Michael Hughes

Michael Hughes: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, from Indian soil on August 30, boldly promoted “trilateral” dialogue among the United States, Afghanistan and India while calling out Pakistan to abandon its pro-terror policies. Meanwhile, back in Washington, Pentagon chief Ashton Carter struck a base-sharing arrangement with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar. Both moves mark a departure from America’s typical reluctance to affront Islamabad’s sensibilities, and might herald the dawn of a containment strategy to blunt Pakistan’s use of jihadists as foreign policy tools. However, critics say the real purpose is aimed at checking Chinese influence under the pretext of regional stability. But, who is to say both are not true? Click here to read more.