Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Under Arrest or In Protective Custody?

India can be justified for wanting to see more from Pakistan:

Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday the arrest of two men named by India as planners of the militant attack on Mumbai, but a senior Indian official described Pakistani actions so far as "eyewash."

Two operations commanders with the Lashkar-e-Taiba jihadi group, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Zarrar Shah were being held, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told journalists in Multan city.


The rational thinking analysis here is that Pakistan fears war with India more than war with their own jihadis, and so will cooperate enough in the investigation to end the crisis.

I wouldn't be so quick to assume that we even begin to understand what the Pakistanis think is rational.

Risking nuclear war with India might seem far better to Pakistan's rulers than the humiliation of letting an investigation that India wants reveal just how powerful the jihadis are in the Pakistani government and society.