John McCain, the top ranking US Republican senator, and 2008 presidential candidate, was in Valley for two days. He met Governor N N Vohra and the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah besides visiting some tourist resorts on the outskirts of Srinagar. What makes the visit significant is that McCain arrived in Valley after his visit to Pakistan where he met the president Asif Ali Zardari and the army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani. There was an eminent rationale for his Pakistan trip. Washington’s relations with Islamabad have nosedived after the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a US stealth raid. The trust-deficit has deepened and the two countries are struggling to maintain their collaboration in the fight against Taliban. Recent weeks have been tough. Pakistan has imposed curbs on the movement of US diplomatic and intelligence personnel in the country. And US, in an extraordinary move acted against the Washington based Kashmiri lobbyist Ghulam Nabi Fai.  So, McCain’s Islamabad trip was a firefighting mission geared to repair the badly damaged ties. But to visit Kashmir? This is a question that nobody has answers for now. Even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has revealed himself to be clueless about the senator’s trip. And this itself sounds odd. Did CM really not know beforehand about the visit or its purpose?  McCain is the highest ranking American politician to arrive in Kashmir. And he has come to Valley directly from Pakistan. One thing is sure: the visit certainly was not a pleasure trip. Besides, the aura of inexplicability about the visit has only added to the suspense and fanned speculations. The people not only in Valley but in the sub-continent as a whole are bound to read deeper meanings into the trip.  And this can only cease if the government comes clear on the development and at least sheds some light on what primarily prompted McCain to come to Valley. It should, if there is nothing extraordinary about the high profile visit.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST