[marron]

We have always let the Saudis guide our policies in the muslim world. But in the last few years they seem to have taken complete ownership.

I was happy to see under Bush an effort to engage India as a full ally but that seems to be sputtering to a stop.

[man_in_tx]

I was happy to see under Bush an effort to engage India as a full ally but that seems to be sputtering to a stop.
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This sputtering has been going on since at least the days of Reagan. Back then, I knew an Indian ex-pat who was a serving AF physician. He could not understand why the US did not do more to shore up its relationship with India to counter the Soviets. (Neither could I, though — until he made the comment — I had never given it any thought.)

[Zhang Fei]

I was happy to see under Bush an effort to engage India as a full ally but that seems to be sputtering to a stop.

This is because India doesn't do alliances. It wants all the benefits of an alliance without the obligations. India has been one of the most flagrant violators of sanctions against Iran, and gave us the middle finger on Iraq.