India-US relations: News and Discussions III

ricky_v · Post by **ricky_v** » 29 Nov 2016 11:42

http://dailycaller.com/2016/11/28/clint ... overnment/

The Indian government hired the Podesta Group in 2010 to lobby on its behalf. As part of the contract, which brought the Podesta Group $350,000 every six months, the lobbying firm made contact with hundreds of government officials, members of Congress, congressional staffers and members of the media to discuss India issues.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 29 Nov 2016 12:01

Basically, we were paying HC gang for their help in Nuke Deal and con mafia paying GOI money for get modi hit job work done by NGOs. I wonder where Amar Singh fits into all.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 29 Nov 2016 12:14

Source: Tweet

#OhioStateAttack shows #Pakistan now uses Somalis to do its dirty terror work. Strong Cooperation between Pak-Somalian Pirates

Spread the word in every way possible

18-Year-Old Somali Behind Ohio State Attack: Sources

#OhioAttack

¤ Abdul Razak Ali Artan came to the United States in 2014

¤ He was a student at Ohio State University

¤ Artan was a refugee who lived in Pakistan after leaving Somalia before coming to America

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 29 Nov 2016 12:53

The only Indian ethnicity politician we can always bank upon is Tulsi Gabbard. She has been an unapologetic Hindu, clear about Islam and its threat and a friend of India. Indians should rally behind her and pull their weight for her.

Bheeshma · Post by **Bheeshma** » 29 Nov 2016 13:07

She is not Indian at all. Polynesian I believe.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 29 Nov 2016 14:01

kittoo wrote:The only Indian ethnicity politician we can always bank upon is Tulsi Gabbard. She has been an unapologetic Hindu, clear about Islam and its threat and a friend of India. Indians should rally behind her and pull their weight for her.

Tulsi is not Indian-origin...The five Indian Americans in Congress seem to be social justice warrior types - completely useless for India from a geostrategic POV, but perhaps useful for trade relations.

Tulsi and to a lesser extent Nikki seem to be the best bets so far.

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 29 Nov 2016 22:18

I stand corrected, she is not ethnically Indian. Nevertheless a staunch Hindu and friend of India.

arun · Post by **arun** » 01 Dec 2016 07:35

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Bart S wrote:http://www.radio.gov.pk/30-Nov-2016/pm- ... is-victory

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif telephoned US President-elect Donald Trump and felicitated him on his victory.

During the telephonic conversation, Donald Trump said he is ready to play any role that Pakistan wants him to do to find solutions to the outstanding problems. He said it will be an honour and he will personally do it.

Donald Trump said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has a very good reputation, and he is doing amazing work, which is visible in every way. He is looking forward to meet the Prime Minister soon.

He said Pakistan is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people.

On being invited to visit Pakistan by the Prime Minister, the US president-elect said he would love to visit fantastic country, fantastic place of fantastic people.

I have a hard time believing that at least some portions are not made up.

Looks like the Donald Trump Presidential term of office is going to see the US ramping up her traditional policy of handing out Jaziya to her Munna aka Major Non NATO Ally, the Mohammadden Terrorism fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Meanwhile another seemingly official website of the Government of Mohammadden Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan namely the Press Information Department of the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, corroborates the story.

Very effusive and fulsome praise for the Mohammadden Terrorism fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan by the US President Elect. Expect in a very short while shipments of F16’s to the Islamic Republic to recommence and a US Presidential visit which Obama refused, to happen:

CLICKY

PR No. 298 PM TELEPHONES PRESIDENT-ELECT USA Islamabad: November 30, 2016

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif called President-elect USA Donald Trump and felicitated him on his victory. President Trump said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif you have a very good reputation. You are a terrific guy. You are doing amazing work which is visible in every way. I am looking forward to see you soon. As I am talking to you Prime Minister, I feel I am talking to a person I have known for long. Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people. I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. It will be an honor and I will personally do it. Feel free to call me any time even before 20th January that is before I assume my office.

On being invited to visit Pakistan by the Prime Minister, Mr. Trump said that he would love to come to a fantastic country, fantastic place of fantastic people. Please convey to the Pakistani people that they are amazing and all Pakistanis I have known are exceptional people, said Mr. Donald Trump.

