So, with the umbilical cord of the Coalition Forces stretching from Kabul to Karachi and 80 per cent of its food, fuel and military supplies being fed through this pipeline, it is doubtful if the Americans are in any kind of position to arm twist anybody in Islamabad in the context of the terror attack on Mumbai.

It is likely that a lot of noise may be generated, but not much more, for the vulnerabilities of the Americans and coalition forces is too obvious. This is merely a surmise though and the GIRT audience would be aware that life is always full of surprises.

India has already received praise for the "restraint" it has shown from the EU etc. 'Patience,' 'restraint' are eternal Asian virtues, particularly Indian, and so the fourth edition of the Great Indian Response Trick is throwing up all the familiar contours from earlier editions.    

As far as the fourth edition of GIRT is concerned it opened with a statement from the external affairs minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee, stating that the Mumbai attacks were the handiwork of "some elements" within Pakistan. This was interesting, and also a historical first.

For the first time India did not name Pakistan as a whole, but "elements" within Pakistan. Very conveniently the Pakistani establishment has already split amoeba-like into civil, military, intelligence, ISI, friendly-ISI, rogue ISI, Jihadi, Kashmir Jihadi, al Qaeda, Afghan Taliban, Pakistan Taliban, sectarian Sunni/Shia, state and non-state actors, factions, armies, establishments, pigeon holes and pigeon holes-within-pigeon holes. You are no longer dealing with a nation.

Each one of these 'autonomous' "elements' has complete deniability and cannot be linked with the other. Most of them are also involved with social service, particularly after their names pop up on the US State Department's list of terrorist organisations.  

It is not clear why Mukherjee fingered "elements" in Pakistan and allowed a clear exit route for establishments, both civil and military. And if he did, it is not clear why Asif Ali Zardari,  the president of Pakistan, went blue in the face trying to defend national honour. In the immaculate structure of complete deniability that has been created by the intelligence services and terrorist/Jihadi organisations Zardari and so many other patriotic Pakistanis could have saved their collective breaths and, very reasonably, pointed their fingers at people who are genuinely involved in such activities. 

In any case, after blaming Pakistani "elements" Mukherjee and AK Antony, the Indian defence minister, very surprisingly got busy selecting a chief minister for the state of Maharashtra. One would have imagined them to be closeted in New Delhi figuring out the pros and cons of the action to be taken against Pakistan for subjecting India, and the city of Mumbai, to a massive terrorist attack.

But apparently nobody else in Delhi was free to handle such critical responsibilities except these two. GIRT audiences, particularly those who have watched such shows earlier, will note how Indian "response" is shaping up.

How about the American response? The principal foreign player in the region, the United States, would have been expected to get off the blocks quicker than anybody else. As the carnage died down by 28 November, the first surprise sprung on the "nuclear armed neighbours" was on 2 December when John McCain diverted himself to New Delhi away from a trip to Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Having done his duty by God and country McCain disappeared to the languorous environs of Bhutan, via Bangladesh, leaving the field clear for Condoleeza Rice who arrived on 3 December.

In the days of video conferencing and instantaneous communications you don't really need to show a great deal of physical speed. But then why bother to come at all? All the talking would already have been done.

So, where was Condi Rice and why was Sen McCain filling in for her? Well Condi was in London playing the piano for the Queen! According to reports, On 1 December 2008 the US secretary of state gave a piano recital for the Queen at the Buckingham Palace performing music by Johannes Brahms. She was accompanied on the violin by Louise Shackleton, the wife of David Miliband, the UK foreign secretary. Three members of the London Symphony Orchestra offered backing to the talented ladies.

So much so, for the urgency of dealing with a situation in what, time and again, has been described as one of the most dangerous of all the trouble spots on the planet.

The Great Indian Response Trick – edition 4 is shaping up better, and certainly more artistically, than the two earlier versions.

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