India-US Strategic News and Discussion

Shrinivasan · Post by **Shrinivasan** » 20 Jul 2011 07:55

joshvajohn wrote:
They want us to help them out in Afghanistan and build up ANA/P. India today has the list.
Why not help them at this stage? India and US relationship has emerged a long positive way. It is better to get all the exploits such relationship. It is also essential for US to clear all the hurdles of nuclear power sharing.

US committed to expanding N-deal with India

Josh, you seem to have woke up from a slumber, Immediately after 9/11 India offered to help US to fight AQ/Telebunnies in Afghanistan, US ignored it and went to bed with the Pukes. Since then US has been rebuking Indian initiatives in Afghanistan in deference to the Pigs (or by their own accord -Immaterial now). Even US anal-yist can been lamenting on this subject and now Chindu is preaching it to us.. As long as the US wanted Pakees, they were in bed with them, now they want to jump into our bed, it is prudent not to rush in at this juncture. At the drop of a hat, US MIGHT MAKE an ABOUT-TURN and leave us high and dry (remember what happened to the Shias of Basra in 1991???).
Regarding the N-deal, US wanted the deal as much as India wanted it... Con-grease wants to portray this as Manna from heaven. not exactly so!!!

AnantD · Post by **AnantD** » 20 Jul 2011 09:55

Bottom line is that US has to sever it CIA-ISI relationship, what Colon Powell referred to as "their ass-etts" in TSP before India will even begin to have any trust in unkil.

Lots of people in the US (mango-khans) want to see this but its going to take a lot of house cleaning and retirement of junk in various GOTUS departments for this to take shape.

They just arrested a 62 year old Paki on Tax fraud in Virginia, USA, who was paying off the likes of India baiter congressman Dan Burton at the ISI's behest. Obviously, a lot of the beneficiaries are shocked and surprised.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/ ... 0714.shtml
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/1 ... 03572.html
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/politics ... challenges

Scandal highlights Burton's challenges

Updated: Tuesday, 19 Jul 2011, 8:32 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 19 Jul 2011, 5:32 PM EDT
By: Jim Shella

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indiana Congressman Dan Burton received campaign contributions from a man now accused of being a spy for the Pakistani government. It's the latest political problem for a Republican under fire by members of his own party.

Syed Fai was arrested in Washington Tuesday, accused of illegally funneling money to members of Congress, including Dan Burton.

Burton contends that contribution he received was legal but, if there is any doubt he says, he will give the money ($10,000) to the Boy Scouts. Meanwhile, opponents from his own party continue to line up in the 5th Congressional District.

Do you really think he didn't know where the money was coming from? He used to be laughed at in Congess when he spouted the usual ISI lines, since there was no context here for understanding what he was talking about.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 20 Jul 2011 09:59

U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement

U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue: All-Star Cast, Playing Small Ball: Teresita C. Schaffer

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 20 Jul 2011 10:23

US slips in deadline for nuclear law- Clinton seeks ratification ‘before end of this year’, promises to ‘press’ Pak

U.S. wants IAEA to vet Indian liability law

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 20 Jul 2011 12:46

As one commentator put it well on telly,the US has "strategic relationships" with Pak,China,Japan,etc.,etc., and India! When it comes to economic,educational,commercial and cultural affairs, India and the US have had good relations even during the Cold War when our NAM flag did not find favour with Washington.It is in the realm of strategic affairs that the relationship has always been flavoured with a sour taste.The post P-2 sanctions that delayed the LCA programme inordinately,the stopping of sale of Russian cryogenic engines,the continuous molly-coddling of Pak depite all its well known anti-Indian terrorist acts,including 26/11,the Headley affair-where strong suspicions exist in India that the US (its intel entities) knew about the 26/11 plot in advance and did not warn India,continuing to support pak with arms and aid,and now when the US is trying to "welsh" on the N-deal,trying to protct its N-industry from international scale financial liabilities in the event of a N-accident, DESPITE the Fukushima catastrophe in Japan and is now trying to insert new clauses in the N-deal detrimental to India!

As Mrs.C. has openly said, if the US has little influence upon Pak,then what in the world is the worth of the so-called Indo-US "strategic relationship"? What is extremely curious that the US is pressing for an even closer Indo-US intel/security realtionship because of incrasing anti-Indian terrorism,which toally emanates form Pak! This leaves many with the suspicion that the Paki terrroism directed against India is actually orchestrated by the CIA-ISI combine,where the US manipulates Indian security and militayr planning to suit the US-Paki regional machinations.As has been truly said by all on BR,the US has NEVER bothered about Indian interests in Afghanistan and tried its very best to destroy the Indo-Iranian ties,which are a means of India checkmating Pak in Afghanistan,as Iran also has been a victim of Paki launched terror on its borders.

Truly has the good Dr.Singh been sold an N-deal worth billions of $$$ of radioactive "snake-oil" from Uncle Sam,and is desperately trying to pass on the same to the Indian people .

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 20 Jul 2011 14:08

Has Hillary come for a holiday?