*****

Meanwhile reporting from other US MSM:

Pakistan’s surprisingly candid readout of Trump’s phone call with prime minister

Donald Trump Had the Trumpiest Phone Call With Pakistan’s Prime Minister

arun · Post by **arun** » 01 Dec 2016 10:32

Donald Trump plays both sides (incoherently) in India-Pakistan conflict, swoons over Pakistani leader - Today: "Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people." Last month: "I am a big fan of Hindu":

Salon

With one phone call, Donald Trump might have upturned America’s relationship with both Pakistan and India :

New Republic

arun · Post by **arun** » 01 Dec 2016 10:37

Ankit Panda in the Diplomat in an article titled “Did Donald Trump Just Raise the Odds of War Between India and Pakistan With One Phone Call?”

Did Donald Trump Just Raise the Odds of War Between India and Pakistan With One Phone Call?

Let’s talk about Donald Trump’s first phone call with Pakistan’s prime minister.

By Ankit Panda

December 01, 2016………………..

It’s easy to get pulled into the absurdity of the typically over-the-top Trumpian language at play here, but these two short paragraphs could easily have the effect of snowballing into an early diplomatic crisis in South Asia for the Trump administration. First, for Pakistan, after more than a decade without a U.S. presidential visit (George W. Bush visited President Pervez Musharraf in 2006), here you have a U.S. president-elect accepting an invitation to visit. Second, Trump’s declaration that he is “ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play” will give cause for celebration in Islamabad and cause for concern in New Delhi.

India’s reaction to this statement will be as important as Pakistan’s. Though it hasn’t dominated headlines in the United States, tensions between India and Pakistan across the Line of Control in Kashmir have been consistently high since a September attack on an Indian Army camp by militants killed 19 Indian soldiers, the highest casualty attack against the Indian Army in more than a decade. Moreover, days before Trump and Sharif spoke, seven more Indian soldiers were killed by militants in Nagrota in Kashmir. Though neither side has directly escalated since India claimed to have carried out “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control, the possibility of a conflagration between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remains very real. (India and Pakistan last fought a conventional war as armed nuclear states in 1999.)

For India, despite Trump’s well-known tendency to reverse course on issues, there is no option but to take the Pakistani readout of the Trump-Sharif call as a literal suggestion of what Trump plans to do. Betting on the alternative — that Trump was simply trying to satisfy another interlocutor by saying what he thought Sharif wanted to hear — cannot become a basis for national-level policymaking.

Based on the call, India has to be ready for the possibility that the next U.S. administration will not only stay away from directly condemning Pakistan for deploying militant proxies on the Indian side of Kashmir, but that Trump may be gearing up for a return to treating Pakistan like any other U.S. major non-NATO ally. The trend line in the Obama year suggested gradual distancing from Pakistan and rapprochement with India, with New Delhi potentially having factored in continuity in U.S. policy post-2016. Indeed, India would have preferred if Trump had stuck with his thoughts on Pakistan in 2012, when he tweeted the following:

When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some ‘ally.’ …………………..

From here:

Clicky

LokeshC · Post by **LokeshC** » 01 Dec 2016 10:41

BTW Radio Bakistan has published fake news before and it became a laughing stock for that. Not sure what it was, but i remember it was very funny.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 01 Dec 2016 10:55

arun wrote:Donald Trump plays both sides (incoherently) in India-Pakistan conflict, swoons over Pakistani leader - Today: "Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people." Last month: "I am a big fan of Hindu":

Salon

With one phone call, Donald Trump might have upturned America’s relationship with both Pakistan and India :

New Republic

At this point, I am willing to bet money that Trump has signed on fully as a strategy chela of Henry Kissinger. Hook, line, and sinker... not just in terms of appeasing China but seriously upgrading the US-Pakistan relationship as well.

Keeping Pakistan on-side is also a key priority for the Trump GOTUS' leaders, many of whom (Flynn, Mattis, Pompeo, Pence) have an ultra hardline anti-Iran position. Pakistan will be a key al-lie in Washington's designs of containing and confronting Iran. So it's not just a Kissinger recommendation qua China but a neocon agenda re: Iran that will make Pakistan indispensible to the US.

