Government officials claim Washington clearly acknowledged India's "influence" in Afghanistan. During the discussions it was apparent that Washington didn't relish the thought of the Northern Alliance having sole control over Kabul and that Washington was therefore biding its time. As Armitage told the cnn: "(Bush) wants to get it right, and he is going to attack this terrible enemy on all fronts simultaneously, and he will do it in his time."
Part of the reason for the lack of haste is that there is yet no well-formed political alternative in sight. In fact, Powell told reporters en route to Shanghai from Delhi that there is the likelihood of a political vacuum developing in Afghanistan. It's thus all up in the air, with no indication of how it would impact on the region. More stories on India and the US attacks
