India-US Strategic News and Discussion

UBanerjee · Post by **UBanerjee** » 28 Jun 2011 02:34

Sanku wrote:
Rangudu wrote:
Really? So you have a magic trick to eliminate "Western" social ills from spreading in India?

The clock cannot be turned back.
The problem is your linking advancement with becoming western.

Apparently you are not willing to concede that India can advance and not become a "meee tooooo" of west (or if it doesnt its because some parts wont advance)

Well look to Japan then? Great example of superficial Westernization in terms of technology, modern institutions, and so on, while retaining civilizational core and rejecting certain values.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 28 Jun 2011 02:36

CRamS wrote:Did anybody catch Michelle Bacman's announcement that she is running for president? I heard an NPR news report is this with audio clips of her announceent and what caught me was the apocalyptiic, Biblical tone: The "end of US" is near, and she wants to "save" us from that. This notion of "saving" each and everything even when it doesn't need saving is quintessential EJ talk.

I did not catch the actual report or her announcement, but knowing her I paid little attention. She is as freakish as Sara or Christine, except that she might go farther than those too. I ask my 12-yr about her, knowing fully well his views on Republicans and Democrats; he smiles and says "she is too extreme"

. Sadly, he will not be voting.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 28 Jun 2011 02:41

Michelle Bachmann is a ruthless EJ. within 10 years time, she rose from being an absolute nobody in some obscure part of Minnesota to a potential Presidential candidate. she has the "political savvy" that Sarah Palin doesn't. she has had a long history of Christian fundamentalism. her views on gays (not on marriage, but just homosexuality) are just the tip of the iceberg. the woman is a hard core believer. if she becomes President, expect EJ funding to skyrocket through various aid agencies.

UBanerjee · Post by **UBanerjee** » 28 Jun 2011 02:42

devesh wrote:
Rangudu wrote:
Devesh,

There is good and bad in all cultures, though not necessarily in the same proportions. This means that (a) one should not reflexively reject all aspects of a foreign-origin culture and (b) One should also not hide behind defensive mechanisms when otherwise legitimate criticisms or benign changes come from foreign-influenced locals

In this context, should India feel pressured to allow gay marriage or teach gay related topics to kids? Surely not unless it is due to internal evolution. But at the same time, if some people are killed for being openly gay or if government officials publish gay "target lists" (as in Uganda), then we should not feel defensive about it.

Indian culture has always been open to ideas and has absorbed some from abroad while influencing many others. To throw a hissy fit about some gay ambassador or to keep saying "White Man Evil" type useless cliches is puerile.

I never threw any hissy fits about Peter Burleigh's appointment. it is a non-issue and should be treated as such. I only jumped into the discussion when the EJ's entered the picture. the underestimation of EJ fundamentalism in US was startling to me, and therefore shared my experiences. nothing more or less.

devesh, EJ is a powerful force but is also more limited than you make it seem. Growing up in Kentucky will provide you with one side of that coin; I went to a high school in NJ and got a completely different picture. Keep in mind the population balance of Bible Belt heartland vs Coastal, and keep in mind that if EJs were so powerful, Obama would never have gotten elected (see Rev Wright controversy & Muslim accusations; he is completely unacceptable), abortion would never have been constitutionally protected, and so on. Also among the younger generation, EJism is widely ridiculed and seen as backwards stupidity, and there also the (non-EJ funded) media, where positive depictions of EJism are pretty rare.

The whole gay-rights issue is the latest thing which will keep people fighting against EJism. There are internal reformational forces in the US, it is not a monolithic entity. Remember this is a civilization also heavily influenced by Greek/Roman paganism, and African native influences.

raajneesh · Post by **raajneesh** » 28 Jun 2011 02:43

UBanerjee wrote:Well look to Japan then? Great example of superficial Westernization in terms of technology, modern institutions, and so on, while retaining civilizational core and rejecting certain values.

Japan is different. They don't have anglofied education system.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 28 Jun 2011 02:43

Devesh,

>>you guys seriously underestimate the fervor of fundamentalist Christian assertiveness in America.

