When the times are tough, maintaining non-transparency becomes a problem, even by the analysts and the media sendees within the Western camp. Now the IISS (the International Institute for Strategic Studies) has come out expressing doubt about the way the North is conducting its diplomatic offensive against weaker nations backed with less and less military hardware and human resources to back up its firmness or promises to 'peace' overtures.

Air offensive threats are doled out repeatedly against micro territories such as Kosovo, and huge B52 war planes are displayed to disable (not kill!) nonentities like mosquitoes, excluding the Yugoslav president, who, it appears. is above International sanctions; and escapes from the torn net every lime he is chased or confronted.

The mighty surface forces are not being committed, after humiliating experiences in Korea. Vietnam and Bosnia during the span of half a century of onemanship. Now military might cannot be backed financially in view of the depressing and fluctuating global markets, triggered by the Asian debacle (masterminded by themselves). The world Is in a recession, and so is the diplomatic offensive by the North. But the problems

remain, unhurt and untouched. Why peace Is so elusive, realis ing that it humans against the humans, and the fight is not between heterogeneous species.

Jewish backed United States cannot get out of the Palestine conflict even after two decades, to seek better pastures in rising Asia, in spite of daily 18-hour meetings in and around Washington. Who do not want peace after one generation of hit and run?

India and Pakistan are blocked markets, and sagging badly, for playing the nuclear game. So the Congress has given the US President extraordinary power to use less power and more bait, for more fishing prospects (future burdens are worse than current headaches). The Kashmir issue has some similarity with the Palestine one (religion), and the lone super-power is expected to live up to its reputation for opening or closing the festering wounds. Some analysts suspect the Mon lea net was intentionally thrown upon the US president for leverage by some vested group with international agenda.

The stalemate against Saddam Is making no headway, because military power cannot be used for the second time. It is all

bombast, not boom. Is the US going to be the most powerful terrorist group, snowballing its mighty military armour? What an irony! Non-military Japan is tearing itself at the seams. The Nomura disclosure of USD 1.5 billion dollar losses has to l>e taken in its stride, noting the no-business mood in Moscow. Now it is the gun vs the dollar game (the yen has powered to 114).

In Afghanistan, the international right of way has to be established quickly, for ensuring bread and butter to the West through fuel pipelines. Pakistan must be saved from political anarchy, now at its zenith. The BJP days appear to be numbered in a country of one billion hungry mouths. Bangladesh has to watch the US make up its mind: whether the countries to the West and East of India are to remain too friendly with the big brother hooting religious horns. The US needs fevers also.

Diplomacy in the Third World has to come out of the sedentary chairs and push across the global tables. In this IT Age. action comes before reaction. The value of Time has appreciated. The wait-and-see days are gone. Clear the table of domestic problems and face the foreign negotiators for a slice of better life ahead. It Is self-service: no waiters.