For two nations that say they want to avoid escalation, India and Pakistan seem trapped in a dangerously spiraling conflict.
India’s strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir Wednesday were clearly telegraphed — a fitting answer, it believes, for last month’s terror attack in Kashmir. In response, Islamabad claims it has shot down five of New Delhi’s aircraft. Civilians are now dead on both sides.
Avoiding any further intensification is critical for these nuclear-armed states. Keeping diplomatic channels open is crucial, too. The alternative is a cycle of counterstrikes that risks dangerous missteps.
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