Hillary gets a haircut in Delhi

"She has been given a special suite on the seventh floor. The entire floor has been blocked and all the rooms have been occupied by the delegates who've come with her. I've been called to style her hair again this morning (Wednesday). She plans to do some shopping in the day, and later, by noon, she will check out and head south to Chennai."

rajanb · Post by **rajanb** » 20 Jul 2011 14:56

abhishek_sharma wrote:The Forthcoming Strategic Dialogue with India: Uneven

Delhi keeps Hillary away from Left Waterloo- Calcutta dropped after Centre agonises over US leader’s trip soon after CPM ouster

From the same article:

But the trip is likely to be a failure when it comes to practical policies that address the coming collapse in Afghanistan and after that, conceivably, Pakistan.

He wants us to participate in stopping Paki downhill sking?

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 20 Jul 2011 16:27

Clinton nudges India to broaden interests, influence in China’s backyard

cbelwal · Post by **cbelwal** » 20 Jul 2011 18:32

The following video has an interview with an ex-IT officer Desh Bandhu Gupta who has been rather forthcoming with glaring details on black money. Its hard not to beleive this guy considering the amount of corruption that is prevalent in the government. In this interview he explain why Congress is bending backwards to accomodate the US. Apparently, Sonia Gandhi's name is tied to shady oil transactions with Saddam Hussain of which US forces collected documented proof and using that now as a leverage. Some other startling details are revealed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... KYAoP4nAHg

habal · Post by **habal** » 20 Jul 2011 19:22

problem with India & it's govt is that they frequently forget the basics, and always undercut their own people. The Govt exists to serve it's people, Govt of India should have always modelled it's oil policy after US oil policy and it's retailing system or even better. What is the distance between India & middle-eastern countries ? yet we pay the highest prevailing petrol prices in the world at any time.

What is the Govt of India doing with this surplus funds, is it financing budgetary deficit ? Or are they using it to line up pvt accounts ?

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 20 Jul 2011 20:47

abhishek_sharma wrote:U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue: All-Star Cast, Playing Small Ball: Teresita C. Schaffer

Leaving aside the fluff, their main interest is in propping up TSP

With India and Pakistan holding to their plans for talks despite the Mumbai blasts, one hopes the delegation will get a candid briefing on how India assesses the prospects – and will be able to discreetly encourage both sides to make real progress.

So its not TSP, somebody from Mars conducted the Mumbai blasts, and TSP has been so nice to not disrupt the talks. What a bunch of charlatans these so called "South Asia experts" are.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 21 Jul 2011 01:34

The China Challenge: A strategic vision for U.S.-India relations by Lisa Curtis and Dean Cheng

India’s rejection of the MMRCA has added a dose of realism to Indo-U.S. relations and reminded U.S. officials that the burgeoning partnership will not always reach the full expectations of either side. Still, the growing strategic challenge presented by a rising China will inevitably drive the U.S. and India to increase cooperation in defence and other key sectors, such as space, maritime security, and nuclear non-proliferation.

..Chinese assessments of Indian military planning suggest a view in Beijing that New Delhi sees China as a major threat. One Chinese assessment concludes that the Indian military sees Pakistan as the main operational opponent and China as a potential operational opponent. It also describes the Indians as seeing China and Pakistan as closely aligned in threatening India.

China’s interest in consolidating its hold on Tibet and its perceptions of India’s expanding global influence and closer ties to the U.S. have led Beijing to harden its position on its border disputes with New Delhi over the past five years.The hardening Chinese position can be traced back to comments made by the Chinese ambassador to India, referring to the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of China, in the run-up to President Hu Jintao’s November 2006 visit.Moreover, in recent years, Chinese commentators have begun to refer to Arunachal Pradesh commonly as “Southern Tibet.” Prior to 2005, there were no Chinese references to “Southern Tibet” in China’s official media.In July 2010, the official newspaper of the PLA, People’s Liberation Army Daily, reported that units of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) were engaging in armed combat air patrols. These are believed to have been advanced Su-27 or J-11 (domestically produced versions of the Su-27) fighter aircraft.

The combat air patrols were followed by an August 2010 logistics exercise involving the newly constructed Qinghai-Tibet railway. This exercise marked the first PLAAF use of the railway for military purposes, with the Military Transportation Department of the PLAAF Logistics Department overseeing the movement of “combat readiness materials” to Tibet. This would seem to reflect a growing PLAAF role in maintaining security along the Sino-Indian border in the Tibetan area.

In October 2010, there were reports that the PLA had conducted joint (inter-services) live-fire exercises in Tibet for the first time. These reportedly involved armour, artillery, air, and electronic warfare units and a variety of new equipment. Given the emphasis placed on joint operations in PLA doctrine, such exercises are not surprising, but instead reflect the extent to which they are being applied across the military, not just opposite Taiwan.

Indian expert observers do not interpret China’s new-found assertiveness as preparation for imminent conflict, and they continue to calculate that the overall probability of another Sino-Indian war is low. However, they believe China may be trying to enhance its bargaining position in the ongoing border negotiations. The Indian observers note that incursions across the disputed borders are likely aimed at gaining tactical advantage to bolster Chinese territorial claims

India is pursuing better ties with Vietnam to try to check Chinese naval influence and access to the Indian Ocean. New Delhi initiated a new security partnership with Hanoi in 2000 that emphasized defence training, supply of advanced weaponry, and the potential for India to gain access to the South China Sea through the Cam Ranh Bay naval and air base. Indian officials have long understood the importance of Vietnam in the South China Sea and its potential to balance the Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean. The Vietnamese have demurred on granting India access to Cam Ranh Bay, and the Vietnamese–Indian security partnership remains limited. Vietnam has supported India in its quest for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and has helped to block Pakistan’s bid for membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum.

