India-US relations: News and Discussions III

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Oct 2016 20:36

I hear US alos does not support labeling TSP as a terrorist state.

NaMo surely believes in making folks choose their sides.

Chanakya says this in one of his many dictums.

This brings clarity. Otherwise folks can hide their opposition to you under pretext of neutrality.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 12 Oct 2016 21:32

http://thewire.in/72673/leaked-emails-show-clinton-election-adviser-kept-tabs-ford-foundations-india-controversy/

John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman for the 2016 US presidential elections, closely monitored and may have intervened in the controversy surrounding the Ford Foundation and other foreign charitable foundations last year, according to to a set of leaked emails released by Wikileaks on Tuesday.

In the first half of 2015, Ford Foundation president Darren Walker sent a number of emails to Podesta, most of which were updates on events taking place in India after the Modi government tightened the rules governing foreign charitable foundations and NGOs. During this time, the Ford Foundation was put on a government watch list over funding it gave to activist Teesta Setalvad in 2009.

One e-mail, for instance, appears to be a deep-dive monitoring of how the Indian media reported the government’s probes into foreign funding, and specifically how various newspapers and editorials viewed the Ford Foundation’s troubles.

The report categorises media reports on the stance they’ve taken with regard to the Modi government’s crackdown. Under a section titled ‘Modi government’ for instance, the e-mail from Walker reads “a number of articles and op-eds [below] mention Ford Foundation or Teesta Setalvad in reference to the Indian government’s actions against NGOs during Modi’s first year in office”.

Apart from mainstream media, Walker’s updates to Podesta also include an examination of the Indian twitterati and social media reactions to the foreign funding probe. “Social media activity remains light. Please find a sampling of newly posted tweets below which mention Ford Foundation and Greenpeace,” says one part of the email.

The social media monitoring includes tweets put out by mainstream media publications, but also follows tweets made by specific journalists (Hindu journalist Jatin Anand’s tweets are recorded) as well as by ordinary Twitter users who appear to be staunchly in support of the Modi government’s actions against India.

RBI help, Sunday Guardian anger

One e-mail from Walker to Podesta, sent on June 8th 2015, strikes a note of frustration and notes that the Ford Foundation “ had sent urgent notes to the Reserve Bank of India asking for assistance” in transferring funds in order to ensure that the foundation could sustain its basic operations in India.

“I promised I’d give you an update on any developments in India,” Walker writes. “At this point this point, we’ve heard nothing further from the GOI. I sent urgent notes to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Reserve Bank of India last week asking for assistance in immediately releasing our bank accounts from their current status so we can transfer funds from NY for basic operations (mostly salary support, not grants),” the email reads.

The Ford Foundation president also angrily references the article carried by the Sunday Guardian in early June, which profiled the Ford Foundation’s activities in India while describing it as an “entity outside the law”.

“I’m attaching an article from the Guardian, which purports to be an independent newspaper, but is really the mouthpiece for the government and BJP. It’s rife with misrepresentations and erroneous information…not a very encouraging article. I appreciate your help,” Walker wrote.

Podesta intervention?

Another series of emails between Podesta and Ford Foundation board member Thurgood Marshall Jr (on July 15, 2015) also indicates that the Clinton election adviser may have played some role in the Ford Foundation’s response to the Modi government’s crackdown.

An email from Podesta to Marshall first points out that while the latter is on the Ford Foundation’s board, he “didn’t put it together with the India question”.

To which Marshall replied that he was “only too happy to have avoided nitty gritty on the India issue”.

“I am only too happy to have avoided the nitty gritty on the India issue but I was relieved and pleasantly surprised by the swift positive turn of events — hence my recent conversation on the topic with Darren [Ford Foundation President] who identified you as a primary reason for the positive turn,” Marshall wrote.

