In a way, the Dec. 13 attack on the Indian Parliament was a blessing. It may have pushed two nuclear powers to the edge of a disaster. But the threat of war often helps feuding nations pause and re-examine their priorities and how they affect bilateral relations.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is a clever, pragmatic man. Just as he turned his back on the Taliban once he determined that it was in his country's interest to cooperate with Washington, he also realized that there is an Indo-Pakistani issue that is more important than Kashmir: the need to reposition the bilateral relationship to reflect a world in which economics and commerce are increasingly defining political ties.
Musharraf's recent TV broadcast, in which he announced a ban on important militant and sectarian organizations -- including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which have been blamed for the raid on India's Parliament -- reaffirms that his policies are being driven by logical, rational thinking.