China, meanwhile, increasingly sees India as a maritime as well as a land threat. An assessment of the Indian military published by the PLA’s National Defense University Press observes that, since the 1970s, India has increasingly shifted its strategic attention toward the Indian Ocean. In the Chinese view, this shift began in the wake of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, with increased construction of naval bases and forces and a concomitant expansion of Indian strategic guiding thoughts (zhanlue zhidao sixiang) to the Indian Ocean, and accelerated in the 1980s with the dispatch of Indian troops to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. While some of this naval effort is seen as being aimed at other states in the Indian Ocean region, especially Pakistan, the Chinese assessment also sees the Indian naval buildup as aimed at extra-regional military powers.

What the U.S. should do
- Support India’s military modernisation campaign - During the 1990s, the U.S. had pressured India to modify its nuclear and missile posture and opposed the deployment of India’s short-range Prithvi missile and the development of its medium-range Agni missile. The U.S. must recognise India’s need to improve its strategic capabilities in order to address potential challenges from a rising China.
--Develop new initiatives for keeping the Indian Ocean safe and secure,
--Increase cooperation with India to address cyber security threats
--Keep strategic messaging in the region consistent-The Administration faltered in 2009 when it promoted U.S.–China “cooperation” in South Asia as part of the U.S.–China Joint Statement. South Asia constitutes India’s immediate neighbourhood, and America’s interests in the region are far more aligned with India than they are with China. Stabilising Afghanistan and ensuring that it never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists is one example of the convergence of U.S.-Indian strategic interests in the region. If the U.S. is to forge a lasting partnership with India, it must start by recognising India’s predominant interests in South Asia, even as it promotes peace, stability, and economic progress throughout the Subcontinent.

dnivas · Post by **dnivas** » 21 Jul 2011 02:50

cbelwal wrote:The following video has an interview with an ex-IT officer Desh Bandhu Gupta who has been rather forthcoming with glaring details on black money. Its hard not to beleive this guy considering the amount of corruption that is prevalent in the government. In this interview he explain why Congress is bending backwards to accomodate the US. Apparently, Sonia Gandhi's name is tied to shady oil transactions with Saddam Hussain of which US forces collected documented proof and using that now as a leverage. Some other startling details are revealed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... KYAoP4nAHg

wow , I saw the last interview regarding corruption. This is even scarier. I hope this gets mainstream

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 21 Jul 2011 10:41

Texas Inmate executed

...

(CNN) -- Texas inmate Mark Anthony Stroman was executed Wednesday for the killing of a man from India in what Stroman believed to be revenge for the September 11, 2001, attacks, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.

Stroman was put to death at 9:53 p.m. ET, the spokesman said.

Stroman, 41, made national headlines after he fatally shot Vasudev Patel during a shooting rampage after the 9/11 attacks. An admitted white supremacist, Stroman targeted those he believed were Middle Eastern in revenge for the attacks.

Patel was shot at the Mesquite, Texas, gas station that he operated.

A Pakistani man, Waqar Hasan, was also killed, and a Bangladeshi man, Rais Bhuiyan, was seriously wounded in separate attacks committed by Stroman, prosecutors said.

CNN is emphasising the Indian man's death and underplaying the Pakistani man's death and the wounding of the Bangladeshi man.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 21 Jul 2011 17:13

What was Hillary really doing in India?

Does she actually have so much time on her hands??

She looks like a madras mami

Does this look like the usual itinerary of Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, the 67th United States Secretary of State??

Clinton's Chennai sojourn

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with a 'bindi' painted on her forehead. Clinton's visit to Chennai was the final part of her three-day state visit to India which concluded on July 21, 2011. Her packed programme included a call on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, interaction with Working Women's Forum members and a visit to Kalakshetra where she witnessed Kathakali and Bharatanatyam forms of dance.

Hitesh · Post by **Hitesh** » 21 Jul 2011 18:37

Hillary is an impassioned supporter for women's rights and empowerment so she will do anything she can if she can fit in her schedule or make some room to go out on these kind of trips and encourage women from anywhere to empower themselves. Also she is trying to cultivate relationships in southern India as to broaden her base of network and support.

Venkarl · Post by **Venkarl** » 21 Jul 2011 19:18

Well...whatever Hillary Clinton has said in Chennai is really inspiring and I as an Indian expect my leaders inspire me and my countrymen that way. But HC doing this apart from boosting Indo-US trade seems "Channa ki jhaad chadau" type...but seriously is she a lady or what?...has set an awesome vision for India...lets see whose got what behind this "speech"

Regards

Added Later:

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with a 'bindi' painted on her forehead

That Bindi and Garland is a part of "Athidi Devo Bhava" process by Indians. No emphasis required as put in the article unless she put that Bindi in her dressing room.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 21 Jul 2011 21:00

