Mattster,
The problem with Americans is that they believe that root of all conflict resolutions runs through them.. This probably is a mindset that came to existence after the second World War.. and Quite rightly so as America as a Nation did step forward and save Europe and bring about change in Germany.. This is something Europe is always in debt for..
However to the topic above.. The naivety or deviousness of thinking from an American perspective is clearly seen.. You mention there is nothing condescending about the General's offer.. This would have been true if the General in Question was suggesting that Indian officers should attend military classes in the United States and study American civil war together with American Officers..and if the Indians rejected this offer your statement " the Indian ego gets in the way " would hold ground..
Instead.. The offer is to have joint military training and education between military adversaries India and Pakistan that have fought more wars between each other than any two nations in the world.. Would the Americans have been ready to conduct such trainings with the erstwhile USSR during the height of the Cold War ???...I don't see Americans conducting training or studying military strategy along with their current adversaries Iran, North Korea, Venezuela.. How do you expect the Indians to sit with the Pakistanis.. The Situation between India and Pakistan is similar to a Cold War at a smaller scale.. The Americans would do well to Understand the local sensitivities of certain regions It will bode well for them in the next conflict .. Unless its Shock & Awe again..
I don't think anyone is saying that Indians are not willing to learn.. They sure have a decade or more to learn compared to the Americans.. I would assume any Indian officer would consider passing out of West-point or Naval Academy one of his career highlights.The Indians certainly would send their cadets.. Just not to sit along with their arch rival Pakistan and do combined study in Military strategy..
The COIN experience of the US ARMY is formidable as seen from there current engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan.. Though the results can be debated as is the case with COIN operations worldwide.. There is certainly a lot that the Indian Army and perhaps any Army can learn from the American experience.Indians certainly can learn to tweak some ROEs in COIN from the Americans..
I'd like to see the Americans make the offer to the Chinese.. I really would!!!
Thank you for your excellent analysis, Currywurst. That is the very thing we want to convey; we don't mind any war drills or military exercises with US and we are in fact engaged with them right now in some of our largest war games in our history. However, to share the bench and swallow our righteous anger against our worst enemy is like forcing someone to do something that he's dead against. Except for a bunch of weak-kneed apologists who kiss Pakistan's feet for media attention and monetary greed, an absolute majority of Indians are proud nationalists to ever accept such an insulting invitation.
Regarding the bolded part about the mini-Cold War, there has to be some sort of equal class that can put two countries on an even footing to be called a cold war between fellow countries. Subtract Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and they aren't even in our league to be called a Cold War. I am not talking in terms of individual soldier as I respect all soldiers' efforts to become what they are but rather the overall strategic,geo-political and their tri-services as a whole group. You could say a Cold Tension (not war) is there between us and the Chinese, but with Pakistan... nah.. not even close.
The only problem we have with them is their terrorists.
