Posted on 01/28/2006 10:55:06 PM PST by Gengis Khan
Global Attitudes Survey reports that Indians lead the world for the most favourable impression of the US — 71% of Indian respondents approved of Washington, followed by 62% Polish, 59% Canadians and 55% Britons.
The odyssey that India as a nation and a state has made from the Soviet bear hug of the 1970s to the American eagle’s embrace is a major transformation in world politics. President Bill Clinton’s admonishment of PM Nawaz Sharif and the subsequent Pakistani withdrawal from Kargil in 1999 were major diplomatic events that signalled new equations in the subcontinent.
The Indian Cold War-era misgivings about mala fide American intentions melted and the notion that Uncle Sam is no longer pro-Pakistan when it comes to Kashmir — gained credence. The rousing welcome Clinton got on his landmark visit to India in 2000 contained a sizeable positive hangover from the Kargil intercession.
The fact remains that the Indian public and the security establishment are ultra-sensitive to Washington approach toward Islamabad. PM Manmohan Singh’s expressed “great disappointment” at the delivery of F-16s to Pakistan.
The post-9/11 cozying up of the US to the Pakistani military regime and continued adherence of Washington to the idea of maintaining “strategic balance” in the subcontinent are irritants unlikely to vanish any time soon.
Conditionalities, such as India voting against Iran at the IAEA, are being brought up as exchanges that might appease the non-proliferation backers; but this moots a classic clash of New Delhi’s domestic politics with America’s.
But, long-term energy security interests and Left pressure will likewise constrict New Delhi’s flexibility on Iran.
The fact that the US is badly embroiled in a ‘Vietnamising’ Iraq suggests that full-scale war on Iran is an unfeasible scenario any time soon.
Bush has two more years to go at the helm and the timing of this visit is more profitable in terms of the policy cycle. Counter-terrorism and civilian nuclear technology transfer will be undoubtedly on the menu of the Bush-Manmohan summit, but these do not constitute the whole shebang.
Bush will endorse India as the regional hegemony by consulting with its leaders on escalating violence in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Business delegations will accompany Bush to quietly notch out bilateral agreements on the sidelines. Bush’s trip will address Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture and discussions to deepen free trade, investment and armament sales.
NATO-class sophisticated military hardware is a key to the evolving bilateral relationship due to its implications for India as a countervailing force to authoritarian China, one of the favourite themes of the Republican administration. India’s long-term grand objective for competing with China will be to secure enough traction from the US. The Bush state visit may be better remembered for pushing the frontiers on these topics that ultimately thicken relations and reorder Asia’s chessboard configuration.
Who me? No way!
Something is wrong with Brian I tell you or someone else has logged in on his acccount. He keeps a long list of adjectives meant for Indians/Hindus [that you shouldn't be reading if you have just finished dinner] saved on his hard drive that he copies and pastes on every India/Hindu related threads. Probably he has lost the file. Only a matter of time before he gets himself a new wordlist.
I even kicked him out of my pinglist.
They are:-)
<< Who me? No way!
Something is wrong with Brian I tell you or someone else has logged in on his acccount. He keeps a long list of adjectives meant for [Gengis Khan] ..........
[Whom Brian, when bored, will bet these boards Ten Bucks will bite when baited]
[And who] even kicked him out of [His] pinglist. >>
Now that last bit's a bit of a worry, G-K.
But keep up your meds and R&R and get over to my America and get that PhD. And everything will turn up roses!
Blessings - Brian
<]:^)~<
>>
Bush has two more years to go at the helm . . .
<<
What value has the opinion of someone who cannot perform grade school level mathematics problems?
"Lies from the left wing press are destroying America.
Here are the facts:
We are winning in Iraq.
The economy is in great shape.
America is respected around the world.
Terrorism is under control.
Americans do not object to wire tapping.
The list goes on and on."
Guys-
Methinks an adolescent is engaged in a recreational fishing expedition.
The warning lights are flashing atop the smell sensor on my Leftist Punk-O-Meter.
Anyone else's detecting LiberalStink?
"Now that last bit's a bit of a worry, G-K. "
Ummmmmm.....I will have to think over it. It'll take a lot of time.
Who's whining?
I'm just stating a fact.
Oh really? How about this fact, then. One could round-up every Indian H1-B visa holder in the U.S., catapult them into the Grand Canyon, and it won't have any effect on our employment or wage rates.
No, they are Gol Guppa shells (poori).
I think India has a long way to go, but it's already come a long way -- I'm very, vEEERRY positive and bullish about India. India's economy is booming and now it's growing INTERNALLY -- not a pure export-oriented economy (like China or the ASEAN countries), but one that's growing on it's own and building it's own momentum. This can only be good for the civilised world as a whole. It's also stepping up to the plate and protecting the Malacca Straits, getting very pally with Japan and Australia and Israel. It also realises that the US and India share common principles (democracy, the rule of law) and common enemies (communism, islamofascism). Hopefully it can be the "soft power" that will pull Russia closer to the US as well,.
Iraq is no Vietnam -- American troops are pulling out and the majority of the population -- including Sunnis, want a peaceful and prosperous country. Both Afghanistan and Iraq have people with the most optimism about their future. No quagmire here (for a real quagmire look at Frenchie colonies like Cote D'Ivoire or at failure spots like Somalia or the Congo)
The left wing press CREATE antagonism against America -- they made a big hue and cry over the panty-wearing in Irq (no news about the necks being sliced or Saddy's torture mill -- you call having a woman strip in front of you torture?), then they made the false story about the Korans being torn in Guantanamo -- KNOWING THAT IT WOULD ANTAGONISE MUSLIMS THE WORLD OVER. They should be charged with causing danger to troops, every American, with their lies.
that would be kind of difficult -- 1000 million Indians, 300 million Americans. Well, you could invite the Brits and Aussies and Japs along.
DAYUM...Dayum-yum-yum-yummy!!
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