Based on my post, I'm not sure how you come to the above conclusion. My question was specific, and that was it. I haven’t got an answer yet.

>>"in your face" attitude of christian conservatism is very active. back in the day, I lived in Kentucky ... risk being ridiculed ruthlessly as a pagan. .. amazed to hear the white guy basically say something on the lines of "you are a heathen." ...that exchange shocked and "hurt" him more than he ever thought possible.

Pretty much all who go overseas have such “moments of clarity” now and then, but I’m sure that you will not extrapolate from there and assume that all of America is a bit like Kentucky in this regard. It is also disheartening to see the fear of ridicule, and the hurt feelings caused by the ignorant insults... This sort of thing is a constant refrain on BRF. Frankly, there is no reason to feel hurt if someone criticises your religion ... Why do we care so much for the opinions of “the West”?

UBanerjee · Post by **UBanerjee** » 28 Jun 2011 02:44

raajneesh wrote:
UBanerjee wrote:Well look to Japan then? Great example of superficial Westernization in terms of technology, modern institutions, and so on, while retaining civilizational core and rejecting certain values.
Japan is different. They don't have anglofied education system.

Well I am saying, there is a good example to emulate. There is no reason to retreat into a shell from "Western evil influences", or alternatively slavishly model our society after such influences. We can take what we like and what makes sense.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 28 Jun 2011 02:46

devesh wrote:Michelle Bachmann is a ruthless EJ. within 10 years time, she rose from being an absolute nobody in some obscure part of Minnesota to a potential Presidential candidate. she has the "political savvy" that Sarah Palin doesn't. she has had a long history of Christian fundamentalism. her views on gays (not on marriage, but just homosexuality) are just the tip of the iceberg. the woman is a hard core believer. if she becomes President, expect EJ funding to skyrocket through various aid agencies.

She is intellectually a light-weight pygmy. Karl Rove type brilliant republican strategists will use her to consolidate EJ vote, and then will dump her like a charmin roll in favor of some heavyweight who is no great visionary either, but someone with more brains and gravitas.

raajneesh · Post by **raajneesh** » 28 Jun 2011 02:57

"Russia and China will switch to trade in rubles and yuan to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation, following an agreement signed between the central banks of both countries", Russian Central Bank Deputy Chairman Viktor Melnikov said.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 28 Jun 2011 03:04

UBannerjee ji,

there needs to be more understanding of EJ phenomenon. let me start listing some basic facts about EJ's:

1. they are a minority in terms of numbers.
2. they are heavily present in certain areas like the Midwest, and to an extent South.
3. they infuse a certain tenor to their beliefs that propels other conservative Christians to feel "pressure" to match up to the EJ's.
4. they fervently believe in "saving" the world (read heathens, non-believers, etc).
5. they are a minority, therefore they might not always affect national elections.
6. their personal religious tenor is tremendous, bordering on or firmly intolerant of non-believers.
7. the above causes them to donate significant money to this "cause."
8. there are rich billionaires who are and support EJs. GWB I and II, are the pinnacles of EJ political achievement. in 2008, 23% of electorate was EJ.

in short, even though EJs are a minority, they are highly organized, planned, and grouped together in a way that allows them, in combination with their fervent beliefs, to mount "foreign policy" campaigns that are highly affective. even Obama has chosen to co-opt them by letting the funding for EJ activities continue. so they don't become completely inimical to him. this shows the gathering power of EJs.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 28 Jun 2011 03:16

Devesh,

Lived in Cincinnati way back but across the border from KY. Point #1: they marry their cousins and closer. Point#2: Don't ever take somebody's pejorative as an insult. The 'N' word was embraced by by African Americans to take the sting out.

Lesson: If all they have is a word or words, simply embracing it and lobbing one back "honkies" is sufficient to confuse.

