‘Pullout of US troops will pose threat to Asia'

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai on January 25, 2012:

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/%E2%80%98Pullout-of-US-troops-will-pose-threat-to-Asia/356750.html

CHENNAI: Sounding a warning for the entire Asian region of expected increase in the activities of terrorist groups, Major General NS Jamwal, Chief of Staff, HQ ATNKK Area, on Tuesday said that the US force pullout from Afghanistan will not be in the interest of the region.

Addressing the students of the Defence and Strategic Studies Department, University of Madras, during a seminar on “Conflict and Migration in South Asia,” here, Maj Gen Jamwal said, “As the US has planned to move out its forces from Afghanistan and even started the process, I do not know how it is going to unfold. But the way things are there as we see it, it’s not going to be in the interest of the region.”

He was referring to the activities of different terrorist groups out of Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas, which would likely record a surge in the aftermath of US’ departure from the Afghan region.

Jamwal said: “Pakistan has a major stake as far as Afghanistan is concerned. But I am sure that the US will take care of its long-term interests in the region by acting against these groups, who have been attacking the US from there, through adequate measures.”

Though the situation in Afghanistan remained volatile, the presence of US forces has worked as a stabilising factor, he added.

Revealing that wars in future would be shorter with the advent of technology in the field, Jamwal said, “Wars in future are going to be politically-motivated. There will be a political master and his/her’s objective has to be achieved.”