Washington meets South Asia

It is becoming somewhat of a disturbing South Asian tradition: Midnight celebrations aimed at stirring euphoria and hope among the region's masses, undermined by reality rearing its ugly head at the most auspicious of moments. Fifty-three years ago, at midnight on Aug. 15, 1947, organized street celebrations, parades, flag-flying, and speeches expounding on the region's "tryst with destiny" lit up the region from the Punjabi farmlands outside Lahore to the Bay of Bengal. Unfortunately for Mr. Jinnah and Mr. Nehru, the largest mass migration in the history of humanity was taking place at the very same moment, putting of a damper on the cherished independence day celebrations.