Sorry, but we all have to grow thicker skins. Just because someone calls you word you don't understand is no reason to feel hurt. The answer is: "And you're a born again"

Evangelicals are objects of ridicule on the east and west coasts. There are EJ's who view Catholics as 'papists' and the list goes on regrading Jews. But sticks and stones may hurt my bones but words will never hurt me. If you let words hurt you you let others define you and that is never good.

BTW, I don't think these are the opinions of the 'west'. The 'west' is not defined any longer by these people. By 2050 or even sooner, the US will be majority Hispanic with Asians a significantly larger force.

The grandson/daughter of that KY guy will be angling for that BLORE job.

Finally and this is really important: We have not been taught and do not teach our kids what 'Hinduism' is. There are no dogmas to serve as platforms. We not do not teach what makes a Hindu and what does not. We are inclusive to the point of anything goes. That makes for confusion among our children in the US.

The real 'moment of clarity' is knowing the signal to circle wagons on cue. We don't have that because we are not indoctrinated enough to who the are are cowboys and who are the 'injuns'

anjan · Post by **anjan** » 28 Jun 2011 03:45

Acharya wrote: I dont want western approval. What gave you this perception. Why should west perception be relevant inside India.
Indian liberal values are from Hindu tolerance world view.
I want to understand where your views come from.

So your last few comments going on about how perceptions of Homosexuality and Hinduism intertwining in the west and explaining how the two were separate to a western audience where all about what? You have rather peculiar views on what counts as tolerance. I'm not certain this debate is worth the strain it puts on my suspension of disbelief so I'm done here. Thanks!

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Jun 2011 03:54

so, gays are an issue between Indo-US strategic relationships?

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 28 Jun 2011 04:29

anjan wrote:
So your last few comments going on about how perceptions of Homosexuality and Hinduism intertwining in the west and explaining how the two were separate to a western audience where all about what? You have rather peculiar views on what counts as tolerance. I'm not certain this debate is worth the strain it puts on my suspension of disbelief so I'm done here. Thanks!

Still your post dont make any sense here. I am confused about your views.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 28 Jun 2011 04:55

At the Council on Foreign Relations, Evan Feigenbaum questions the utility of multilateral groups, taking the India-Japan-US one as an example:
http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2011/06/27/ar ... the-point/

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 28 Jun 2011 05:45

Senate pushes Pentagon on US-India defence ties

The United States Congress has moved decisively to bridge a widening gulf between the defence establishments of India and America. In an unprecedented initiative, the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), which oversees the US Department of Defense, has ordered the Pentagon to submit a report by November 1 with a detailed assessment of the current state of US-India security cooperation; and a five-year plan for enhancing that cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and globally.
:
The SASC initiative was piloted last week by two influential members — Senator John Cornyn (Republican from Texas) and Joe Lieberman (Democrat from Connecticut) — as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill (each allocation of the US defence budget is evaluated and passed by the SASC). The amendment notes, “It is in the national interest of the United States… to support India’s rise and build a strategic and military culture of cooperation and interoperability between our two countries, in particular with regard to the Indo-Pacific region.”

raajneesh · Post by **raajneesh** » 28 Jun 2011 06:52

Acharya wrote:Why does it apply now. This book is good for this debate

http://naimisha.tripod.com/new_page_3.htm
Decolonizing the Hindu Mind: Ideological Development of Hindu Revivalism by Koenraad Elst.

Interesting. Is there any e-book version of this?

raajneesh · Post by **raajneesh** » 28 Jun 2011 07:04

^^ Unnecessary sensationalizing and overreaction syndromes are appearing in article. Has deal finalized yet?

I was expecting a more mature line from such media houses.

Edited later: just noticed "Sponsored by Boeing" beside B-Standed logo above at top.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Jun 2011 07:35

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 019622.cms

not sure how deep the conspiracy is , but our filters are tuned for any hint of it...

UBanerjee · Post by **UBanerjee** » 28 Jun 2011 08:19

^ Should be time to play hardball with the Americans.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Jun 2011 09:41

Robert Gates' biggest accomplishment

"This scenario [of war with Iran] failed to materialize because the political forces pushing for active consideration of the military option -- Vice President Dick Cheney's camp in the George W. Bush White House, hawkish pundits, key congressional leaders and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee -- have been outmaneuvered by an informal antiwar coalition that included the Pentagon, the military's top brass, the intelligence community and the Department of State.

