The disintegration of the USSR and consequential weakening of Russia has left the United States of America (USA) as the unchallenged world power. It has assumed, as some feel, the role of an international policeman acting on its own to promote its own national interests. Its adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan are a pointer to the fact. It heeded little to the world opinion which, in a great measure, was not in tune with that of USA.

Till 9/11 USA cared a fig for terrorism that was causing havoc in various parts of the world. When 9/11 left USA bleeding, it did declare an open war against inhuman terrorism all over the world. It made everyone appear that it is against all the administrations and nations which are in any way, directly or indirectly, looked to be aiding or abetting terrorism. But this war practically remains confined to the shores of USA and its citizens and not beyond. It has never jumped in to wage a war against the dragon of terrorism in every country or when terror gleefully blasted the fireworks of innocent killings and havoc. Then it has only a generous display of lip sympathy and a profuse dose of preaching patience and restraint.

If it hurts USA

Its fight against terror gets more fierce and stringent when it hurts the US and is not that sharp when it bleeds others. Whenever terror has let loose a trail of death, destruction and blood in India and any other part of the world, US has felt content with performing its duty in fighting terror with a fiery display of strong words of denunciation and a great display of sympathy with the dead. USA has never wholeheartedly motivated and supported India to take her fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion to give terror a final defeat to instill a fear in their mind never again to think of striking in any part of India.

Equally true is the fact that India too is not sincere and honest in its fight against terror. When she tries to raise her hand to give it a bloody nose, it gets held up from behind by the political and electoral considerations of our political parties, particularly those in power. Otherwise, how could it be that USA could decisively frustrate any repeat of 911, while India has failed in this direction?

Actually, USA has only exploited the threat of a counter-action in self-defence by India to promote its own interests through the earlier military and the present regimes in Pakistan. It has dreaded Pakistan to fall in line with USA lest India retaliates. Pakistan also knows that if it doesn't obey its masters in US, it loses the military and economic assistance it receives from that country. Therefore, Pakistan is playing the game what USA wants it to play in the region.

Double standards

That USA exercises double standards - one for itself and just the opposite for others -- has been proved by a Washington Post report that "the United States military is looking at options for a unilateral military strike against Pakistan should there be a major terrorist incident in America that is traced to Pakistan". Citing senior military officials, the Post said ties between Faisal Shahzad, the alleged Times Square bomber and the Pakistani Taliban have "sharpened the Obama administration's need for retaliatory options." One of the officials said. "Planning has been reinvigorated in the wake of Times Square." The paper, however, reported the officials as saying a U.S. reprisal would be contemplated "only under extreme circumstances, such as a catastrophic attack that leaves President Obama convinced that the ongoing campaign of CIA drone strikes is insufficient."

The Times Square incident had proved to be a failed attempt by Pakistani terrorists. But they have been striking against India at will at various places killing and maiming hundreds of innocent men, women and children besides the security personnel performing their duty towards the nation.