Either way US India relations are going to nosedive with Trump in the White House

Remember when I talked about "risk management?" Well, here you go.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 01 Dec 2016 10:58

The Radio Bakistan story has every mark of being fake. First of all, Trump is not the kind to use the language with even the most agreeable of friends. To assume that he would use such a language with a discredited Pukistani leader such as Sharif is ridiculous. This was probably a low level psy-ops by Sharif brothers for domestic consumption and for consumption by India. As usual such stupidities are going to fall flat on their face as Trump is going to be livid with such jokes played on him. Couldn't wait.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 01 Dec 2016 11:00

BTW, I am surprised to see even wise senior members of BRF falling for this Baki nonsense.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 01 Dec 2016 11:10

Schinnas,

"Surprised" is the one thing that no BRF member should be, by this turn of events

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 01 Dec 2016 11:18

Trump may be betting on repeating the Modi strategy of first starting off on positive note with Pakistan before a full-fledged U-turn.

LokeshC · Post by **LokeshC** » 01 Dec 2016 11:20

I want to see some more evidence. It could very well be true, but in Trump's case the western press is faker than the fakeness of radio bakistan.

arun · Post by **arun** » 01 Dec 2016 11:43

schinnas wrote:BTW, I am surprised to see even wise senior members of BRF falling for this Baki nonsense.

Meanwhile for "wise senior member of BRF not falling for this Baki nonsense" presumably from "wise senior member of BRF falling for this Baki nonsense"

let me say story of Radio Pakistan is corroborated by the Press Release of Press Information Department of the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage (See my Post : Clicky).

Also "wise senior member of BRF not falling for this Baki nonsense" may note Trump Transition Team has not denied content of the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic’s narrative regard the Trump-Nawaz Sharif call. See Washington Post article I posted at (Clicky) which says “Trump's transition team did not respond to immediate requests for comment or corroboration.”

Bottom line is that there is enough out in the public domain to accept that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s narrative of what transpired in the Trump-Nawaz Sharif is not fabricated even for "wise senior member of BRF not falling for this Baki nonsense". If and when Donald Trump or his transition team deny, then one can re-evaluate conclusion.

arun · Post by **arun** » 02 Dec 2016 13:59

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Our official spokes-person Vikas Swarup on the fawning content of US President Elect Donald Trump’s telecon with Mohammadden Terrorism fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif.

To suggest what the Trump Transition team read out of the telecon as “a bit of a rejoinder from the US side” is an exaggeration by Mr. Swarup as it amounts to even less than a “bit”:

Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by Official Spokesperson (December 01, 2016)

December 02, 2016 ………………………..

Question: Yesterday the Pakistan government, put out a transcript of the conversation that took place between Mr. Nawaz Sharif and Mr. Donald Trump which seems to mention a lot about fantastic people, fantastic country, wanting to visit them. What is India's view of the new administration in the US, your expectations when it comes to the region and terrorism emanating from Pakistan?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look, in so far as the fantastic conversation is concerned, I've already seen a bit of a rejoinder from the US side, so I would reserve my judgment. We have only seen a one-sided version of that conversation. That conversation does talk about, you know, the President-elect willing to resolve outstanding issues of Pakistan. Well, we believe that the most outstanding of the outstanding issues is Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism. To that extent, we would welcome a dialogue between the US and Pakistan to resolve that particular issue.

As far as the incoming administration’s views on various issues is concerned, I do not think it would be appropriate for us to comment on them till the new administration actually takes over.

MEA Weekly Briefing:

CLICKY

arun · Post by **arun** » 02 Dec 2016 14:03

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

US White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on the Obama Administration’s reaction to the fawning content of US President Elect Donald Trump’s telecon with Mohammadden Terrorism fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 12/1/2016 ……………….

Q Second, on Pakistan, would this White House agree with Donald Trump's description that Pakistan is "amazing" and that its citizens are "one of the most intelligent people"? That's the description the Foreign Ministry provided of the conversation that Donald Trump had with their Prime Minister yesterday.

