Posted on 03/01/2006 4:44:58 PM PST by mylife
Howdy, pardner
March 1, 2006
India should welcome George W. Bush. The world's largest economic, military and cultural power, the United States, has the ability to do a great deal of harm, as well as a great deal of good to us. In the past 60 years, it has done both. America's ties with Pakistan undermined Indian security as nothing else could have. The US-sponsored jehad against the Soviet occupiers in Afghanistan left a detritus of arms and explosives, not to mention jehadis, in our region. But US aid has also left a legacy of the Green Revolution that helped us become self-sufficient in agriculture; American assistance helped fight hunger in the Fifties and Sixties, and its largesse transformed our engineering and management colleges.
The US retains its dual character vis a vis India. It is naturally in our interest to maximise the good and minimise the harm. Despite the asymmetry that exists between the two countries, this latest encounter is more equal than ever before. Despite what the Left would have us believe, the India of 2006 is not the country that abjectly sought American military aid in the wake of the defeat against China in 1962, or survived on daily shipments of wheat in 1966. We now possess nuclear weapons, have a flourishing economy and possess a self-confident people who have beaten back every attempt — some led by the US — to contain us. There is need to clearly understand the weights on the balance. We need a technical deal to liberate our nuclear power programme from US-led embargoes, while the Americans want to boost their sagging influence in Asia by coming closer to us. To achieve double-digit growth we need to sharply boost nuclear energy capacity now, and not in some distant future.
At the same time, in the increasingly turbulent world, the US seeks to set anchor in a vibrant and stable India. While they want a partner who can help assure their own continued prosperity, India can do with investment from — and markets in — the world's biggest economy. What is it that drives India and the US closer? Perhaps democracy, although a deeper look would also reveal other answers: a shared ethos, an open society, an ability to assimilate diversity, and a keen understanding of what constitutes enlightened self-interest.
Do they still have the untouchable class in India?
Now when I call a Help Desk, I can get someone who actually speaks understandable English, I would be much happier.
How about GWB makes arangement to import English to India?
I really dont know.
Its a very diverse place
I believe the English arleady have imported english to India
What's the most popular American cola in India?
Discrimination against untouchables is against the law in India. In fact, they have quotas and set asides for them, and an untouchable previously served as India's president.
that does not mean that certainl individuals don't still practice discrimination.
I think you have identified the problem. Now we need a solution.
Yes, there is. And I fervently hope India can accurately measure.
I think Indias math skills are quite up to the task
It isn't their Math skills that concern me.
The most popular American cola is Pepsi! The most popular cola is a local variant, ThumbsUp (which was subsequently acquired by Coke).
How about RC Cola? It was the best seller for a long time I think..
Don't know about RC Cola....never drank it in India. There used to be a Campa Cola but that brand disappeared many, many years ago.
The first time I drank RC Cola was when I lived in the South (AL) (where it remains quite popular to this day).
I'm wrong....Double Cola
I attended a trade seminar where a guy from India came and gave a talk about the success of Double Cola in India.as I recall, India wouldn't allow Coke or Pepsi. Double Cola was allowed because it was franchised as a family business.
I think India is much more receptive to trade now.
Ahhh....Double Cola; almost forgot about it. IT existed for a year or two and then disappeared without a trace. I remember when Pepsi and Coke came into the country (after market liberalization), they ran out of stock for the first few weeks. They had just not anticipated the pent-up demands of the then-emerging Indian middle class.
It is obviously a different story now. Ford has a significant share of the Indian market and US companies are active in most industrial sectors.
Coca-Cola (personal observation, last week). And it tastes like American Coke of the 50s, not today's stuff.
Huh! I didn't encounter any Pepsi there, just Coke.
Hmmm.....it was Pepsi when I was there but that was more than six years ago. Coke must be popular now....interesting.
India.......is a fantastic country with some incredibly warm, bright people who appreciate freedom and democracy.
Now, I admit my own biases due to my faith when I say that the only thing holding back Indian society is the prevailing Hindu faith. Widespread acceptance of Christianity in their culture would do more to see a veritable "explosion" in Indian growth and cultural flourishing than anything else, hands down.
All in all, I'm proud to call India a friend of the U.S.
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