It is unclear what “swift positive turn of events” Marshall is referring to at this point. In mid-July last year, however, the Ford Foundation and the Modi government started resolving issues after the foundation agreed to register its India arm under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). A week after that, the Centre unblocked funds totalling $150,00 which could be used to pay the salaries of the foundation’s employees.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 12 Oct 2016 23:05

No comment

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 13 Oct 2016 00:27

Amanpour at least has a sense of humor. Lavrov's deadpan is priceless. Beats the Putin comment about pigeon and chessboard.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 13 Oct 2016 03:25

Oct 5, 2016 :: India tries to hasten U.S. defense deals amid election uncertainty

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 13 Oct 2016 03:26

Sept 21, 2016 :: US, India Said to be Nearing Javelin Co-Production Agreement

????

NEW DELHI – Negotiations are "nearly completed" for the United States and India to jointly produce the Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile, according to an Indian Ministry of Defense source.

The two countries have been exploring for several years potential teaming arrangements for certain weapons and equipment, thereby elevating the Indo-US defense relationship to a higher level.

"With US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter being a strong sponsor of the Javelin program for India, there is a possibility of an approval by Washington,” says Rahul Bhonsle, retired Indian Army Brigadier and defense analyst.

Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division (SED), a Tata Group company, already has formalized a relationship with US based Javelin Joint Ventures with the aim of creating a strategy to co-develop and produce the javelin missile system.

"Letter of Intent [LoI] has been signed for co-development and co-production (of Javelin) in India between Tata Power SED and the Javelin Joint Ventures (JJV)," says Rahul Chaudhry, CEO , Tata Power SED.

Co-production is for the advanced generation of Javelin ATGM. The deal would cover the “FGM -148 Javelin, which is also being inducted into US forces from JJV factories in the US," Chaudhry added.

"While pricing could remain an issue, this would not prevent Tata Power SED being a sourcing agency for components of Javelin being sold globally by the US manufacturing duo Lockheed Martin and Raytheon," Bhonsle
added.

The Americans have so far been reluctant to part with the latest generation of technology for Javelin, but the MoD source said Washington has now agreed to part with new-generation Javelin for co-production in India.

In 2010, India had come very close to purchasing the Javelin weapon, which has range of 2.5 kilometers, through the Foreign Military Sales route, but the US refused to transfer technology for the system and the
proposal ultimately fell through.

In 2014 MoD selected Israeli Spike ATGM but the deal has still not been inked because the price negotiating committee of the MoD has not agreed to the terms and conditions of price and maintenance costs from Rafael of Israel. However, the Spike deal remains alive, the MoD source said.

The demand by the Indian army for variety of anti-tank guided missiles is large as it wants to equip all its 382 infantry battalions and 44 mechanized infantry units with new-generation weapons and replace the second- generation French-made Milan missile.

"Indian Army needs over 20,000 hand held new generation ATGMs," a senior Indian army official said.

Besides, India's home-grown Nag ATGM, which is vehicle- mounted, is also in advanced stages of testing.

"The Javelin will not hit either the home-grown Nag or the Israeli Spike program, as there is room for all these ATGMs," the MoD source added.

Bhonsle said," There will be a time lag between induction of an Indo-American Javelin, thus Spike will remain on the acquisition book, Nag remains a technology demonstrator so far and unless it is proved in operational trials will not be a serious future contender."

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Oct 2016 06:12

Mort Walker wrote: HRC bears full responsibility for this and under her leadership you will see another cold war started, but this time it will be more dangerous. She will be supported by her own party and the interventionist Republicans in Congress.

That is the exact assessment of the man we love to hate - Prof. Stephen Cohen who has reincarnated himself as Professor Emeritus of Russia at NYU. But he does have a point.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 13 Oct 2016 06:17

By most metrics the US and Russia are already engaged in a new cold-war. This is playing out in economics (sanctions), cyber, in Eastern Ukraine, and In the Middle East.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Oct 2016 06:20

Gus wrote:nobody can defend hilary on her witch-hunt on modi, ...

Is that proven beyond doubt other than Nalapat article? If so, I would love to push it in the face of a few people who are going "rah rah rasputin vote for leader Kilton".
I am going to stick my neck out if the only evidence is Prof. MD Nalapat's article (in Deccan Herald? iirc).

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Oct 2016 06:23

UlanBatori wrote:Who the **** cares whether he humps Interns in the Ovary Office, or whatever - as long as he keeps the US economy moving, stays out of needless wars, and conveys that fine image of total kookiness that keeps the Doomsday Clock at 11:59:59?