This coalition was ably led by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who is stepping down from his post at the end of the month. If one person were to receive the top credit for preventing an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, it would be Gates."

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 28 Jun 2011 09:52

UBanerjee wrote:
raajneesh wrote:"UBanerjee">>Well look to Japan then? Great example of superficial Westernization in terms of technology, modern institutions, and so on, while retaining civilizational core and rejecting certain values.

Japan is different. They don't have anglofied education system.
Well I am saying, there is a good example to emulate. There is no reason to retreat into a shell from "Western evil influences", or alternatively slavishly model our society after such influences. We can take what we like and what makes sense.

Gentlemen, again why look anywhere, why "emulate" anyone. (and everyone has issues, for example the price that Japan pays is castration)

We are Indians, we are the fountainhead of 90% of worlds knowledge in sciences, philosophy and culture. The cradle of civilization. THE prima donna economic power (and cultural and industrial) power in 1700s...

We need to find solutions for ourselves.

Sure "look at" everyone, but "emulate" none (in any case we cant even if we try it wont work) -- we need to find OUR own solution using our ingenuity.

Time to shake of the shackles of the mind. Free the mind and the rest will follow.

=================

(Oh and being ourselves does not mean being "stuck" in 786 or whatever random date that is identified as being Indian, however more of this in other threads)

UBanerjee · Post by **UBanerjee** » 28 Jun 2011 10:09

Sanku wrote:
UBanerjee wrote:
Well I am saying, there is a good example to emulate. There is no reason to retreat into a shell from "Western evil influences", or alternatively slavishly model our society after such influences. We can take what we like and what makes sense.
Gentlemen, again why look anywhere, why "emulate" anyone. (and everyone has issues, for example the price that Japan pays is castration)

Japan pays that price because it tried and failed to take the US head on. Afterwards, Japan has been perfectly happy to ride on US security coattails while gaining great prosperity. But the modernization process it followed both before and after the war is illuminating to observe.

Sanku wrote: We are Indians, we are the fountainhead of 90% of worlds knowledge in sciences, philosophy and culture. The cradle of civilization. THE prima donna economic power (and cultural and industrial) power in 1700s...

We need to find solutions for ourselves.

Well I won't quibble over the numbers- they seem a bit of a well-meaning exaggeration to me- but I agree that the basic point is we must find our own solution. I am just pointing out that others have found their own solutions to modernization that didn't involve slavishly aping the West.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 28 Jun 2011 10:10

UBanerjee wrote: I am just pointing out that others have found their own solutions to modernization that didn't involve slavishly aping the West.

Fair enough.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Jun 2011 19:40

Singha wrote:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 019622.cms

not sure how deep the conspiracy is , but our filters are tuned for any hint of it...

who is Mandana D Farhang?

where is M.A. Mobile company?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Jun 2011 20:19

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37224148/M-a- ... f-Tech-MTS

it appears there was some tech invented by one brian kenville and this 'entrepreneur' bought the rights to this tech and somehow managed to get iit onboard for this tech. no record of her in uspto patent search exist directly but lots of other farhangs.

--
imo in general indians should lose this fetish and admiration for NRI 'entrepreneurs' and NRI 'groups of technologists/VCs' putting forth grand proposals and learn to walk the 9 miles themselves. if not walk, then crawl. but find own way of doing it and get rid of the 'semindia' type issues.

Klaus · Post by **Klaus** » 28 Jun 2011 21:46

devesh wrote: in short, even though EJs are a minority, they are highly organized, planned, and grouped together in a way that allows them, in combination with their fervent beliefs, to mount "foreign policy" campaigns that are highly affective. even Obama has chosen to co-opt them by letting the funding for EJ activities continue. so they don't become completely inimical to him. this shows the gathering power of EJs.