MR. EARNEST: Darlene, I saw the readout of the telephone call that you're referring to. I can't speak to the accuracy or to the tone of that phone call. I'd refer you to the President-elect's team for more of a description of what the President-elect may have communicated to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Obviously, President Obama's conversations with his counterpart in Pakistan have been an important priority. The U.S. relationship with Pakistan is one that's quite complicated, particularly when you consider our overlapping national security interests. The relations between our two countries, particularly over the last eight years, have not been smooth -- consistently smooth, particularly in the aftermath of the raid on Pakistani soil that President Obama ordered to take Osama bin Laden off the battlefield.

But this obviously is an important relationship. There have been areas where the United States and Pakistan have been able to effectively coordinate our efforts. But one of the things that I'm reminded of is that every President, regardless of which party they're in, benefits enormously from the expertise and service of thousands of patriotic Americans at the State Department. These are men and women -- some of them are career Foreign Service Officers. Some of them are just career civil servants. But these are individuals who are committed and passionate about serving our country and representing our country overseas, regardless of who the President is.

And President Obama benefitted enormously from the advice and expertise that's been shared by those who serve at the State Department. And I'm confident that as President-elect Trump takes office, those same State Department employees will stand ready to offer him advice as he conducts the business of the United States overseas. Hopefully he'll take it.

Q According to their readout, Donald Trump also said that he'd like to visit Pakistan. And I know President Obama has never been there.

MR. EARNEST: Not as President.

Q Not as President. Is there anything you can say about why he never visited as President?

MR. EARNEST: Yeah, at one point in his presidency, I do recall President Obama expressing a desire to travel to Pakistan. For a variety of reasons, some of them relating to the complicated relationship between our two countries at certain times over the last eight years, President Obama was not able to realize that ambition. But one thing we do know is that it sends a powerful message to the people of a country when the President of the United States goes to visit. And that's true whether it's some of our closest allies, or that's also true if it's a country like Pakistan, with whom our relationship is somewhat more complicated. But ultimately, when President Trump begins planning his overseas travel, he'll have a range of places to consider, and Pakistan would certainly be one of them.

From the White House website here:

CLICKY

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 02 Dec 2016 20:33

Guys, my take has been since yesterday that Trump moron actually made that. TSP may have exaggarated a tad, but I doubt they fabricated the whole. And I think Vikas Swarup's response was measured and dignified, and more than to TSP, the message was to the bufoon Trump that terror is the watch word when dealing with TSP. But beyond, we needn't loose any sleep. As long as US policy of India == TSP continues as will most likely be the case, India can live with it as it has. Unless of course Trump makes it TSP >>> India, like for example starts talking about Kashmir like that b!tch Robin Raphel, then India needs to worry.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 03 Dec 2016 06:24

Rudradev wrote: ...

At this point, I am willing to bet money that Trump has signed on fully as a strategy chela of Henry Kissinger. Hook, line, and sinker... not just in terms of appeasing China but seriously upgrading the US-Pakistan relationship as well.

Keeping Pakistan on-side is also a key priority for the Trump GOTUS' leaders, many of whom (Flynn, Mattis, Pompeo, Pence) have an ultra hardline anti-Iran position. Pakistan will be a key al-lie in Washington's designs of containing and confronting Iran. So it's not just a Kissinger recommendation qua China but a neocon agenda re: Iran that will make Pakistan indispensible to the US.

Either way US India relations are going to nosedive with Trump in the White House Remember when I talked about "risk management?" Well, here you go.

Don't forget Paul Manafort, well-compensated tool of ISI.

krishna_krishna · Post by **krishna_krishna** » 03 Dec 2016 06:57

^^^ That would be great of India no ?, they have bunch that is pro paki and bunch that came fresh from afghan war and hate porkis. Perfect combination IMHO.

Also that would also help our portion of population who is hallucinating about pappi juppy of start e gic partners and separate our true partners from pretenders no ?

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 03 Dec 2016 08:36

I think India will be fine. In fact, I expect India to do very well ,- economically.

