Posted on 10/23/2008 1:41:22 AM PDT by nickcarraway
A stronger relationship with India and a close strategic partnership will be a "top priority" of a Barack Obama administration, says the Democratic presidential candidate.
"The US should be working with India on a range of critical issues from preventing terrorism to promoting peace and stability in Asia," Senator Obama said in an exclusive interview with IANS, the first with a South Asian journalist after his nomination for the presidency by the Democratic party.
"Joe Biden and I will make building a stronger relationship, including a close strategic partnership, with India a top priority."
On his agenda for working with New Delhi, he said: "I also believe India is a natural strategic partner for America in the 21st century and that the US should be working with India on a range of critical issues from preventing terrorism to promoting peace and stability in Asia."
In the interview, Obama elaborated on a wide range of issues, from comprehensive immigration reforms and making globalisation and trade work for American workers, to seeking the active participation of the Indian American community in the process of change that he has advocated.
He said he would support "comprehensive immigration reform", including the H-1B visa programme "to attract some of the world most talented people to America".
Obama explained that he wanted to end abuses of the H1-B visas that is used by highly qualified specialists to work in US. He added that he would make "immigrant workers less dependent on their employers for their right to stay in the country, and would hold accountable employers who abuse the system and their workers".
The Obama administration, he said, would seek to strengthen ties with the "vibrant" Indian American community and encourage their "active engagement... in making the change we seek".
He asserted the Democratic nomination was running on the manifesto of "inclusiveness, optimism and hope" that will translate into a "progressive presidency".
On the contentious election topics of outsourcing and globalisation, he said: "We know that we cannot and should not put up walls around our economy."
Acknowledging that global competition "is a fact that cannot be reversed", Obama added: "But we must find a way to make globalisation and trade work for American workers."
Obama has deep roots in Chicago, having started his career as a community organiser in the city. From his days as an Illinois senator, he has had strong links with the city's growing Indian American community. He has worked regularly on issues ranging from reforms in immigration and campaign finance, to health care and education, with Illinois' premier Indian political networking group, the Indo-American Democratic Organization.
And by top priority Obama means in the same sense that Spain was top priority just before their election, and Lower Manhattan was a top priority 3Q 2001.
Has anyone counted all the things that Obama has said would be the “first” thing he would do as president; all the legislation he has said would be the “first” thing he would sign, and all the things that he has said would be his “priroities.”?
This bag o’ Obalogna will have to be a hundred socialist men from day one.
You think Obama will take the US to war with India? Huh?
As in what? He and Biden know of an imminent attack from Pock-istan?
In a timeline of Obama’s life he is said to have visited India. He had money from who knows where that paid for his college. Perhaps this is part of the payback?
Obama wants to make the US more like India.
If they had the meetings at 7/11 or Dunkin Doughnuts they can send Joe Biden. He speaks the language.
A sharp stick in the eye of Pakistan....
Whoever the audience is at the time is Obama’s “top priority”.
Just how many “top priorities” has this man had so far?
The truth is clear: Barack Obama’s top priority is, and always has been, himself.
So he wants more jobs that should go to Americans........to go to people from Inida.
This is a Bill Gates initiative.
I wish an American president would forge stronger ties with the world’s largest democracy. We always hear about it during campaigns, but rarely after.
I pray that uh-uh-uhbama is merely a narcissist. America can survive an incompetent boob.
I fear that he is a radical leftist ideologue. That we may not survive.
ping
Actually Obama will be running for World Leader, as soon as he wins in the U. S....just like he began running for President, as soon as he was Senator. There are a lot of votes in India.
Plus he will want us to start at the bottom there and build from the bottom up...lots of poor people needing U. S. tax dollars. Remember THE GLOVAL POVERTY ACT presented by Obama as Senator that passed the house..it’s only 845 billion dollars in next ten years.
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