A few primary school kids during that time did not know there was an oval office. It seems they thought it is called oral office. Talk of precocious kids!

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Oct 2016 06:28

matrimc wrote:
Mort Walker wrote: HRC bears full responsibility for this and under her leadership you will see another cold war started, but this time it will be more dangerous. She will be supported by her own party and the interventionist Republicans in Congress.
That is the exact assessment of the man we love to hate - Prof. Stephen Cohen who has reincarnated himself as Professor Emeritus of Russia at NYU. But he does have a point.

This is a different Stephen Cohen who is a Russia expert, and not Uneven Cohen who has become incoherent after surgical strike!!!

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Oct 2016 06:34

ramana: Oh mea culpa. That makes sense. Prof. Cohen, NYU is quite sensible.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 13 Oct 2016 06:41

edited

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 13 Oct 2016 06:46

matrimc wrote:
Gus wrote:nobody can defend hilary on her witch-hunt on modi, ...
Is that proven beyond doubt other than Nalapat article? If so, I would love to push it in the face of a few people who are going "rah rah rasputin vote for leader Kilton".
I am going to stick my neck out if the only evidence is Prof. MD Nalapat's article (in Deccan Herald? iirc).

i am comfortable to stick my neck out on that. SD was the backstop for all the NGO activism in India of that period...and she was SoS.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 13 Oct 2016 07:36

ramana wrote:This is a different Stephen Cohen who is a Russia expert, and not Uneven Cohen who has become incoherent after surgical strike!!!

What did he ramble after the surgical strike? Can't seem to find the link..

vina · Post by **vina** » 13 Oct 2016 08:04

Sometimes "popular choice" can be idiotic. This Presidential Election has thrown up the two most unpopular candidates EVER in living memory .

Trump is a whack job. It is unbelievable that the Donkeys couldnt find someone with someone with the brains in their head, instead of in their balls. And look at the field that ran against Trump.. Another Bush ? That other twit from Florida ? That self righteous Buffoon from Texas ? No wonder Trump had a walkover against a field of discredited insiders and idiots, whom the people could see for what they were and voted for a rank outsider with a different message, however stupid it was !

And Hillary ? Back in the late 90s and early 2000s , the expression used for a manipulative and scheming woman was "She has Hillary Clinton like characteristics " . A classic hated insider , able to manipulate the internal politics and the "machine politics" got her the ticket, "Trumping" pardon the pun ,the far more popular and geniune grass roots - Bernie Sanders. Hillary is the culmination of the "Machine" .

I cant stand Hillary. That woman is bad news in any circumstances. Trouble is, T(rump) is not too far behind!

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Oct 2016 08:44

HC has huma abedin as her closest PA. thats bad news for india.

trump is a loose cannon (in more ways than one

), but not particularly fixated on break india. neither would he be a darling of the evanjihadis given his uh p***y grabbing un christian pastimes

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Oct 2016 09:42

Vina, Donkey is for dem. Elephant for GOP. Just sayin'. Anybody rah rahing for shrillary is an ass, IMHO. Kasich would have given a run for the money to HRC. Drumpf probably figures that if he loses he can always buy access to POTUS. he had done it in the past. He can do it post Jan 2017 as well. As bin pavel put it "past is past".

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Oct 2016 09:45

Gus, a not was missing in my earlier post. But the problem is I am faced with a bunch who keep saying "where is the evidence?" "Facts facts facts" etc. as if one can find the Kilton sahiban with her hand in the cooks jar. Fat chance that.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 13 Oct 2016 09:50

NRao wrote:Oct 5, 2016 :: India tries to hasten U.S. defense deals amid election uncertainty

The big defense contractors should push this through the HRC administration in 2017 without too much issue. Most likely the Obama administration is coordinating with the HRC camp. If they put stipulations or delay on the Guardian Predator acquisition, then we'll all know for sure what HRC's predisposition about India is.

I am pleased the Modi govt. is pushing hard on the acquisitions and it will be a good early test of the next administration.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 13 Oct 2016 10:04

Mort Walker wrote: If they put stipulations or delay on the Guardian Predator acquisition, then we'll all know for sure what HRC's predisposition about India is.