Reading your other post about a possible reconquista taking place in Southwest, what are the possible directions that these trends are likely to take, considering increasing Hispanic presence?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 29 Jun 2011 01:22

I looked into the idea of if they can Amercianise (Baptistise) the Hispanci Chruch. I found Hispanic Church is a syncretic amalgam of Roman Catholic and native American ideas which make the above difficult if not impossoble. So the way chosen was to admit/evangelize the Hispanic masses via sub-prime loan inducements in the South West. There was an Atlantic magazine article on that but from an amusement prespective. Sort of look at the unwashed who took all those sub-prime loans and are now wiped out economically. The writer didnt get the big picture as to why those loans were being given out to the target population.

ranjbe · Post by **ranjbe** » 29 Jun 2011 01:32

Klaus wrote:
devesh wrote: in short, even though EJs are a minority, they are highly organized, planned, and grouped together in a way that allows them, in combination with their fervent beliefs, to mount "foreign policy" campaigns that are highly affective. even Obama has chosen to co-opt them by letting the funding for EJ activities continue. so they don't become completely inimical to him. this shows the gathering power of EJs.
Reading your other post about a possible reconquista taking place in Southwest, what are the possible directions that these trends are likely to take, considering increasing Hispanic presence?

The "Reconquista" must be taken in parallel with the significant impact of EJ's in Central and South America. Remember this area was almost 100% Catholic 100 years ago. Some Central American countries now have significant Protestant (mostly EJ's) minorities (Guatemala 33%,Hondouras 23%, El Salvador 21%) and these countries provide a significant minority of the so called 'Hispanics' in the USA. Both the current Pope anf his predecessor has publicly denounced the EJ's for stealing from their Catholic flock in Latin and Central America. Even Mexico is now at least 6% (and growing) Protestant. See Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_by_country

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 29 Jun 2011 03:04

http://www.amconmag.com/blog/2011/06/28 ... l-reality/
Barack Gorbachev: Adjusting to the Global Reality

Gorbachev and most of the leaders in the Kremlin “were convinced that we did not need Afghanistan and had no business being there,” a former Soviet advisor told journalist and author Michael Dobbs. “We would have lost the war anyway,” he explained. “We should have learned from the British that Afghanistan is a country that cannot be conquered.”Yet even an open-minded reformer like Gorbachev was not ready to admit that a superpower like the Soviet Union had suffered a military defeat in Afghanistan, and insisted on spinning as a success what amounted to the failure on the part of Moscow to impose its will on the country, not to mention the enormous losses in life and money.That in retrospect, Gorbachev’s Vietnam in Afghanistan is starting to look more and more like Obama’s Afghanistan in, well, Afghanistan, brings (once again) to mind George Santayana’s warning that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (although it should probably be changes to “do not want to remember”). In both cases, political leaders found it difficult to extract their country from costly military quagmires.But the dilemma facing Gorbachev in the late 1980s and Obama in the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century goes beyond failed military interventions in Afghanistan. In both cases, leaders of great powers experiencing erosion in its economic power and the overstretching of its military are forced to adjust an outdated global strategy to the changes in its military and economic capabilities.reality, after all the sacrifice of so much precious life and treasure in Mesopotamia and in Af-Pak, including two costly military surges, and the rest of the useless military and diplomatic hyper-activism in the Broader Middle East (like in Libya and Israel/Palestine), Iraq is expected to become a political and economic satellite of Iran while the corrupt pro-American government in Afghanistan will probably fall into the hands of the Taliban sooner or later. The rest of the region is likely to experience a series of civil wars between ethnic groups, tribes and religious sects. And there won’t be any peace in the Holy Land in the near future.
The global player that is going to ride high after the dust settles in the Middle East and U.S. troops return home sometime in this decade will be China. Years of pre-occupation with the Middle East and the investment of economic and military resources to try to control and remake have diverted American attention from East Asia, a region of the world where core geo-strategic and geo-economic interests are at stake, while providing the Chinese with an opportunity to grow their economy, military power and diplomatic influence not only in East Asia but also in South and West Asia.

