Srinagar, May 26 -- The April 22 assault that killed 26 civilians in Kashmir didn't just spark another round of tension between India and Pakistan, it exposed the cracks in a decades-old global arrangement.

India didn't wait this time. It acted fast, yes, but more importantly, it acted differently.

Pulling out of the Indus Waters Treaty wasn't just about water, it was about leverage. That river system sustains millions in Pakistan. Taking control of it wasn't only a warning. It was a message: we're done playing by the old rules.

The bigger message, though, wasn't for Pakistan. It was for Washington.

The United States condemned the attack, as expected. It called for calm. But that was the problem. India didn't want balance, it wanted c...