Asia Insights Weekly: Indo-Pakistani Tension Escalates into Violence

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January 29, 2013       Your Weekly Update from The Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center Indo–Pakistani Tension: Pakistan Should Crack Down on Militant Infiltration By Lisa Curtis Tensions between India and Pakistan are heating up along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir. A series of border incidents in early January left three Pakistani and two Indian soldiers dead. One of the Indian soldiers was beheaded and another severely mutilated, provoking Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to say that India’s ties with Pakistan would not be “business as usual” until those responsible for the mutilation of the bodies were punished. While the U.S. needs to urge restraint on both sides to prevent escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors, the onus is on Pakistan to demonstrate that it is cracking down on militants on its side of the border. The U.S. should pay close attention to developments along the Indo–Pakistani border in order to help prevent a breakout of hostilities, but it should resist any temptation to try to directly mediate between the historical foes. Could a nuclear incident happen? >>

Senate Confirmation Hearings: U.S. Policy on Asia In the coming weeks, the United States Senate will begin the confirmation process for three key Administration positions: Senator John Kerry (D–MA) for Secretary of State, former Senator Chuck Hagel (R–NE) for Secretary of Defense, and White House chief counterterrorism advisor John Brennan for director of the CIA. All three have been prominent backers of President Obama’s foreign and defense policy. How this will affect U.S. policy on Asia? >> Time for U.S. and U.N. to Get Serious on Sanctions North Korea has again openly defied the international community, first by launching a rocket in violation of United Nations resolutions and then threatening those that seek to punish—however meekly—the regime for its transgressions. Yet the United States and the U.N. remain reluctant to fully implement measures to make sanctions more effective. This policy timidity emboldens Pyongyang to continue expanding and improving its nuclear weapons and missile delivery arsenal. How should the U.S. respond? >>

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