Madman theory redux?

Madman Theory refers to the policy employed by the US in the 1970s during Nixon’s reign. They convinced the Russians that Nixon was mad, and that he was liable to act irrationally if provoked. And this led to the US getttig an upper hand in the Cold War.

It seems like Pakistan is unwittingly doing the same nowadays. Given the general chaotic nature of the political “leadership” in that country, and also the fact that they have access to nuclear weapons, India dare not launch a full-scale offensive against Pakistan, irrespective of what the terrorists do.

So what this means is that Pakistani terrorists can come here and continue to have fun, and even if we know that they have been backed by Pakistan, we can’t do a thing because we are afraid that some madcap in Pakistan has control over the nuclear button and might end up nuking us.

And given that the democrats are in power in the US (irrespective of Biden’s pro-India leanings) you never know how relations between India and Pakistan shape out in the next few years.

If you have a bright idea as to how one can combat this Madman technique (I’m not sure if Pakistan is playing this deliberately), let me know. Actually, letting me know is of no use. I can’t do a thing. So do what you think is the best, but also let me know.

8 thoughts on “Madman theory redux?”

  1. Hmm.. this is not madman theory redux, but madman theory super duper redux. unlike the americans who only tried to tell everybody they were nuts. Even the poor Pakistani citizens know that they are ruled by a posse of nutjobs.

    1. i wonder if the paki citizens have a choice. if there’s any way in which they can choose not to be ruled by nutjobs? or do you want to say they deserve the nutjobs?

    1. historically. it was only under bush that india and US came so close. before that US put full support for pakistan. and democratic presidents have usualy believed they can solve the kashmir problem and try to poke their noses etc

  2. maybe the closeness between US and India over the last decade can be attributed to the rightward shift in Indian politics since the late nineties rather than the party dynamics in US.

    Before the nineties, what with India’s non-aligned stance and socialistic rhetoric, it’s no wonder India and US weren’t on better terms.

  3. Actually, it wasn’t just the madman theory that convinced the communist bloc. He actually acted like a madman with needless bombing of Cambodia during the V-war.
    Anyways, wicked as it sounds the best approach a friend and I could come up with was to get a handful of Paki youth brainwashed into targetting the US this time. That would seal it for Pak.

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