Rakshaks,
As a Canadian, I would like to take this opportunity to underscore the fact that not all Americans are alike, and not all Americans are like GeorgeWelch or Septimus P. or many of the ruling coterie in the various organs of the USG; including the DoD and the DoS, and their dark overlords in the "Military-Industrial Comlpex" (which includes pharma/chem, media and agribusinesses). Indeed, many individual Americans are very openminded and forward thinking -- and would readily accept the notion that the IAF might want a non-American aircraft for whatever reason, whether technical or political (both of which have always mattered, IMO, but I'm not the IAF -- don't forget).
Instinctively, many *individual* Americans embrace the concepts of a free and open competition producing innovation and progress. Indeed, in a very real sense, individual Americans are weened on these concepts. 'Fair play offers its own rewards' is a very common message in childrens' stories; and every American-schooled child can recount the (perhaps mythical) story of George Washington owning-up to cutting down a certain beloved cherry tree, proclaiming "I cannot tell a lie..."
In a very real sense, most Americans truly do believe that America is a bastian of fair play and honest competition (that is, until very recently, when the mortgage bubble burst and it was Americans themselves being scrooooooed by the American system). In their heart of hearts, they truly believe their own hype, which is why they can be so extremely intransigent.
[Of course, this is only possible because (almost) none of them really understand that the land was taken through force and acts of *unparalleled genocide* commited against the 'First Nations'; plus approximately 400-millon African slaves, a tidy 'fillip' known as 'operation paperclip', and 60+ years of "Cold War" atrocities committed all over the world, claiming millions upon millions of lives (a few of whom were even Americans in uniform).]
In my direct and ongoing experience; many Americans are very open minded and reasonable, and are worth discussing even the most controversial topics with. Even on points that you might disagree with them; these intelligent sorts of Americans are engaging and enlightenning; and some of the best guidance/correction I have ever received, has come to me by way of contrarian Americans. IMO, every effort should be made to engage with these sorts of people, from where ever in the world they hail, in order to continuously 'exercise' one's own thinking and ideas. After all, competition is a pretty good way to pick a winner.
HOWEVER, please recognize, reasonable Rakshaks, that
that is not what is going on here, a lot of the time, particularly when discussing the MMRCA with the likes of the 'GeorgeWelch SH-chatbot' and the
extremely under-employed Septimus P. Maybe their intransigence is borne of one mental oversight or failing or weakness or another. Perhaps they're mentally deficient, as some have suggested, or maybe they're nothing but computers running 'chatbots', as I've wondered myself. Whatever the case may be; understand that when you engage with certain people on certain topics, the result is not anything resembling discussion or debate or dialogue. The result is more akin to 'mutual ma$terbation'. Frankly, it always was unseemly, and now it's just downright obnoxious and offensive.
Maybe they truly do feel that "they" were treated unfairly in the MMRCA (even though they weren't).
Maybe they never understood that the MMRCA was the IAF's competition, and not their's to control as they'd wished (which truly surprised them).
Maybe they thought they could offer an old aircraft and sell it along with some kind of security guarantee intended to counterbalance China (which is not India's objective).
Maybe they felt that upon losing, that they had other options than just to 'take it' graciously (which is apparent).
Maybe they thought they could employ some 'moral suassion' (using 'agents of influence' in the press, or here on BRF), or coercion, or graft or dirty tricks or sabotage or subversion or blackmail or any number of other things they have ready in their very big and well-worn black bags.
Maybe they just don't understand the physics that would relegate a carrier-borne strike aircraft with atrocious wing loading to a
losing position in a free and fair competition with delta-winged aircraft enjoying much less wing loading.
Maybe they really thought their planes could take-off with a warload from Leh (
).
OR MAYBE concepts like fairness and free competition are thrown-out-the-window when large sums of money, continued industrial dominance, national security or H&D are at stake -- all of which did take a ding, predictably so. There is quite a lot of precedent for the latter.
Whatever the case -- there is no 'maybe' about it -- WRT the MMRCA, GeorgeWelch and Septimus P. aren't worth the keystrokes, and for the life of me, I don't understand why they don't go off in private somewhere and satisfy themselves with more conventional strokes -- using one hand. I'm pretty sure they'd be better at
that.
If its not made in Amrika by Amrikans then you cant convince him no matter how logical your argument maybe 