Guess she wasn't on holiday after all

Hillary Clinton’s Hits and Misses in India

Clinton is understood to have made a strong pitch for more US military sales to India, especially in the wake of American companies recently losing out in the race for a $ 10.4 billion order by the Indian Air Force for 126 fighter aircraft. She expressed her country’s willingness to sell state-of-the-art F 35 warplanes to India at “unbelievable” prices. The Americans are understood to have asked the Indian government to open its purse strings for the Lockheed built fifth generation super stealth F-35 Lightning the basic model of which is being made available to India for $ 65 million apiece. The Indian defence establishment would naturally find the offer too good to be true as much inferior fourth generation French Rafale is priced at $ 85 million and Eurofighter Typhoon (also a fourth generation aircraft) at $ 125 million apiece. The American offer signals American desperation for capturing a big pie of the highly lucrative Indian defence market, especially after two top American fighter aircraft manufacturers – Lockheed (F-16) and Boeing (F-18) – got eliminated in the recent Indian MMRCA deal worth $ 10.4 billion. More clarity would have to emerge on the proposed F 35 Lightning sales to India.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 22 Jul 2011 00:43

USINPAC shocked by links between KAC and the ISI

Expresses concern over KAC’s association with Rep. Dan Burton

July 20, 2011, Washington DC: The US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) is appalled by the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence(ISI) in the funding and activities of Kashmiri American Council (KAC) that claimed to have been working to raise awareness in US about the struggle of the Kashmiri people for self-determination. The KAC had supported the election campaign of Dan Burton (R-IN), a constant critic of India who has also asked for greater US role in resolving the Kashmir issue.

On Tuesday, the FBI charged Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director at KAC, and accused him “of a decades-long scheme with one purpose- to hide Pakistan's involvement behind his efforts to influence the US government's position on Kashmir.”

USINPAC has previously called out Rep. Burton and supported his primary opponent Dr. John McGoff. Rep. Burton has been a major critic of India and has accused India of "being one of the world's worst human rights abusers" and for having "a record of committing acts of terrorism." He has made over 16 unsubstantiated accusations about India on the floor of Congress in the past two decades.

USINPAC Chairman Sanjay Puri stressed upon USINPAC’s continued support of the right candidates such as Dr. John McGoff. He also pointed to the Pakistani army and intelligence agencies obsession with Kashmir and said, “The use of KAC by the ISI shows how far these agencies could go to undermine a legitimate India-Pakistan peace process.” He further stated that KAC’s actions undermine the activities and efforts of other non-profit organizations working towards various noble causes.

In 2005, USINPAC organized support in Congress to successfully prevent Rep. Burton from becoming the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee. In 2003, USINPAC organized a campaign to successfully prevent Rep. Burton from becoming the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee that had jurisdiction over India.

About USINPAC: The U.S India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) is a bi-partisan non-profit organization and the voice of 2.7 million Indian-Americans. It works to impact policy on issues of concern to the Indian-American community in the US. We also provide bipartisan support to candidates for federal, state and local office who support the issues that are important to the Indian-American community. For more information visit us at http://www.usinpac.com

Follow USINPAC on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 22 Jul 2011 13:10

After the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue: Not Visionary, but Solid: Teresita C. Schaffer

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 22 Jul 2011 16:53

"Unbelievable"...,the offer of the JSF ,an aircraft that is so late in development,has yet to be perfected even for the conventional version that will only arrive by 2020,according to Oz estimates and forcing US allies ,like Oz,even Britain to drastically cut the numbers on order (50 from 170+),plus the fact that RN has cancelled the order for STOVL versions (only one flying as of now) and plumped for the cheaper conventional JSF.These cancellations and rethinking by allies is seeing the prices also escalate astronomically! The current cost of a JSF is $130 million,which could climb even further when SoKo,Japan,etc. buy as stop-gap aircraft
F-15SEs or the EF,rafales,etc.,and other nations follow suit.

BY 2017,the IAF hopes to induct the first avatar of the FGFA which will be superior to the JSF,as it can carry far more ordnance in internal weapons bays,and by 2020 have a few sqds. fully operational.These aircraft are also going to come in at a far lower cost,$100 million apiece and most importantly of all is being jointly developed by both India and Russia,giving us unprecedented bleeding edge aerospace tech,which will allow us to develop our own string of lcal suppliers for the entire range of systems and components for the same.The US will never give us the full TOT for the JSF as it has refused even Briitain,its closest ally the same.

If Hillary quoted an "unbelievable" price then she selling a truly "unbelievable" snake-oil product,expelling hot air from both orifices!

PS:However,SMK wouldn't know any better.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 22 Jul 2011 18:17

I think the F-35 deal is just for the H&D of Amikhan.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 22 Jul 2011 21:21

There is one school of thought in BRF that says the US Republicans have been better to India than the US Democracts. Now with Fai's arrests and the US political connections, it corroborates what I have been saying - when it comes to foreign policy, it does not matter if it is Democrats or Republicans, both parties will put their national interest first. In fact, it is Obama who is turning the screws on Pakistan. I remember several knee-jerk reactions when Obama was elected. No, I am not saying he is the varaprasadam for India, just that India needs to do what it takes and lobby the American politicians on both side of the aisles. Pakistan's takleef is enjoyable. Enjoy when it lasts, before Obama or someone else decides it is enough.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 22 Jul 2011 21:42

http://www.wtfnoway.com/

A Visualization of United States debt

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

US Debt Clock

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 22 Jul 2011 22:55

Clinton’s Southern India Sojourn

But there were two particularly interesting things about Clinton’s stay. First was how this round of US-India engagement has been so dominated by women. Clinton met with Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jayaramand Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, while India’s ambassador to the United States, Meera Shankar, has played an active role in arranging the visit.

