CHANGING TRENDS IN US POLICY TOWARDS THE KASHMIR ISSUE: AN ANALYSIS OF GEORGE BUSH ERA (1988-1991)

Abstract

This article analyzes the changing contours of U.S. policy on the Kashmir dispute, focusing particularly on the George H. W. Bush period (1988–1991). Starting with a historical introduction to American involvement in the Kashmir conflict since 1947, it places the policy changes in perspective against the background of the Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir uprising in 1989. The article examines the changing American position under the Bush administration, marking a hesitant but significant departure from Cold War alignments. Particular attention is devoted to Pakistan's contribution to internationalizing the conflict and the initial U.S. reaction, which was indicative of increasing concern regarding regional instability. The 1990 Indo-Pak crisis, triggered by military mobilizations and escalation fears, is examined as a turning point. The article also addresses the new U.S. view of Kashmir in terms of nuclear non-proliferation, the start of a strategic connection between the Kashmir dispute and a nuclear Pakistan.