From his time in the WH, it has been abundantly clear that WJC and HRC are very similar to Indian politicos i.e. easily bought. USG is not a monolithic entity. If she wins and anybody who wants results and makes a $500 mm donation to the Foundation/Initiative/Piggybank will have said Open Sesame.

vina · Post by **vina** » 13 Oct 2016 11:16

Singha wrote: neither would he be a darling of the evanjihadis given his uh p***y grabbing un christian pastimes

Those tend to be semi literate rednecks of the most obnoxious kind. While the ordinary specimen Americus Rednekus might be fine, this particular diseased variety is the MOST hypocritical character that is laced with a strong streak of self righteousness known to man.

The rates for this particular species for things of "offending moral nature" like infidelity , promiscuity and plain lying is astounding. Consider the other southern Evanjehadi Presidential Candidate who was a Demc Rat , who had an ailing wife with cancer , the "soft liberal evanjehadi" who preached "Values" was cheating on his bed ridden wife . Consider that other "southerner" the AL Gore- the Big Bore , the "Inventor of the Internet" , who again, was all preaching while cheating on his wife.

Ok, even if you consider "personal morality" as a lesser public offence than "Public Morality" , then the "The most lobotomized Prez ever, after G.W" -- Ronald Ray Gun, would take the cake with the Iran Contra affair and making his lackeys lie under oath .

That kind wouldn't bat an eyelid with this kind of thing, irrespective of party DemcRat or RePubican.

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 13 Oct 2016 11:35

Unfortunately for us, Trump can never win (especially after the pussy remark). We will have to deal with the Paki lady as Secretary of state. Sigh.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 13 Oct 2016 12:18

kittoo wrote:Unfortunately for us, Trump can never win (especially after the pussy remark). We will have to deal with the Paki lady as Secretary of state. Sigh.

I heard the same about Killary after she fainted. I think this is an exact copy of the Indian scenario. If you follow Indian MSM, Modi is bad, evil, unpopular and SoGa is godess reincarnate.

Now this is not a Modi=Trump post but Indian MSM= US MSM and Indian Aaptards = US Globalists(?) (what is the equivalent of an AAPtard in US?

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 13 Oct 2016 13:34

https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/687

From: Strobe Talbott Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 6:31 AM To: HRC Cc: Cheryl Mills (State); 'Cheryl Mills' Subject: message from India -- and from down the street Hi, Hillary, and Merry Christmas. Hope you and the family are getting a bit of respite from it all. I'm sending you this message because—somewhat to my surprise—Jairam Ramesh has asked me to pass along a personal message, which is pasted below. I've known him since the 70s Cheers, Strobe Dear Madam Secretary of State: It was wonderful catching up with you in Copenhagen. The opportunity to interact with President Obama and you at the very last minute to salvage the Copenhagen Accord at the US-BASIC Summit Meeting was fantastic and unforgettable for me personally. I am still reeling from that historic 75 minutes!! With greetings for Xmas and best wishes for the New Year, With warmest regards, Jairam Ramesh

arun · Post by **arun** » 13 Oct 2016 14:14

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

Peregrine wrote:US backs India's 'right to self-defence', slams Pakistan for linking Afghan peace to Kashmir

WASHINGTON: Supporting India's "right to self-defence" in the aftermath of the Uri attack which it dubbed a "clear case of cross-border terrorism", the US on Wednesday dismissed the recent attempt by Pakistan to link peace in war-torn Afghanistan with resolution of the Kashmir issue.

The White House backed India's right to defend itself as with any other country, in view of the recent surgical strike but advised caution given the heavy militarisation between the two neighbours.

It also said that that the US is making every effort to ensure that India become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) by the end of this year.

Making a rare appearance before a Washington audience, Peter Lavoy, the White House's point person for South Asia, said that India-US ties are the "most dynamic relationship" for the US as he listed the Obama administration's achievements in strengthening the relationship between the two largest democracies of the world.

"It (Uri) was a clear case of cross-border terrorism. We condemned this act of terrorism. It was a horrific attack. Every country has a right to self-defence. But in a heavily militarised relationship that has also experienced three wars, there is indeed a need for caution and restraint," he said responding to a question on the Uri attack.