The second interesting point is that the only other place Clinton visited aside from New Delhi was Chennai. Clinton’s key engagements included a lecture at the Anna Centenary Library, where she lauded Tamil Nadu for its commendable progress, especially in the realm of education and industrialisation. She also spoke about broader issues, such as the Indo-US partnership, the situation in neighbouring Sri Lanka and the role India can play in stabilising South Asia.

Interestingly, while talking about a larger role for India in the Asia-Pacific region, Clinton invoked Chennai’s geographical location and Tamil Nadu’s historical links with Southeast Asia.

‘There is no better place to speak about Asia-Pacific than Chennai, which looks out onto the Bay of Bengal. Indian traders have sailed these waters for thousands of years and their influence can still be seen across the region – in the Tamil influences in the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia and in the Ganesha gods that guard homes in Indonesia,’ she said.

So why is the Chennai visit noteworthy? For a start, it recognises a new dynamic in India’s foreign policy, namely the increasing role of provinces in India’s conduct of foreign policy. While once it would have seemed odd for a foreign dignitary to discuss bilateral relations with a third nation with the chief minister of a state, Clinton did precisely this when she discussed the Sri Lankan issue with Jayalalitha.

Second, Clinton’s visit to southern India clearly underscores the increasing clout the region has, both economically and politically. No longer is there a sense that foreign policy is framed exclusively through a north Indian way of thinking.

{red flags}

A sober assessment of the visit: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opi ... epage=true

Ms Clinton, who turned up after a delay 45 minutes, went straight to the lectern, read out her speech with a few complimentary allusions to Chennai and Tamil Nadu grafted on to it and walked off the way she came, without so much as a wave of the hand.

Next, the spin masters led Chennai down the primrose path of believing that Ms Clinton was coming to the city to have a feel of the impressive role it is playing as a bustling hub of trade and industry and to signal the paramount importance the US attached to forging a people-to-people, instead of a mere government-to-government, partnership.

Both these vital objectives deserve more than a tremendously rushed sweep of a short meeting with the Chief Minister, a set-piece recycled speech brimming with stale and oft-repeated statements and an hour or so of cultural show.

The Americans seemed unwilling to take the local officials to be every whit as competent and committed to the security of Ms Clinton.

It is because of this tendency of looking upon everyone other than themselves as less knowledgeable and experienced, that they often come to grief when they handle foreign policy issues or are on foreign soil.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 23 Jul 2011 02:48

^^^^

That tells how deeply US is involved in Indian politics. They are very aggressive in getting the combo of Indian coalition that they want. In their modeling they beleive a coalition headed by INC is good in their interests as they do not need to see 1998 type surprises. In their models, they are forseeing Jaya's future stellar role way ahead of time.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 23 Jul 2011 03:01

Pretty good article and very straight forward. NVS is very good in writing external affairs, foreign policy and diplomacy.

America is manipulating India against Pakistan solely for its benefit, warns N.V.Subramanian.

22 July 2011: Is the United States manipulating Indian sensitivities and stoking its fears vis-a-vis Pakistan and Af-Pak to advance its own strategic interests? The interpretative evidence for this is strong in the Ghulam Nabi Fai and David Coleman Headley/ Tahawwur Rana cases and in post-US Afghan scare scenarios that are frightening senior officials of the Manmohan Singh government.

The Headley-Rana affair remains enduringly mysterious. Headley spied for the 26/11 attack for the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Rana provided him corporate cover for his frequent India visits. The US permitted a plea bargain to Headley so he wouldn't be extradited to India. And Rana's 26/11 case intriguingly collapsed while his LeT connection and role in the Danish newspaper bombing plot secure him a long sentence.

This writer believed that it was the Headley/ Rana Danish conspiracy that forced the US to blow their cover and bring them to trial. This could still be true. But there could be another reason for the US to expose Headley and Rana. This would be to put pressure on Pakistan to toe the US line on Af-Pak and hunt the Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists in FATA and Quetta.

Headley was a US undercover agent. Exposing him would out a US mole in Pakistan's terrorist world. Why did the US do so then? A US diplomat posted in India recently told another Western envoy that America could have "prevented" 26/11. The US chose not to do so to save Headley's operations. Then why go after him suddenly, which is strangely reminiscent of the current prosecution of Ghulam Fai?

This writer reckons the US used the Headley/ Rana case to pressure the ISI/ Pak military to cooperate fully with the US war on terror. Indian journalists in Washington say Pakistan was terrified about the Headley/ Rana affair playing to India's advantage. When the US deflected Pakistani pressure to shut down the trial, it was left with a Pak plea not to permit ISI-related papers to be presented in the trial. The oral testimonies of Headley and Rana could be always denied by Pakistan but documents presented difficulties.

Whatever was the short-term quid pro quo the US gained from Pakistan on Af-Pak, the Headley/ Rana affair suddenly terminated. The great Indian hopes of fixing Pak terror once for all from the Headley/ Rana episode (don't ask how) evaporated. This writer is convinced the US used Headley and Rana to put Pakistan on the defensive, raised expectations in India from the affair to double the pressure on Pakistan, and then, at the proper moment, threw cold water on the whole project.

This is remarkably similar to what is now happening in the Ghulam Fai case. It is inconceivable that the FBI hadn't been on Ghulam Fai's track for years. It chose now to close in on him to put the pressure on Pakistan. Some of this has already been reported. But its terrible significance has not dawned on India. The US knew about Ghulam Fai's double game for long but chose not to assist India by taking him in before. It stinks like the Headley affair. When the screws needed to be turned on Pakistan, the FBI obliged.

