Sour grapes

The Democratic Party in USA is generally enamoured of India while the Republicans lean towards Pakistan. In the year 2000 when Clinton visited the subcontinent he gave 5 days to India and 5 hours to Pakistan and that too to admonish Musharraf, not to praise him.
Since then Pakistan has become a favourite ally of America and Musharraf a trusted friend. It was, therefore, expected that Bush would divide his time equally. If so, we were fooling ourselves being ignorant of the realities of international politics.
We should have known that India commands respect and is being wooed, while Pakistan is not a trusted fully, notwithstanding the services rendered in fighting terrorism. No wonder, therefore, that India was given full four days and Pakistan 24 hours and that too by way of courtesy without any substantial agenda.
India, the largest democracy in the world, is progressing economically by leaps and bounds while we constantly hold up the begging bowl. India enjoys political stability as against the ongoing hostility against Musharraf who manages to survive holding fast to his uniform.
His pro-American policies are taken with a pinch of salt by the public and therefore protests/demonstrations were anticipated threatening his life. Bush was, therefore, smuggled into Pakistan in the darkness of night and kept under wraps away form public exposure during his brief stay.
Aapart from breaking bread together with a selected crowd he did address a press conference with Musharraf to reply to planted questions in order to bring out an aura of camaraderie and assurances of long-term friendship. Other than that his P.R. people persuaded him to play a bit of cricket because it was the only uncontroversial and preferred pastime for the Pakistanis.
It assumed such importance that on his departure, the only picture published next morning was of Bush wielding a willow at the nets. Of course with a tennis ball lest the harder regulation leather one could hide a missile.
As against the hush-hush environment in Pakistan, India extended a red carpet treatment and was taken to Hyderabad in the south despite the Muslims there threatening protest.
The talks on unprecedented unclear co-operation and started quite sometime back. It seemed America was more anxious to sell it, notwithstanding India refusing to sign the NPT, as it was negotiating from a position of strength and succeeded in getting concessions. Pakistan's half-hearted appeal for similar technology was brushed aside by Bush emphatically on the grounds that in the matter of nuclear demands, the history, the background and the needs of the two countries were completely different. (the ghost of Qadeer Khan was looming large but diplomatically, it was not brought to the fore).
Irrespective of the short time and absence of specific agenda it would not be correct to say that Bush's visit was a non-event. American presidents coming to Pakistan are far and few. Meeting them on your own soil does give you some advantage as compared to going over there and knocking on the corridors of power in Washington. This time Musharraf had a chance to have Bush exclusively for himself to reiterate the risks he was taking to remain steadfast despite widely prevailing anti-American sentiments in the country.
It seems that Musharraf reserved to himself the prerogative of being the sole spokesman for Pakistan. Kasuri, the F.M, did act as an errand boy but P.M. Shaukat Aziz was inexplicably sidelined. Bush must have had a difficult time reconciling US priorities between India. Pakistan and Afghanistan. Going by Musharraf's outburst a day later, Karzai in Kabul must have complained to Bush of Pakistan dragging its feet in suppressing Taleban and al Qaeda elements ensconced in Pakistan's tribal area.
Musharraf took it as a dastardly act (stabbing in the back) on the part of Karzai to explain away his failure to overpower Taleban who are taking a toll of American and allied personnel stationed in Afghanistan to prop up the enforced democracy.
It seems that the fissures in Pakistan-Afghan relations are unbridgeable and all attempts to patch them up are proving futile. This being the case on the western border, Musharraf has all the more reason to mend fences in the east with India.
Our military President is obviously facing a difficult time not only across the borders but within the country too with Balochistan Bugtis and Waziristans warriors on the rampage. He is entitled and capable of using all out force to win these local battles but is unable to do so in deference to public opinion in Pakistan.
To cut the long story short Pakistan has reasons to be disappointed with Bush visit. It was long on assurances with lovey dovey talks but short on delivery of goodies. No technological transfers, no promise of pressure on India to settle Kashmir and no specific trade concessions.
The buoyant stock index plunged by 470 points in the absence of the expected American largesse. Musharraf tried to gloss over the disappointment in business and political circles by maintaining that we did not need any handouts, as we were capable of managing on our own. "Grapes are Sour".