"We share with India, the concern for preventing any future attack. We empathise with the Indian position that it needs to respond militarily to cross-border threat of terrorism. But we also advise caution," Lavoy said.

India and Pakistan have a "friction-filled relationship" and they have not found a way to overcome that, he said.

Last week, Lavoy met the two special envoys of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Kashmir.

The two Pakistani envoys in their public meetings had linked peace in Afghanistan to resolving the Kashmir issue.

"We certainly do not believe that the situation in Afghanistan is linked with Kashmir," the top White House official said.
Lavoy said the US is making every effort to ensure that India becomes a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group by the end of this year.

"In 2016 India ought to join the NSG," he said and referred to the commitment made by the US in this regard.

India becoming a member of NSG, he argued would exhibit New Delhi's new leadership in non-proliferation.

"Every effort is being made to ensure India ought to join NSG this year," Lavoy said to a question.
Cheers

The opening bit of the above article came from Peter Lavoy’s response to a question from The Hindu’s Varghese K George at an event organized by the US based think-tank, CSIS.

Support for India is not as clear-cut as made out in the above article. Old US habit of working on behalf her Major Non NATO Ally, the Mohammadden Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan is still evident albeit in a more diluted form with Peter Lavoy urging India to show restraint, not once but twice. See the 56 Minute mark of the below video:

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 13 Oct 2016 15:32

New US President should meet PM Modi in 100 days: American think-tank - PTI

With just 100 days left in Barack Obama's presidency, a top American think-tank has suggested the new US president should meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi within first 100 days to strongly signal importance of continuing close relations between the two countries.

In a major report on 'India-US Security Co-operation', the Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS+ ) urges the upcoming administration to ensure that India signs the foundational agreements, which it believes is important for strengthening the India-US defense relationship.

The absence of such agreements will also make it nearly impossible (if not completely impossible) for the US to provide to India certain advanced sensing, computing and communications technologies that India believes are necessary for its own defense capabilities, it said.

"The next administration should work with Australia, India and Japan to establish a quadrilateral security dialogue, led by the US State Department and foreign ministries. The dialogue should focus on issues of common interest across the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions," the report said.

It said creating a specific opportunity for the US president and Indian Prime Minister to meet in the first 100 days will send a strong signal about the importance of bilateral ties.

CSIS in its report recommends that the US and India should deepen announced efforts on submarine safety and anti-submarine warfare to include combined training and exercises to expand the capability of both countries as well as their interoperability with each other.

Seeking to increase the FDI limit in defense sector to 100 per cent, the report also calls for strengthening and expanding the homeland security dialogue.

The think-tank recommends the new president should invite India to participate (as an observer or stakeholder) in the Quadrilateral Coordination Group talks with the Taliban.

It also urges for establishing a US-India dialogue on the Middle East, modeled on the "East Asia Consults" of the US State Department and India's Ministry of External Affairs.

CSIS said Modi's emergence as a strong leader, just as the US was seeking to consolidate its strategy of re-balance to the Asia Pacific, gave America an opportunity to engage with a rising leader in India, and India an opportunity to reprioritise and rethink its engagement with the world.

Observing that Obama has built a strong relationship with Modi+ , and maintained a high tempo of engagements at the highest levels, the report said the US engagement with India has increasingly focused on the security aspects and India has responded with uncharacteristic warmth to this outreach.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 13 Oct 2016 16:34

Singha wrote:HC has huma abedin as her closest PA. thats bad news for india.

trump is a loose cannon (in more ways than one ), but not particularly fixated on break india. neither would he be a darling of the evanjihadis given his uh p***y grabbing un christian pastimes

I am not sure. He is the "deal maker" isn't he. He will say he found god again and the ejs will line up behind him and give support in return for support for ejism elsewhere.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 13 Oct 2016 18:40

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/new ... 830169.cms

Q: Is it easy to break treaties or friendship?

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 13 Oct 2016 18:51

This election in massa is a defining moment for KDM (Khaan Dork Media)

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 14 Oct 2016 00:44

Gus Was that really counter argument to Singha's multi pronged argument?