While India should make the most of the Ghulam Fai exposure, it should also be detached. It should not indulge in triumphalism as in the Headley/ Rana case, because, again, the Ghulam Fai affair will gently fade away. The more India reacts, the more this will strengthen the US hand against Pakistan. While this is not in itself objectionable, India should entirely know the score. The US has absolute self-interest in hounding Ghulam Fai, and is consequently manipulating Indian anger on the matter.

Finally, there are post-US-withdrawal Taliban scare scenarios being promoted by an army of US delegations to panic India to sign CISMOA, LSA, PSI, CSI and other American security initiatives resisted by this country and to buy American homeland security equipment. After 13/7 (just like following 26/11), the heat is growing on India to source homeland security systems from the US without assessing their suitability for this country or their adaptability to these conditions.

The Taliban threat is not new to India. In their medieval rule of Afghanistan up to their dislodgement from power post-9/11, the Taliban made no material difference to India's management of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. In this writer's reporting days in Kashmir in the Nineties, there was some excitable comment about a Taliban role in J and K. But the forces never felt discomfited and that remains the case.

India is well capable of handling any Taliban threat in J and K. The US did not assist India to prevent 26/11. Its early warning of the Bombay attack was shoddy. So its advice on the Taliban threat must be taken with a pinch of salt. The US has a dying role in South Asia and particularly Afghanistan. India has to make its own moves and calculations. The US is not a reliable partner in the region or anywhere. The sooner India sees through the US game in Af-Pak, the better.

Pakistan is India's enemy. If the US cannot lessen that Pak enmity, there should be no collaboration with it where India becomes the loser.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 23 Jul 2011 03:28

Have to be careful with this "manipulation" angle too. Yes the USA is bluffing, as I have suggested before. Yes, USA is selectively exposing elements of its network with Paki interests - as a retaliatory and regime-changing measure.

USA wants the separate independent entity of Pak to remain - because an independent "sovereign" nation is useful on the subcontinent. Those who think Pak's problems make it less attractive for USA- are wrong. Actually Pak's problems make it more attractive for the US state-think [not its think-tanks/official outpourings/spokespersons]. The greater in sh** a country is - more attractive it is since it can be made more dependent.

At the same time weakening India is also not an attractive option, because it decreases the leverage on Pak in the Tom+Jerry model that USA applies to the subcontinent. Neither Iran, Russia, nor China is considered current/potential "friend" by USA - so weakening India is not an option.

However, weakening a "country" is not equivalent to weakening a "regime". We need to keep this in mind. Moreover what applies to Pak in regime-country dichotomy - also apples to India. USA has been shedding off allies developed in the late -cold-war early post-soviet transition.

So the kongrez wallahs should not take it as written in stone - that USA will continue to support its current dynasty forever into the future. Maybe the dynasty is aware of this, and making them think so will be an equally advantageous outcome for USA. Any such abandonment may spell the apparent doom for the kongrez - because it will instantly sweep away the biz-interests that hum around like bees supporting the hive.

If people are clever enough they can place themselves in the right image to accelerate things. USA thinks its too clever, so that bit can be used.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 23 Jul 2011 04:01

Muppalla wrote:^^^^

That tells how deeply US is involved in Indian politics. They are very aggressive in getting the combo of Indian coalition that they want. In their modeling they beleive a coalition headed by INC is good in their interests as they do not need to see 1998 type surprises. In their models, they are forseeing Jaya's future stellar role way ahead of time.

Very similar to how the Europeans saw India. A land ruled by independent Kings. On the flip side, American governors routinely go with trade commissions to foreign countries seeking trading partners with outside World.

Stellar?

Frederic · Post by **Frederic** » 23 Jul 2011 04:20

brihaspati wrote: .....
However, weakening a "country" is not equivalent to weakening a "regime". We need to keep this in mind. Moreover what applies to Pak in regime-country dichotomy - also apples to India. USA has been shedding off allies developed in the late -cold-war early post-soviet transition.

So the kongrez wallahs should not take it as written in stone - that USA will continue to support its current dynasty forever into the future. Maybe the dynasty is aware of this, and making them think so will be an equally advantageous outcome for USA. Any such abandonment may spell the apparent doom for the kongrez - because it will instantly sweep away the biz-interests that hum around like bees supporting the hive. ...

Brihaspati ji!

Hope you got a chance to watch the interview with Vishwabandhu Gupta on ChautiDuniya internet TV where Vishwabandhu Gupta (VG from now on) talks about the "Tel kaa Kel", Oil for Food scam, Pranaab Muhkerjee, Volcker report etc.

Apparently a bank "chalaan" depositing kickbacks to Saddam was filled out by none other than the "naalayak auladh" of herr Muhkerjee. The chalaan apparently had the name Muhkerjee clearly spelled out with the proper desh address to boot!

Looks like AmirKhan got hold of this document during the raid at the Iraqi Ministry of Petroleum after the fall of Baghdad.

According to VG, unkil has shown this chalaan to the Congis and thus has the Congi testimonials in his loving grip.

This might explain some of the pliant attitude of the current gubermint towards unkil's shenanigans (thrusting the useless snake oil called nuke deal on us, killing off the fast breeder research etc.)

If the above is true, how come the UPA 2 regime had the cojones to throw out unkil's fighters from the MRCA competition?

