October 15, 2008

The Ripple Effect: India's Responses to the Iraq War

By: Nirav Patel and Richard Weitz

America’s military intervention in Iraq has catalyzed major changes in the Middle East, but the ramifications of its military campaigns around the world, particularly in Asia, remain understudied. Throughout major capitals in Asia discussions relating to America’s staying power and influence are becoming more pronounced.

Many of these debates are playing out in India, where strategists and policymakers grapple with similar security challenges in Pakistan. As Pakistan teeters on the edge of disaster, India is faced with the blowback of Islamabad’s inability to control terrorist groups within its own borders and the prospects of outward proliferation of nuclear technologies to rogue regimes or non-state actors. Despite these grave security challenges, an adequate assessment of how America’s involvement in Iraq has shaped Indian strategic assessments and policies has not occurred.

Authors

  • Nirav Patel

  • Richard Weitz

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