FP wise too I think India will do well. Kashmir IMHO could be a problem.

Just noticed, CNN reporting that Trump called the president of Taiwan. A uugely break in protocol. This is big time stuff.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/02/politics/ ... index.html

With that I just do not see Trump appease China.

More later.

Good starter material on Matt is:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/02/opinions/ ... index.html

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 03 Dec 2016 08:43

NRao, you beat me to it. I was just going to say, Trump upgraded India from India == TSP to India == China in the sense that he p!ssed both off by making good with each other's nemesis

. Well, Taiwan is not the same nemesis to China as TSP is to India, but nevertheless it does p!ss China off.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 03 Dec 2016 09:17

NRao wrote:

Good starter material on Matt is:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/02/opinions/ ... index.html

From the CNN article

Clearly, an urgent priority will be what to do about Afghanistan where the Taliban now control or contest territory in which 10 million Afghans live and where ISIS has established a foothold. The Obama administration has signaled that US troops will eventually be pulling out of Afghanistan since as early as December 2009 when Obama first announced a surge of US troops into the country, but also announced their withdrawal date.

Mattis clearly finds this deeply unsatisfactory and we can expect him to push for a more robust troop presence in Afghanistan unconstrained by arbitrary pullout deadlines.

More US troops on open ended AfPak deployment plus aggressive designs on Iran. Means, $$$ (and AMRAAM, Harpoon, ATGM, F16 etc) pipeline to Bakistan will open up again in full flow. Even the small restrictions on aid and verification requirements under Kerry Lugar will be junked as Mattis will resist any insolent diplomatic hectoring of his beloved Pak Army comrades-in-arms.

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 03 Dec 2016 09:33

So, here is the stick to china. Remains to be seen on what is being asked of china. For all his "China is beating us" talks, he is looking to gain something here.

So a pressure in Taiwan means China needs to back-off somewhere or else? Will have to see how this plays out.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 03 Dec 2016 09:39

CRS,

My thinking is that Trump will out source everything but his Twitter account. And, as he did during teh elections, say "I heard ........." and off he will go to do something no one even dreamt. Typical of Trump.

BUT, he has surrounded himself with:
* Flynn, who is a rabid anti Islam (NOT Muslim). Given a chance he would wipe it of the face of the earth
* Mattis, an intellectual-soldier, down to the very last breath. He will lead from the front in an old fashioned manner. Not in the picture, - yet - is Gen. Kelly (another Patton type of a character)

Between these three guys Trump has his attack dogs. Good enough to instill fear in most, if not all. Pre established thoughts, great, disciplined planners and executors.

All I am waiting for is his selection of SoS. General ................................

Rudra,

Mattis - a rarity - has actually got a TON of publications. This guy is a very interesting guy. Please fo not underestimate him and place him in a pigeon hole. He just may surprise you (and others). I very much doubt he is going to appease the Pakistani Army. Please do not mistake him for a General Colin Powell. I fully expect him to read the last rights to the Pakistanis. After all it is his Marines that have been getting killed on the battle front - and for that he would do anything.

And, right behind him (a person Mattis recommended) is General Kelly. Another dignified Marine.

BOTH are held in very high respect within the Services. USMC will run through a wall for these two.

I, in fact, would not be surprised if they cut the PA to size. I fully expect them to demand - not request - that Pakistan stop supporting terrorists.

Meanwhile Trump will support the civilian gov in Pak. He may even seek to displace China.

Waiting for the SoS selection.

(BTW, a correction. Taiwan called trump, not the other way around.)

And on "India", Modi is good enough. Which Indian PM has stood up to China the way Modi has?