Are we seeing the armed forces declaring a clear Lakshman Rekha saying enough is enough and we won't be peddled sub-standard maal from unkil?

Or is it the babudom drawing a line here?

What do you think is AK Anthony's stand on this? Rumour has it that he skipped town more than once in order to avoid some unsavoury chai-biscoot sessions with unkil.

Best Regards
Fred

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 23 Jul 2011 05:44

Frederic wrote:
brihaspati wrote: .....
Brihaspati ji!
Hope you got a chance to watch the interview with Vishwabandhu Gupta on ChautiDuniya internet TV where Vishwabandhu Gupta (VG from now on) talks about the "Tel kaa Kel", Oil for Food scam, Pranaab Muhkerjee, Volcker report etc.
Apparently a bank "chalaan" depositing kickbacks to Saddam was filled out by none other than the "naalayak auladh" of herr Muhkerjee. The chalaan apparently had the name Muhkerjee clearly spelled out with the proper desh address to boot! Looks like AmirKhan got hold of this document during the raid at the Iraqi Ministry of Petroleum after the fall of Baghdad.
According to VG, unkil has shown this chalaan to the Congis and thus has the Congi testimonials in his loving grip.This might explain some of the pliant attitude of the current gubermint towards unkil's shenanigans (thrusting the useless snake oil called nuke deal on us, killing off the fast breeder research etc.)If the above is true, how come the UPA 2 regime had the cojones to throw out unkil's fighters from the MRCA competition?
Are we seeing the armed forces declaring a clear Lakshman Rekha saying enough is enough and we won't be peddled sub-standard maal from unkil?Or is it the babudom drawing a line here?What do you think is AK Anthony's stand on this? Rumour has it that he skipped town more than once in order to avoid some unsavoury chai-biscoot sessions with unkil.

Best Regards
Fred

Hi Fredrick ,
Can u dig out the same connexion with M2k deal with Qatar not materializing because of similar aulad or bhai cause .

Anantha · Post by **Anantha** » 23 Jul 2011 05:52

[quote="Muppalla"]Pretty good article and very straight forward. NVS is very good in writing external affairs, foreign policy and diplomacy.

America is manipulating India against Pakistan solely for its benefit, warns N.V.Subramanian.

[quote]

Excellent analysis on the fak-Ap situation. Looks like the piece was written by CRamS!!

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 23 Jul 2011 07:52

Frederic ji,
this is shark infested waters you are venturing into! I think I had hinted once at the importance within congrez structure of the "fund-gatherers" and "fund managers". So the Iraqi slippery case is entirely within the range of plausibility although next to impossible to establish rigorously. Moreover it probably runs in the family - and if this story is true - it will have been true for three generations then. But no gov/party gives out all that it knows - that loses the bargaining chip. So both sammie and Appu likely have "dossiers" of high tonnage on each others functionaries.

It is better not even to touch the role of the defence establishment, for I am not so sure that there are not circles within circles and wheels within wheels there. Some of those wheels would have an interest in drawing the Lakshman-rekha, but equally there are likely to be other wheels too. At the moment it is more of a "tie".

There is talk of God-own-country's lobby within the congrez throwing its own weight around, out of supposed cold-calculations of how community voting has flowed this time. So I am not that surprised at the change in the pitch of birds tweeting - being on the rebound from a failed love affair. So you could be on the right track about the strongman turning from "Nino" towards the "Saint". But he always had a rather clear and clean personal reputation - so he was already halfway on the uncompromising "desert saint" version rather than the sleek Iatlian version.

Let us not be more specific! Best regards too ! B.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 23 Jul 2011 09:01

Tom Donilon Interview, U.S. National Security Advisor (Video)

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 23 Jul 2011 09:55

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2 ... as_problem
The United States may soon have the option of washing its hands of Afghanistan. But with an untrustworthy Pakistani military exerting greater influence, India does not.
BY SUMIT GANGU

This week, the second U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue under the aegis of Barack Obama's administration will be held in New Delhi. While much attention will undoubtedly focus on July 13's horrific bombings in Mumbai, it's the impending drawdown of U.S. forces from Afghanistan that will likely consume most of the discussions. India is a significant player in Afghanistan. It has the world's fifth-largest aid program there, having committed $1.5 billion in developmental assistance. It has played a key role in reconstruction and has developed training programs for Afghan civil servants and police. India has made these investments in the country because its policymakers are keen on ensuring that a radical Islamist regime does not return to the country, that Pakistan not wield a disproportionate influence on any future government, and that Afghanistan might serve as a bridgehead for India's economic ties to the Central Asian states. India's historic ties to the Northern Alliance could be helpful. Yet New Delhi has yet to decide when to decisively mobilize its contacts to prevent a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, it appears strangely content with maintaining links with the Karzai regime and bolstering its developmental assistance programs in the country.

Given the stakes involved, a small handful of Indian security analysts has started to publicly argue that India should offer to train Afghan security personnel. They stress that such a policy choice would not only bolster the Karzai regime but would also enable India to help shape Afghan's political future. Sadly, the Indian political leadership has shown little inclination to act on this proposal. India's interest in ensuring a non-Talibanized Afghanistan actually dovetails with those of the United States. In this context, it is worth recalling that it was the Taliban that played host to Osama bin Laden after he was forced to leave Sudan. There is little reason to allow them to find their way back to power in Kabul, Karzai's recent overtures notwithstanding. Given that India shares a compelling strategic interest in preventing their resurgence and possesses the requisite institutional capacity to train Afghan security forces, Washington should prod it to assume that burden.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 23 Jul 2011 10:52

Anantha wrote: Excellent analysis on the fak-Ap situation. Looks like the piece was written by CRamS!!