All, Lets raise the level of discourse.

Thanks, ramana

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2016 17:09

The main concern about HC appears to be that she has provided the Saudi Wahabi enterprise an avenue to pursue their hegemonic ambitions, 1.5 decades after 9/11/2011. Apparently the Saudis provide $$$$$, which go towards HC's EJ faith-driven compulsions. Win-win. In the old British Great Game terms, HC appears to have agreed to divide the world between EJ and Ummah. They'll have to work out how to divide India I guess.

This model explains everything I see in her record as SoS, the Clinton Foundation, and since. She has made the occasional noise about Saudis funding terrorism, but not done diddly-squat about it, and CLEARLY, in the Syria case, she is on the Saudi/ISIS side. In Ukraine it is about UkBapZis. I didn't read how her campaign dissed Catholics, but that is also a clear sign of the worst of the EJs. Perhaps she sees a kinship between those who are fanatically tied to The Kitab. Strange that she ~~doesn't~~ identify with those who go by Das Kapital (oh, of course she does in India!) OK, that's the last element needed in tying up the model.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 14 Oct 2016 17:13

India's fate was decided by them as per the rumours since long. North to Greens and South to Cross.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2016 17:23

YellowSea at the Vindhyas with permanent Crusades. Makes sense. Like Lebanon.

Karthik S · Post by **Karthik S** » 14 Oct 2016 17:37

Yagnasri wrote:India's fate was decided by them as per the rumours since long. North to Greens and South to Cross.

Raised safed jhanda already?

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 14 Oct 2016 17:52

Sorry, sir, I have not raised anything.

Up to 2014, that plan was truly underway, but ignorant Indians voted poorly in May 2014. What to do.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 16 Oct 2016 03:06

Among Donald Trump’s Biggest U.S. Fans: Hindu Nationalists

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/15/us/po ... .html?_r=0

Your typical Trump rally this was not.First there was the ritual Hindu fire, a yagna, which burned in his honor. Then there were the posters, standard Donald J. Trump head shots except for a touch of artistic interpretation: a tilak, the red dot symbolic of the spiritual third eye in Hindu culture, smudged on his forehead.This celebration of Mr. Trump in New Delhi in May, and others like it in India this year, are the work of a small, devoted and increasingly visible faction of Hindu nationalists in India and the United States who see Mr. Trump as the embodiment of the cocksure, politically incorrect, strongman brand of politics they admire.That some of Mr. Trump’s most passionate followers are Indian may seem, at first, somewhat strange, given how fond he is of scorning Asian countries where cheap labor saps demand for American workers. A poll on Asian-Americans’ political leanings conducted in August and September found that just 7 percent of Indian-Americans said they would vote for Mr. Trump.
But in one of the more peculiar pairings of this most peculiar political season, Mr. Trump has unwittingly fashioned a niche constituency in the overlap between the Indian right and the American right, which share a lot of the same anxieties about terrorism, immigration and the loss of prestige that they believe their leaders have been too slow to reverse.
“There’s a lot of parallels there,” said Shalabh Kumar, the founding chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition. “Mr. Trump is all about development, development, development; prosperity, prosperity, prosperity; tremendous job growth. And at the same time, he recognizes the need to control the borders.”As one of Mr. Trump’s biggest Hindu financial backers, Mr. Kumar, who runs an electronics manufacturing company in Illinois and grew up in the state of Punjab along the Pakistani border, has helped organize a speech by the Republican nominee in Edison, N.J., at a Bollywood-themed charity concert on Saturday. The proceeds will benefit terrorism victims.“It will be an incredible evening,” Mr. Trump said in a video promoting it, one of the few ethnic events he has agreed to do during this campaign.Mr. Trump may be largely indifferent to the reasons behind his Hindu loyalists’ fervor, but his most senior advisers are not. The campaign’s chief executive, Stephen K. Bannon, is a student of nationalist movements. Mr. Bannon is close to Nigel Farage, a central figure in Britain’s movement to leave the European Union, and he is an admirer of India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist Mr. Bannon has called “the Reagan of India.”
Shalabh Kumar, the founding chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition and a Trump supporter. Credit Joshua Bright for The New York Times
It may be pure coincidence that some of Mr. Trump’s words channel the nationalistic and, some argue, anti-Muslim sentiments that Mr. Modi stoked as he rose to power. But it is certainly not coincidental that many of Mr. Trump’s biggest Hindu supporters are also some of Mr. Modi’s most ardent backers.At times, the similarity of Mr. Trump’s and Mr. Modi’s political vocabulary is striking. Mr. Modi fed the perception that India’s feckless leaders had failed to allow the country to reach its full potential. And he campaigned as the only one capable of fixing that.