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 03 Dec 2016 10:04

I don't watch too much of US TV in general, but especially since the elction. Fox news is sheer white nationalist propaganda, MSNBC shell shocked, and CNN is nothing but noise. Anyway, caught a little bit news flipping channels over dinner and heard Trump thunder that anyone joining US fight against ISIS is their ally. So TSP will definitely say count me in. They have demonstrated they will kill their fellow Muslim brothers in achieving their dream against India. Now Trump also said ISI and radical Islamists. On this score India will be watching if radical Islamists include Pakijabi tanzeems like LET, Jaish attacking India under the tutelage of TSPA/ISI/RAPE

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 03 Dec 2016 10:19

Gen. James Mattis could serve as a voice of reason in the next administration.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 03 Dec 2016 10:22

CRamS wrote:Now Trump also said....
radical Islamists. On this score India will be watching if radical Islamists include Pakijabi tanzeems like LET, Jaish attacking India under the tutelage of TSPA/ISI/RAPE

India is not watching. However, any individual Indian who is watching with such a hope in mind is well advised to stock up on BP medication, pepto bismol, etc.

More money and military aid are going to be flowing into Islamabad from Washington than at any time during the last 10 years. Meanwhile, in all Trump Sour Car public pronouncements about Pakistan, you will hear the kind of wilful ignorance that made you want to grind your teeth in the 2001-05 period: Pakistan is a victim of terrorism, a moderate Moslem country, a key ally of the United States in the fight against terrorism, etc. etc.

NRao garu, you heard whar Mattis has in mind (per CNN). Sending more troops into AfPak for an indefinite length of time. How can that possibly fail to translate into more baksheesh for the Pakistan Army? The old rentier logic of strategic location, monopoly over logistical access and so on continue to apply, ESPECIALLY if Mattis & Flynn are anti-Iran and therefore would never consider that route as an alternative.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 03 Dec 2016 10:27

NRao wrote:
Gen. James Mattis could serve as a voice of reason in the next administration.

Yes.

Mike Pompeo: Torture! Torture!
Jeff Sessions: Stop raaht there, boy! Down on the ground!
Steve Bannon: I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, all year round.
...
Mike Flynn: Bomb the $hit out of all Muslim countries!

James Mattis: Except Pakistan. They are our ally against terrorism in the Muslim world and deserve our assistance.
(Voice of reason)

arun · Post by **arun** » 03 Dec 2016 10:30

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

The Atlantic with an article titled “Lessons From Trump’s ‘Fantastic’ Phone Call to Pakistan” by Uri Friedman. Granted the article has more to do with a hatred for US President Elect Donald Trump, less to do with a hatred for the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan and even less to do with a regard for India.

Lessons From Trump’s ‘Fantastic’ Phone Call to Pakistan : On words and meaning in international politics

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 03 Dec 2016 10:32

Once a few year political changes are immaterial as for as our preparations are concerned. Even if US does not support pakis, China will all the time. So we need to do what we need to do. We all know that.

That being said, these are early days and a lot may changes once people are in power. India also changed and traditionally GOP advocated stronger relationships with India in the recent past, but this is not a traditional GOP. We are into new territory now. But we know what the deep state of US thinks.

Making India stronger takes more that few years. If US wants to help us it is ok, if not then also it is ok. We have to do this alone anyway.

arun · Post by **arun** » 03 Dec 2016 10:41

A couple of days old excerpt from Op-Ed in Forbes dealing with implications of Donald Trumps fawning telecom with Nawaz Sharif titled “Trump's Ignorant Call To Pakistan's Sharif May Send India An Unwelcome Message” by Charles Tiefer :

One of the main messages it sends, is that he shows no awareness of the issues between the United States, Pakistan, and India. He may very well not know much. In American, we have gotten used to reading that Trump skips the daily security briefings expected of a President or President-elect. We have seen that his pick for his national security adviser is good only for a narrow focus on terrorism, not the full breadth of world problems. But again, in the rest of the world, this may not be familiar.

What doesn’t Trump know? I will save the top item for last. Starting with others, he shows no awareness that the American military is enraged with Pakistan for how it props up forces in Afghanistan -- the Haqqani network -- that kill American soldiers. He probably doesn’t know.

Nor does he show awareness that President Obama and Prime Minister Modi of India had reached agreement on the important point of joint condemnation of Islamist terrorists based in Pakistan.

Nor does he show awareness that there has been delicate but real tension between Obama and Pakistan over its expanding armory of nuclear weapons. He does not show awareness that Pakistan, this year, has moved toward distributing tactical nuclear weapons to its army, a step that puts in jeopardy the very fabric of nuclear peace in the subcontinent. He probably doesn’t know.

