Business As Usual

Today India tested a new missile with a range of up to 3,000 kilometres. The Agni 3, incidentally named after an ancient Vedic god of fire, test was successful. This test came hot on the heels of North Korea's testing of a number of different long range missiles last week. These tests spurred international outrage, the cancellation of talks with North Korea and even got the UN Security Council together to consider an appropriate response.

Expect none of this to happen due to India's tests. India certainly won't be referred to the Security Council, no one would dream of imposing economic sanctions on the new economic monster on the block and I doubt even George W Bush, that paragon of virtue, will comment on the test. It will be business as usual.

And of course, thoughtful people and North Korea and its fellow member of the Axis of Evil will see this result and be outraged by the hypocrisy. Hypocrisy seems to be a theme of international relations and this blog. Time and again what's good for the goose is never, ever good for the gander. Is it any wonder that thoughtful young people and our "enemies" are cynical about politics and the "just" world that we've made?

But India's action in testing this missile is more provocative and disturbing than almost anything North Korea could do. For one this "deterrent" is a great step in facilitating a war with Pakistan or worse China. Let's not forget that China and India together contain over 2 billion human beings not to mention much of the world's biodiversity. As commentators have mentioned just seconds after this launch, India now has the ability to level important northern Chinese cities like Shanghai and Beijing under radioactive rubble. China has had the ability to do the same to any city on the subcontinent for a long while so I guess it's fair now, right?

Who thinks like this? Why would India and China go to war; over some mountains in the Himalayas? What's the point of border commissions and peace moves, when you're always planning for war. These are clearly hollow initiatives. Why do you need a deterrent against a friend? It's pretty sad to go through life always believing that ultimately your friends will turn on you and needing the resources to challenge them when this inevitable day comes. Are you really living subscribing to this worldview?