“I will make such a wonderful India that all Americans will stand in line to get a visa for India,” he said once. A centerpiece of his agenda is the “Make in India” program, which is aimed at stimulating economic growth by encouraging more manufacturing in the country.“It’s all about India first, or ‘Make India Great,’ ” said Sujeeth Draksharam, a civil engineer from Houston who supports Mr. Trump and planned to attend Saturday’s event. “Look at Donald Trump. It’s the same thing. ‘Make America Great Again’ — strong again.”Another similarly powerful sentiment that both leaders have harnessed is grievance. Mr. Trump has seized on how the working class feels out of place and left behind in a country that is changing demographically and economically.Even if Mr. Modi’s appeals were never as crass as Mr. Trump’s, his followers say he always understood that many Hindus felt their concerns were ignored by India’s secular and, in their minds, deeply corrupt government, which Mr. Modi vowed to clean up.
“One of the things that Modi very subtly articulated, but was very clear about, was something which nobody wanted to say,” said Subramanian Swamy, a longtime Indian politician and Hindu nationalist who is often a thorn in the side of the country’s political elite. “And that is that Hindus, despite being 80 percent of the population, feel like they got a raw deal.”There are important differences: Mr. Modi has maintained good relations with President Obama and is a proponent of free trade. Still, Mr. Swamy said, when nationalist-minded Hindus hear Mr. Trump, “they think that this guy talks the same language.”And Mr. Trump’s Hindu admirers accept him, controversies and all. How can he be anti-immigrant when two of his three wives have been immigrants, as one recently told India Abroad. Why should he be punished for singling out Muslim terrorism when, as Mr. Draksharam said, “you’ve got to call a spade a spade.”

Manu Bhagavan, who teaches South Asian history at Hunter College, said the Hindu nationalist movement in India and its devotees in the United States shared a belief that what was once pure and virtuous about Indian life has been tainted.“They locate this in a grand Hindu past,” he said. “If you go before Muslims entered India, before all these foreigners came in and messed things up, Hindus could do this, Hindus could do that.”The response, Mr. Bhagavan said — whether in India, the United States, Britain or any of the countries experiencing a convulsion of antiglobalism right now — is “let’s barricade ourselves in.”But perhaps the strongest link between Mr. Trump’s speech and the Hindu nationalists who find his politics so comforting is the issue of terrorism and how bluntly Mr. Trump is willing to confront Muslim communities about it. Terrorism committed by Islamic extremists is a scourge that has rattled India as well, from the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that left 172 dead to the ambush killings of 20 Indian soldiers last month at an army base near the border with Pakistan.Mr. Trump’s brand of tough talk, scholars said, gives some Indians a sense that he would be much harder on the country’s longtime adversary, Pakistan.When Mr. Trump arrives at the Hindu charity gala in New Jersey on Saturday, the estimated 10,000 guests will be taking in a performance with Bollywood stars, a Hindu art temple and exhibitions honoring the contribution of Hindus to math and science.Mr. Kumar, the Republican Hindu Coalition founder, said neither he nor Mr. Trump was naïve about the fact that most Indian-Americans vote for Democrats. But there could be a few, he said, who hear Mr. Trump on Saturday and discover his message is not all that unfamiliar.What Mr. Trump should probably not expect is the kind of fawning reception he has gotten from his small bands of followers in New Delhi. There was the time in June when a right-wing group known as the Hindu Sena decided to celebrate his 70th birthday. Absent Mr. Trump, who was in North Carolina that day, they improvised and fed a life-size Trump cutout a piece of cake.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 16 Oct 2016 03:36