Are you taunting me?

.

But there are elements of that analysis I agree with. Namely, in the guise of "unprecedented cooperation in combating terrorism" with India, US is selling snake oil with all that homeland security toys crap. Tons of garbage that was developed in US using taxpayer money post 9/11, and now they need to make some moolah dumping that on us SDREs. I mean, there was this commerce seceratry on Arnab's show peddling this rotten lemon, and I was luaghing my ass off. If there is indeed "unprecedented cooperation in combating terrorism", the more logical approach would be to deal with the source, namely, cooperate with India in dealing with TSP. How about all that military aid to TSP attached with strings for a start? No, but US arms TSP to the teeth knowing fully well that TSP uses those arms as a hedge against any Indian retaliation to its terrorist provocations, and what is US's cooperation with India? Useless homeland security gadgets to supposedly prevent terrorists, sponsored by TSP, from carrying out their attacks.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 25 Jul 2011 10:40

Indian Scientists Seek More Flexible U.S. Visa Rules

NEW DELHI—At a high-level diplomatic meeting here this week on U.S.-India technological cooperation, India’s junior science minister Ashwani Kumar complained to U.S. presidential science adviser John Holdren that a new U.S. visa policy is getting in the way of exchanges. Revised procedures require that scientists—even top advisers to the government—get a new visa each year to visit the United States rather than a multiple-entry visa every 5 to 10 years, as in the past. Kumar said he raised a concern about this “bottleneck” because “it leads to a lot of hassle for Indian scientists.” He asked that visa procedures for Indian scientists be streamlined.

Face to face. U.S. presidential science adviser John Holdren (left) meets with Ashwani Kumar, India’s junior science minister, during the second annual session of the India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on 19 July.
Credit: Government of India

One of those annoyed by the new rule is chemist C.N.R. Rao, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s current science adviser and a frequent visitor to the United States since 1954. Rao considers it “very insulting to go through this on an annual basis.” Rao says he’s most concerned about students who want to attend U.S. conferences but often cannot, as new security clearances take too long. Rao says he is “so sick and tired of this” that he’s considering not travelling to the United States after his current visa expires.

Materials scientist P. Rama Rao, a former secretary to the Department of Science and Technology, said he got a surprise when he and his wife applied for visas recently: His wife got a 10-year visa whereas P. Rama Rao himself received only 1-year visa. P. Rama Rao has not renewed his visa since it expired in 2010. Ironically, he says, he received a 10-year visa when he last applied in 1999, soon after India’s nuclear tests at Pokhran when he was holding a much more sensitive position as chair of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, at a time when Indo-U.S. ties had sunk to an all-time low.

At the meeting here, Holdren told ScienceInsider,“I understand the visa issue is a problem and a challenge, and we hope to improve it.” C.N.R. Rao says he’s not very hopeful. “India is getting screwed and roughed up by the Americans,” he says, but there are no explanations as to why this is happening.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 25 Jul 2011 20:20

x-post....
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 7d73a1.131

Though the USA aid to SL has been declining, now USA has threatened to cut of the aid. Amma's supporters could view it as her influence with Hillary

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 28 Jul 2011 01:10

India sending army chief's aide to US-led meet

Submitted by admin4 on 27 July 2011 - 11:01am

* India News

By IANS,

New Delhi : In a major snub for the Indian Army chief, General V.K. Singh, the government has rejected his request to attend a US-sponsored meet in Singapore and nominated one of his principal staff officers for the July 28-30 event.

Also, India does not want to be seen as being part of any US-led alliance and hence does not want its army chief to attend the meeting, government sources said here Tuesday.

The rejection of his request was communicated to the army headquarters at the end of May, but the issue had cropped up again after the army chief made a fresh bid to make the government agree to his request, the sources said.

The US is organising a conference of the army chiefs of countries in the Asia-Pacific region in Singapore on the theme "building land forces capacity through multilateral security cooperation".

"Now, the Director General (Perspective Planning), Lt. Gen. Sumir Singh, will be attending the meeting," the sources told IANS.

The fresh refusal to send the army chief to the Singapore meet comes close on the heels of Defence Minister A.K. Antony deciding to fix his year of birth as 1950 instead of his request to correct the army headquarters records to 1951, thereby ruling that he will retire in May 2012.

The Singapore conference, sources said, was the seventh in the series of meetings of army chiefs of the region. The reason for rejecting the request of the army chief, sources said, was that in the five of the previous six meets, India was represented only by the army's vice chief.

"An exception was made in the case of then army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor in 2009, as he had attend the previous meeting as vice chief and the 2009 meeting was a continuation of the previous meet," the sources said.

Moreover, not all countries in the group sent their chiefs to the meet and many are represented by their respective vice chiefs, the sources said.

"Our engagement with Asia-Pacific countries and the US continues at various levels. However, we do not want to give an impression of being part of any alliance," the sources added.

Basically, we don't want to play the alliance card yet and we believe in mutual cooperation with our neighbours. The card will only be played if any regional problems arise.

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 28 Jul 2011 06:59

FROM DRAMA TO ROUTINE - More progress can be expected in India-US relations