The Chinese, unlike the Americans, have been so successful in readjusting to the changing global realities, that when the Americans wars in the Middle East will end, it is China and not the U.S. that will emerge as the main strategic winner.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 29 Jun 2011 03:10

Klaus wrote:
devesh wrote: in short, even though EJs are a minority, they are highly organized, planned, and grouped together in a way that allows them, in combination with their fervent beliefs, to mount "foreign policy" campaigns that are highly affective. even Obama has chosen to co-opt them by letting the funding for EJ activities continue. so they don't become completely inimical to him. this shows the gathering power of EJs.
Reading your other post about a possible reconquista taking place in Southwest, what are the possible directions that these trends are likely to take, considering increasing Hispanic presence?

there is a fundamental difference between Hispanic culture and WASP culture. that basic schism can never be made to disappear. it will persist and as Mexico regains its confidence from WASP imposed weakness, Mexicans will increasingly "remember" 1848.

in terms of demographics, this poses a huge threat to WASP elite. America's two largest states, geographically and economically (not considering Alaska), are California and Texas. both these states and their neighboring regions were conquered from what was traditionally and historically a region of Mexican domination.

as for EJ's conquering Central America, at some point, there will be a "Reformation" inside EJ'ism. in modern world, the speed of communications, and the larger awareness of cultural and racial issues almost guarantees that EJ's won't be able to impose the kind of Uniformity that they want to impose. and I am fundamentally certain that Mexicans will never accept White protestant domination. they might have accepted geographical weakness b/c of military defeat, but to accept cultural subordination to White America is unthinkable. if that happens, then mass mind control officially exists.

Central America is also squished between Mexico and Brazil. Mexico will play a much larger role in Central America b/c of easier geographical access than Brazil. and here too, EJ's will encounter the same problem. as these countries grow up the ladder of development, as racial and cultural issues become more prevalent rather than just bread and butter, the locals will not simply accept White EJ protestantism. at the very least, they will kick out the WASP EJ's and develop their own version of EJ'ism.

UBanerjee · Post by **UBanerjee** » 29 Jun 2011 04:15

Prem wrote:http://www.amconmag.com/blog/2011/06/28 ... l-reality/
Barack Gorbachev: Adjusting to the Global Reality

The global player that is going to ride high after the dust settles in the Middle East and U.S. troops return home sometime in this decade will be China. Years of pre-occupation with the Middle East and the investment of economic and military resources to try to control and remake have diverted American attention from East Asia, a region of the world where core geo-strategic and geo-economic interests are at stake, while providing the Chinese with an opportunity to grow their economy, military power and diplomatic influence not only in East Asia but also in South and West Asia.

The Chinese, unlike the Americans, have been so successful in readjusting to the changing global realities, that when the Americans wars in the Middle East will end, it is China and not the U.S. that will emerge as the main strategic winner.

That is something I have been saying- but various commentators here insist that US mid-east misadventures are a chankian wealth-extraction master move. I guess we shall continue to see.

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 29 Jun 2011 05:46

US pins hope on Pranab to repair ties

But Washington is keen to use Mukherjee’s visit to go beyond the confines of his ministerial mandate. For one thing, they recognise that almost everything substantive in Indo-US relations was achieved directly under Mukherjee’s charge. He was the defence minister when a “New Framework in the India-US Defence Relationship” was signed in June 2005, altering the pace of bilateral defence co-operation.

Mukherjee as external affairs minister steered the Indo-US nuclear deal to conclusion both by overseeing the negotiations with the Americans and simultaneously attempting to manage the political dynamics of the deal back home.

During his three-day stay here, Mukherjee now faces the challenge of fixing what he put together in the first place. Recognising the opportunity offered by Mukherjee’s presence to repair strains in the relationship, secretary of state Hillary Clinton had a very early morning start today and discussed the matter with Vice-President Joe Biden, one of the strongest supporters of India in the present administration.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 29 Jun 2011 06:22

Looks like a lifafa article from Amrita Bazar Patrika.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 29 Jun 2011 06:26

UBanerjee wrote: That is something I have been saying- but various commentators here insist that US mid-east misadventures are a chankian wealth-extraction master move. I guess we shall continue to see.

