India bristles over Pakistan's new U.S. Status

Chicago Tribune ^ | April 5, 2004 | Liz Sly

[PeaceCorpsGuy]

When Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) arrived here last month, it seemed there were no limits to the blossoming new relationship between the U.S. and India.

Hailing the "strategic partnership" recently formed between the two countries, Powell declared that the United States and India are "enjoying perhaps the best relationship that has existed between our two great democracies in many, many years--if not in history."

Excerpt

[PeaceCorpsGuy]

Interesting. Been to India a few times and they clearly are very pro-US though historically the US has had stronger relations with Pakistan and the former Soviet Union was a bigger supporter of India.

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[Dajjal]

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[spetznaz]

Some day we will have to really make the Indians happy. We may think that currently we need Pakistan (who are at best extremely questionable allies), but someday we will realize what the Russians came to understand some time ago. India is a necessary buffer against growing Chinese dominance. In geo-political and military terms India is a vital peg in ensuring China is at least stabilized to some extent.

Think about it. Russia invests heavily in India since it has a huge strategic interest in a powerful India (the Siberian region in Russia is a huge magnet for China. China claims Russia annexed the region, and the Russians have a border issue that makes our Mexican immigration situation seem tiny in comparison). At the same time the Israelis are investing heavily in India's military and intelligence industry (since India is their partner in the war against terrorism and knows the ravages of terror well).

However what are we doing? Being codly with a Pakistan that has mroe anti-US sentiment than all of the Sunni Triangle distilled, and is a fester of terrorist sympathy and a Jihadi breeding ground. Why? So they can 'help' us in our war against terror.

Some day we will need a true ally in the region, and we will have to turn to India. It will be interesting to see how Powell (or whoever is in his position then) will explain to Delhi why he duped them into thinking everything was well only to offer a non-member NATO ally position to Pakistan. Some day we will realize who are true allies are and which nations only want to appear to be helping us.

I hope that when that day comes it is not too late.

[Jeff Head]

If we continue on this course, we will set the stage for one of the premisis of my Dragon's Fury Series novels...that India gets so disenfranchised with the west that they continue to be drawn into the other sphere...first economically and ultimately militarily.

As you have said spetz...I hope and pray we wake up to who our ally in the region should be. After spending some time there myself in India, it is obvious India can easily fill that role...and should IMHO. That is one of the reasons I wrote the series as I did.

[vanmorrison]

What nonsense! The Indians have been playing the US like the French for over forty years. The Indians need the US a heckuva lot more than the US needs India. If the Indians want the benefits of a strategic partnership, then let them act like it when the chips are down, insteading of sucking up to the Russians and other anti-American countries. The Indians weren't with us during the Cold War (like the Pakistanis were) and they're not with us now (like the Pakistanis are).

And I disagree with what seems to be your view that we need to consider all Moslem countries as enemies and all non-Moslem countries as potential friends. This doesn't square with the record. I'm glad that President Bush doesn't buy into that nonsense.

[Fenris6]

I've never understood why do not court and cultivate a better relationship with the world's largest Democracy. India would be an invaluable strategic ally in Asia.

The only reason we have an "alliance" with the Paki's is to help them keep their nukes out of the hands of Islamic Jihad.

[swarthyguy]

Firstly, the Indians are notorious for being rather thin skinned at times.

Secondly, I believe that relations have never been better, what with joint exercises, not to mention the outsourcing and hitech interactions going on.

Thirdly, the Indian western oriented educated middle class, however much they may lip service to the EuroSophisticates critiques of America, prefer to send their children to American colleges and do seperate American reality from her govt's policies. Opportunities via America are too good to let politics get in the way. This works on the American side too, otherwise, not many Indians would have been allowed to migrate here.

The timing may have been unfortunate but I believe it was smoke and mirrors. Powell gave a headsup to Sinha, the FM, about this announcement, and Sinha kept quiet about it, allowing Pakistan's Mush to claim a PR victory and see India's indigination as rubbing India's face in it.

In the meantime, joint air exercises and SF training in the tropical and mountain NE continues.

One small indication of India's importance was the Chief of the US sixth fleet praising India's anti terror/pirate patrols in the Straits of Mollucca.

And Singapore will be using the Gwalior airfield as a training airbase for its pilots.

This is primarily a tool for the AntiAmerican crowd in India to use this alleged "humiliation" as a club to beat up on the ProAmericans.

A tempest in a teapot, IMO.

Not much outsourcing going to Pakistan, after all.

[Dog Gone]

I agree with that analysis 100%. And I think it's not unreasonable to expect India to become a member of NATO within the next 10-20 years.

Frankly, I wouldn't mind them replacing you know who in the Security Council, but that's unlikely. You know who would veto it!

[swarthyguy]

Not only that, but the US should prevail on the Saudis and PAkistanis to stop blocking India's membership in the Org of Islamic states.

Heck, India has more muslims than most muslim countries. And nonjihadist to boot, WIPRO, an software/outsourcing giant has a muslim CEO who started the company. Or is it InfoSYS.

But that may be an irrelevant issue to India now.

[nkant87]

i agree, and our president it muslim :).

[nkant87]

Nonsense? So we should feed billions of dollras to the government that is considered one of the largest contributers to the al queda network (a fact no one can disprove). Theres no need to bring up the question of Muslim and Non-muslim countries in the case of Pakistan. Its an enemy in the war against terror, its been a major part of the terror network for decades.

And by the way, India has the second largest Muslim population, that my no means is greatly underrepresented. So theres nothing about muslim vs. non-muslim countries in this case.

[Badeye]

Yep. However, India does in fact want to be a "player" on the world scene. Many are upset with our presence via our navy in the Indian Ocean, for example.

[swarthyguy]

I hope that when that day comes it is not too late.

Too late it is tool late. Why do you think the most proUS govt ever in the history of India was booted out of office.