Posted on 10/03/2005 2:21:01 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick
India's vote in favour of the IAEA resolution on Iran nuclear programme was an "encouraging and significant" step which indicated the evolving nature of US-India relationship, a leading US daily on Sunday said, while warning some American officials and lawmakers against creating the appearance of having pressurised New Delhi for its stance.
Asking legislators like Congressman Tom Lantos not to "brag" about 'pushing' India and advising American officials to avoid the crude appearance of a quid pro quo of Indian vote for access to US civilian nuclear technology, The Washington Times said India had surprised even the most vigilant observers when it sided with the US and the EU on the issue.
"India's position at the IAEA regarding Iran is encouraging and significant, illustrating that concerns over Iran's programme do not emanate from Washington and Europe alone," it said in an editorial, adding, "The move also indicates that the young US-Indian friendship is evolving."
US officials, it advised, should publicly avoid the appearance of a crude quid pro quo. "If the Indian Government is seen by its citizens as doing the bidding of the Bush Administration, it will suffer politically and may not vote with the US and EU come November (when the issue of referring Iran to UN Security Council will come up again).
Noting that Indian Communists have publicly opposed confronting Iran at the IAEA, the paper said "unfortunately, California Democrat Tom Lantos has made it more difficult for India to vote the right way next time."
"Lantos boasted of the pressure he put on India's Foreign Minister over the Iranian programme when he visited Washington in early September, and suggested that he single-handedly succeeded in getting the Indians to change their position."
I sure hope those leading officials take head to the powerful word of the media, wouldn't want those leading officials to forget their place at running our country,,,, /sarc
India is ONLY siding with the US on this single issue because they believe it will help them counter Pakistan's threat by access to our nuke technology.
I don't trust India any farther than I can throw them. More than 90 percent of their military is soviet trained and equipped, and the country is awash with communists. They still sell women and worship cattle, and they will burn a women to death if a dowery payment is late.
The idea of India having nukes is just as worrysome as Pakistan having them.
They haven't been a reliable ally of the west in any undertaking since the second world war.
I'm more than a little worried about the US kissing up to India these days. Its all give and no get.
Congratulations on a superb and incisive anal ysis that adequately showcases your innate brilliance and anal ytical abilities.
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Lantos is not to be trusted.
US wasnt expecting India to vote against Iran.
US had promised India nuke technology only to dangle a carrot and knew very well that it wouldnt have to deliver on its promise since the delivery of the technology hinged on the conditionality that India support US bid to isolate Iran. US knew very well India's stand on Iran (or did it ?). Since the US State dept wont ratify the nuclear deal anyway, the US Administration could have safely placed the blame on India for having supported Iran as being the cause for the US State dept not approving the nuclear deal.
......but then came India's famous volte-face! Now it seems the US has no answer.
Lets see if the US is able to keep its promise.
PING!
BTW we dont need US nuclear tech to counter Pakistan.
I expect Chinese agents are behind bribing journalists and congressmen to oppose India-US relationship.
but we have very few options to counter China with the world full of anti-American idiots.
I suggest you move to India. Your tune would change.
India has no first strike policy, not so Pakistan. What keeps the Paki nutbags in check? India. (They can "worship" all the cows they want, for that.)
Whether the US Congress goes along with the Bush proposals or not is irrelevant; the US Congress is, as Kissinger said IIRC, 535 alternative SecofStates and NationalSecAdvisers, much prone to pontificating.
What counts is the commitments made by the UK and Canada.
The Indians aren't stupid enough to believe that just because the Executive in the US proposes, its gets done.
They understand the role the US Congress has played in the past and know, that often, US foreign policy has been conducted via proxies; hence, the full commitment by the Dons of the Commonwealth.
They know they have to stay on Congress's good side, and by their Iran vote, now firmly on the Administration's side too.
Are konaice and Lantos related?
>>More than 90 percent of their military is soviet trained and equipped, and the country is awash with communists.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1494806/posts
--As Major Wilson puts it: "We're also taking back with us a newfound and tremendous respect for Indian army officers and soldiers. Indian troops are as well-trained, motivated and quick as the best US soldiers." Indo-US defence cooperation seems to be on the right track.
Doesn't it scare you that the US Mil is so wholeheartedly training with, gasp, the communist military of Inja? LOL!
I see no difference between technologies that the UK and Canada will provide from that what the US may provide.
One and the same.
IMO, smart moves by India to get what's in her best interest.
I see the US Congress as increasingly irrelevant to India in this particular issue; Congressmen are blinkered narrowvision types, and will be satisified at what India did. Whether they approve the deals that Bush wants is another matter and also, in light of the UK Canada commitments, completely irrelevant.
Thats not the point. There is hardly much difference between French, Russian tech and UK, Canadian tech.
Just how would it look for the Indian Congress government if the US congress stalls the deal even after India having voted in favour of the US? The Left and NDA would tear apart the Congress if the deal gets stalled (regardless of UK or Canada going ahead with their deal).
Do you think any Indian government would dare vote in favour of the US in future?
Yes, because it shows the maturing of the political leadership of India, instead of mouthing and believing platitiudes about democracy and shared values, blah blah blah, this is realpolitik. And it shows India dealing with the Executive branch, not just Congress to whom it has historically been close, especially the Democrats.
This tells Democrats that they don't have India in their pocket all the time.
I doubt the current govt did what it did unless it was confident of it's domestic political strength.
The Left and the NDA will howl, but then, they howl at almost everything. That said, I do agree with you that the US Congress will squelch the deal.
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