[Cronos]

wuli: and its “lead” was never about itself; its “lead” was about its senior role in the partnerships of nations that shared its values; nations it had rescued from war, nations it had subdued in war and reformed in its aftermath, nations seeking to build on the same paths of essential freedoms, democracy and free enterprise.

True -- yet remember that this was the same thing that happened to Athens, eventually it was perceived as hubris

you are partially correct that the US was INITIALLY not chagrined by India wanting to chart its own path; a “separate” path. -- this was the Eisenhowever-Kennedy doctrine. nixon changed that.

India tried to take the simplistic "Oh, we are a saintly Gandhi nation" view, shunning realpolitik

and you are correct that It hurt India far more than the U.S., by keeping Indian foreign policy locked in simple anti-Americanism for no good purpose. -- it took a GREAT President like Dubya to change that.... and it's taking a LOSER like Obambi to tear down this relationship

[ravager]

“India tried to take the simplistic “Oh, we are a saintly Gandhi nation” view, shunning realpolitik”

Incorrect. India dumped Gandhi in favor of realpolitik right after the Indo-China war when Indian started the military build up and nuclear program.

“It hurt India far more than the U.S., by keeping Indian foreign policy locked in simple anti-Americanism for no good purpose.”

Wrong again. It did not hurt India at all. India turned out to be a strategic winner (Militarily, politically and economically) in the long run. Pakistan was quick to sell out to the US. They lost.

Even Obama’s tough love is not going to hurt India even one tiny iota. India's fate is not dependent on US.