US Senator Wants India To Send Its Troops To Afghanistan

With the gradual withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, time has now come for India to send its military inside that country, a top American lawmaker has said.

“It makes sense for the two largest countries to be military allies. On Afghanistan, India, as you know, as a security establishment, is already fighting over 30 insurgencies or guerilla operations,” Senator Mark Kirk said at a discussion forum organised by Washington-based think tank, Foreign Policy Initiative.

“The Indian security establishment well understands this challenge. I think can correctly perceive that moving terror from North or South or general parts of Dafatan into secured bases around Kabul with the fall of the Karzai government would represent a long-term real security threat for India,” he said.

Blasts in Afghanistan at Muhraam were one of the worst terrorist strikes in the country this year. 

“Remember, if you have terror bases operating against Pakistan from india, India is subjected to pressure from Pakistan. If Pakistan could offload that terror training and operations into metropolitan Afghanistan, it makes it much harder for India to pressure for the end of those operations,” Kirk said.

The US Senator said over the long term, it makes sense for India to send a key signal to Afghan politicians— “look, we know the Americans are leaving. We know the Haqqani’s are bidding, but we are now stepping in here. We will bank roll you”.