the fact that they are heavily armed with nukes. The United States views the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as a vital ally. Even the cover of the January 18th edition of TIME magazine had Benazir Bhutto on the cover with the headline, “No One Could Save Benazir Bhutto. Why We Need to Save Pakistan”. This is a big statement coming from such a renowned news magazine. After reading the article it became more apparent to me how politics gets in the way of change.  Each government has a specific agenda and sometimes allies and enemies get intermixed. The article stated that the billions of U.S. money has been aiding the Pakistan military leaders, rather than the civilian leaders.

The Bush administration had high hopes that if Benazir Bhutto could team up with President Musharraf that Pakistan would be able to turn itself around. However, this plan soon came to an end on December 27, after the tragic assassination of Bhutto. Now both America and Pakistan are left wondering what to do next.

Is the United States involvement necessary, or are we just meddling? Can this just be another case of political agendas overtaking the real solutions for change or has the U.S. government really made a positive impact? After reading both pro and con articles around this matter, I really do not know.

I am left just hoping for the best and that positive change will happen soon for Pakistan, India, and Kashmir.

Where is Kashmir?

Kashmir is home to approximately 13 million people. China, India, and Pakistan all border this country. It is divided by one area of the country referred to as Indian-occupied Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley is surrounded by some of the highest mountain ranges in the world, including the Himalayans. Kashmir is the focus of the world’s oldest dispute.

History of Kashmir

This country is situated between India and Pakistan and has been the focus of a 50-year dispute among these feuding countries. Both India and Pakistan want control over this land. However, it is more than just territory control, it is also religious and political control.

Kashmir has been known as a paradise because of its Himalayan backdrop. It was good for the economy since it was a tourist attraction. However, things have dramatically differed within the past half century because of the conflict between the neighboring countries.

Kashmir video

The first part of the video is about Nepal. The coverage of Kashmir begins at 3:13 in the video.