Blackwill suggests military retaliation to counter Pakistan's cross-border terrorism

Mumbai, Sep 28 (ANI): As the 26/11 Mumbai attacks still haunting the nation, former U.S. Ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill has advised India to employ military reprisal against Pakistan to counter cross-border terrorism.

"Threatened military reprisal, this grand strategy would make it unambiguously clear to the Pakistan military that if another iconic Indian target is attacked by terrorists based in Pakistan that the Indian military would destroy important Pakistan military assets. I stress that, not bomb empty terrorist camps but attack Pakistan military assets." Blackwill said.

Blackwill, who addressed a talk on 'Does India have a Grand Strategy' in Mumbai, defined the grand strategy as the art of pursuing national goals in a way that improves a nation's ability to shape and cope with the conditions of an ever-changing international environment.

He stated that infiltration from the Pakistani side has been on since the past twenty years and this killed 166 people in November 2008; it was high time India retaliated with harsh words.

Speaking about the frequently raised question on why the U.S. fails to give an ultimatum to Pakistan against militancy originating from their land, Blackwill said that time has come for U.S. to reconsider its strategy towards Pakistan.

"Do we want a Pakistan that is uninfluenced essentially by the United States and the outside world? So, it is a dilemma. I was on record when I was here as Ambassador and have a sense that the United States should put more pressure on Pakistan in this regard but I don't want to make it sound as if it is easy," he added.

"It is not easy and so the Pakistan military has been able through at least three American administrations to avoid responding to that pressure," he said.

For India, security has always been its top priority. India has also refused to resume the Composite Dialogue Process until Pakistan takes credible action against the militant groups based in Pakistan. (ANI)