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A sovereign country is sovereign, free and independent only to the extent it can confront its enemies. If it gives in to compromise then to that extent its sovereignty diminishes. Also when it expects other sovereign nations, especially with their own vested interests, to come to its rescue. As in an individual's life, so in a country's sovereign status, self-help is the best help. Look at Israel. Also Hamas of the Gaza in West Asia, Australia, England, America and Russia, to name a few. They do the same when it comes to protecting their nation's integrity and its citizens.

After cease - fire agreement expired, with no peace - talks happening, Hamas started firing rockets to Israel. Hamas did not wait for anybody's permission. Similarly Israel retaliated in the way it did, without waiting for the US, its friend, to give permission. Now there is unilateral cease-fire declared by Israel. After 26 / 11, India seems to be willing to compromise with Pakistan rather than confronting it. Speed of action reflects the sovereign authority of a country. Only a weak hesitates, not the strong in the face of an attack like 26/11 or for that matter on our Parliament.

Listen to M.J. Akbar: "Who gained from terrorism in Mumbai? There is only one winner. The Pakistan Army. The disgrace into which it had been dragged by Pervez Musharraf has been erased; it is wrapped once again in the blanket of confrontation with India." Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, are you listening? It is said those who do not learn from the past history are bound to repeat the same mistakes and suffer for it. India presently seems to be in such an unredeemable situation.

In 1947 - 48, India “complained” to the United Nations under a wrong advice given by the then Viceroy Lord Mount - batten, about the Pakistan provoked armed tribal rebellion in South Western Kashmir in early Oct. 1947. This was what the then British Foreign Secretary Earnest Bevin wrote to the then British Prime Minister Clement Attlee. The Foreign Secretary wrote that London had to be very careful about siding with India at the UN, given the tensions that had arisen in the Islamic world over Palestine.

At that time a war was raging between Jews and Palestinian Muslims.

Being a natural alley of Britain, America too took the same stance in the UN. It was natural that India expected UN to direct Pakistan to withdraw from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and maintain status quo. But it did not happen. Instead India's complaint was very cleverly converted into a dispute. On Jan. 20, 1948, the UN passed a resolution establishing a three - member Commission on India and Pak (UNCIP) to study the facts of what exactly happened in Kashmir where a cease - fire was in place. That in fact sealed the fate for India's complaint to UN.

It is important for India to remember now, following 26/11, what the then Foreign Secretary of England, Earnest Bevin wrote to the then British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, about India's complaint to UN. The Israel - Palestine war was raging in West Asia (Middle - East for British and USA). The UN with its leading lights, US and UK, were not as much interested in giving justice to India as in taking advantage of India's complaint to mollify the Islamic world which was angry with Britain and USA for their covert support to Israel, just as at present in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

India should realise that at present, by a strange coincidence, a conflict is raging in West Asia just as it was in 1947 - 48. Also by another co - incidence like in 1947 - 48 the British Foreign Secretary, this time David Miliband, too had expressed his opinion about Mumbai's 26 / 11 in a way that helped Pakistan.

And let our policy - makers remember what the former Deputy National Security Advisor and who was also India's former High Commissioner in Pakistan Satish Chandra, has to say about US attitude towards India and Kashmir. Writing in Deccan Herald he says:
"The government's hope that the US will pull India's chestnuts out of the fire is misplaced. The US never has and never will use its considerable leverages in order to compel Pakistan to give up its use of terrorism against India. Indeed, given that Afghanistan is the major focus of concern for the US, the latter may well lean on us to continue to give more space to Pakistan on terrorism and on Kashmir in order to influence it to be more proactive against the Taliban."

In other words, US wants India to have patience with Pakistan's anti - India activities till US is done with Afghanistan.

As a citizen of this country I depend on the Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to pick up the gauntlet thrown at our country by a failed State, by a rogue State, a State which is a breeding ground of terrorists. A State which has vowed to “bleed India with a thousand cuts”.

And think about what I have recalled above from the history, lest the same mistake might be repeated this time also.

Just as Americans say, “God Save America”, let me also say, “God Save India” and its citizens.