I said I would save the top item for last. There is something Trump does have in his mind, but that is not as reassuring as it sounds. In his call, he said, “I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems.”

This has to be read against the background that during the campaign, Trump made one of his characteristic expansive, blustering, but frankly ignorant offers. He offered to mediate about Kashmir between Pakistan and India. I cannot be sure, but that is a possibility in what he means about being “ready and willing to play any role.” He seems to mean the “role” of mediator on Kashmir.

Needless to say, it was unwelcome to India when he made that offer the first time. Presented in this casual but frankly ignorant way – for he has never shown any idea that he knows anything of Kashmir – it is perhaps even more unwelcome this time.

The best hope I can hold out to India: maybe Trump will pick a relatively good Secretary of State who will somehow manage to put America’s foreign relations in better order and buffer the world a little against Trump.

Frome Forbes at the below link:

Trump's Ignorant Call To Pakistan's Sharif May Send India An Unwelcome Message

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 03 Dec 2016 11:24

I think Mattis appointment has to do with TSP. As CENTCOM he would have direct dealings with them. Let's see. Also Nagrota attack shows TSP chain of command is breaking down.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 03 Dec 2016 11:36

Semi-serious question.

What if ITDC proposed to build a 7 star Ski resort:

Trump Gulmarg, and/or Scion Pahalgam, in J&K?

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 03 Dec 2016 17:29

U.S. House to hold hearing on Indian curbs on Christian NGO
VARGHESE K. GEORGE

According to Indian security agencies, funds from Compassion International are being used for conversions.

The United States House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee will next week hold a hearing on restrictions imposed by the Narendra Modi government on American charity Compassion International (CI).
India had in March 2016 stopped the flow of funds from CI to around 250 organisations it wanted to support in the country this year. The government partially lifted the restrictions in October, allowing ten organisations to receive funds from CI, after Secretary of State John Kerry took up the matter with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Indian security agencies say the funds were being used for religious conversions.

Issue that upset Obama regime
The Congressional hearing will bring into sharp focus an issue that has upset the Obama administration and several members of the Congress. Ed Royce, Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a review of the curbs.
The partial relaxation in October has not satisfied the administration and members of Congress. The State Department said then that it would continue to push for a “more welcoming environment for NGOs.” Mr. Royce, who is considered a strong supporter of India in Congress, and several other members, support the Christian charity that raises its funds mostly through small monthly donations. CI supports local NGOs that work among children in several countries.

U.S. always raises it
The issue continuously comes up in Indian interactions with the U.S interlocutors, according to sources familiar with the situation. The hearing titled ‘American Compassion in India: Government Obstacles’ on December 6 will have Stephen Oakley, General Counsel, Compassion International, John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch, and Irfan Nooruddin, Professor of Indian Politics, Georgetown University, as witnesses.

Note how the christian "compassion" is forced down the dutty heathen's throats.
Remind me next time when massans (or the MUTUs or gungadin's on its behalf) paint massa as a secular country.
That too the uber "secular" democrats led by obama are at the vangaurd of the global christendom's "compassion" towards the heathen turd world.

Let the desi's in massa blindly voting democrat without putting a premium on their vote - supposedly out of fear for the durability of the "secular" veneer maintained by democrats in massaland & supposedly under perpetual threat from "unsecular" social conservatism of republicans take note.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 03 Dec 2016 17:38

It is our problem that we are not ready to come out as a Hindu nation even if the constitution says it as secular. Almost all EJ politicos in the US says that US Constitution is based on Judeo-Christian values. Is there anyone here who came make a similar comment about Bharat?

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 03 Dec 2016 20:15

NRao wrote:Waiting for the SoS selection

Also waiting for who will be the DNI as James Clapper announced resignation at end of Obama's term.

Aside for all this strategic business; Trumpanzee was elected to bring jobs and economic prosperity to the US. We don't know what US trade policy is going to be with India, aside from from H-1B restrictions. Despite what everything DT has said, he has not removed himself from his businesses. I suspect he follows the axiom that public greed can never Trump private greed.