UlanBatori wrote:...
This model explains everything I see in her record as SoS, the Clinton Foundation, and since. She has made the occasional noise about Saudis funding terrorism, but not done diddly-squat about it, and CLEARLY, in the Syria case, she is on the Saudi/ISIS side. In Ukraine it is about UkBapZis. I didn't read how her campaign dissed Catholics, but that is also a clear sign of the worst of the EJs. Perhaps she sees a kinship between those who are fanatically tied to The Kitab. Strange that she ~~doesn't~~ identify with those who go by Das Kapital (oh, of course she does in India!) OK, that's the last element needed in tying up the model.

HRC is someone who will be at the moment anyone whom you want her to be. She is only focused on the endgame: after so many years of carrying Bill's cardboard cut-out, she wants to be the Bill that Bill never was.

That said, the real powers behind the throne in her administration will be John Podesta, Philippe Reines, Huma Abedin and Tina Flournoy. The outer layer will comprise Samantha Power, Susan Rice. The outermost layer will be the Abrights and Lakes.

Bill himself will be the wild card. The Blonde woman companion in Chappaqua will be fodder for the press.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 16 Oct 2016 04:15

Cosmo,

FYI only. (Wrong thread, so apologies): Important stuff here is not so much teh names, BUT the month.

The most important revelation in the WikiLeaks dump of John Podesta’s emails has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton. The messages go all the way back to 2008, when Podesta served as co-chair of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team. And a month before the election, the key staffing for that future administration was almost entirely in place, revealing that some of the most crucial decisions an administration can make occur well before a vote has been cast.

Michael Froman, who is now U.S. trade representative but at the time was an executive at Citigroup, wrote an email to Podesta on October 6, 2008, with the subject “Lists.” Froman used a Citigroup email address. He attached three documents: a list of women for top administration jobs, a list of non-white candidates, and a sample outline of 31 cabinet-level positions and who would fill them. “The lists will continue to grow,” Froman wrote to Podesta, “but these are the names to date that seem to be coming up as recommended by various sources for senior level jobs.”

The cabinet list ended up being almost entirely on the money. It correctly identified Eric Holder for the Justice Department, Janet Napolitano for Homeland Security, Robert Gates for Defense, Rahm Emanuel for chief of staff, Peter Orszag for the Office of Management and Budget, Arne Duncan for Education, Eric Shinseki for Veterans Affairs, Kathleen Sebelius for Health and Human Services, Melody Barnes for the Domestic Policy Council, and more. For the Treasury, three possibilities were on the list: Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, and Timothy Geithner.

This was October 6. The election was November 4. And yet Froman, an executive at Citigroup, which would ultimately become the recipient of the largest bailout from the federal government during the financial crisis, had mapped out virtually the entire Obama cabinet, a month before votes were counted. And according to the Froman/Podesta emails, lists were floating around even before that.

Many already suspected that Froman, a longtime Obama consigliere, did the key economic policy hiring while part of the transition team. We didn’t know he had so much influence that he could lock in key staff that early, without fanfare, while everyone was busy trying to get Obama elected. The WikiLeaks emails show even earlier planning; by September the transition was getting pre-clearance to assist nominees with financial disclosure forms.

And, just BTW, John Podesta, served as the Chief of Staff for *Bill Clinton*!!!!!!!!!

Suresh S · Post by **Suresh S** » 16 Oct 2016 04:35

[quote="Prem"]Among Donald Trump’s Biggest U.S. Fans: Hindu Nationalists

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/15/us/po ... .html?_r=0

Manu Bhagavan, who teaches South Asian history at Hunter College, said the Hindu nationalist movement in India and its devotees in the United States shared a belief that what was once pure and virtuous about Indian life has been tainted.“They locate this in a grand Hindu past,” he said. “If you go before Muslims entered India, before all these foreigners came in and messed things up, Hindus could do this, Hindus could do that.”The response, Mr. Bhagavan said

Uncle tom negroes and uncle tom Indians not much difference is there? Not for nothing this worhless newspaper is called newyork trash. Condesending worthless farticle which is usual for these goras making me and whole lot of Indians racist in the reverse direction.