There's nothing to see because its already obvious invasion of Libya is for looting purposes.

China can't even protect its tens of thousands of workers in Libya who were there working on contract.

The country has no projection power. The reason US wants to keep dictators in the middle east is so those countries are compliant I.e use dollar for oil trade, give oil contract to American companies, support America or at least don't oppose it internationally. If those sheiks are not compliant, they will be the recepient of a 'civilian protection' invasion and their monies & resources grabbed.

Personally I think the next Libya could well be UAE. They are small, run by a bunch of unelected sheiks at the top and most importantly have a sh&tload of money sitting around. Put them down for a civilian protection invasion some 10 to 15 years from now. I'm giving odds of 2 to 1 if the sheiks there become even slightly non-compliant.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 29 Jun 2011 06:38

Ajai Shukla: Indo-US jet trainer - the Indus moment

The inherent buoyancy of the US-India relationship has again become evident from the US Congress’ recent attempt to jump-start flagging defence ties. Concerned over the drift, the pivotal Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) has asked the Pentagon to submit by November 1, 2011, a detailed assessment of the current state of US-India security co-operation; and a five-year plan for enhancing that. Noteworthy in itself is the bipartisan belief within the Committee that “it is in the national interest of the US, through military-to-military relations, arms sales, bilateral and multilateral joint exercises, and other means, to support India’s rise and build a strategic and military culture of cooperation and interoperability between our two countries, in particular with regard to the Indo-Pacific region”. But far more substantive is the SASC’s call on the Pentagon for “a detailed assessment of the desirability and feasibility… [of] a potential US partnership with India to co-develop one or more military weapon systems, including but not limited to the anticipated program to replace the US Air Force T-38 trainer jet”.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 29 Jun 2011 06:43

How U.S. Budget Cuts Prolong Global Slavery

The new law mandated that any country that had been on the watch list for two consecutive years would be downgraded to Tier 3, unless that country presented a written plan and a demonstrated capacity to improve its slavery record. This year, all but five of the 19 "parking lot" occupants avoided the automatic downgrade. Of those five that were dropped under the law, Libya and Venezuela join Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, Zimbabwe and other Tier 3 countries already facing U.S. sanctions. (Others in Tier 3 include Middle East allies such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.)

Antislavery activists were quietly furious that most of the longtime watch-list inhabitants stayed off of Tier 3 again this year. The State Department included India among six countries that it upgraded to Tier 2, citing the country's implementation of a national identity-card program, which could help prevent human trafficking. But India did little to address the slavery of millions who are trapped in debt bondage. China, Russia and Uzbekistan were among seven countries granted waivers as they had offered written plans to improve their trafficking records.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 29 Jun 2011 06:47

US SC rejects NYC plea to collect tax from Indian mission

ranjbe · Post by **ranjbe** » 29 Jun 2011 08:28

devesh wrote:[quote="there is a fundamental difference between Hispanic culture and WASP culture. that basic schism can never be made to disappear. it will persist and as Mexico regains its confidence from WASP imposed weakness, Mexicans will increasingly "remember" 1848.

in terms of demographics, this poses a huge threat to WASP elite. America's two largest states, geographically and economically (not considering Alaska), are California and Texas. both these states and their neighboring regions were conquered from what was traditionally and historically a region of Mexican domination.

.

This scenario is possible but unlikely today. Mexicans have a saying "Poor Mexico ... so near USA, so far from God". Mexico has a tiny army, navy and air force, equipped with US equipment. It's economy is totally dependent upon the USA, and will collapse if US investment and tourism is cut off. Given the current situation, there is very little chance of any Reconquista, demographic or otherwise. The new immigration law in Arizona is an example of how nasty WASP's can get if they believe that illegal immigration is overwhelming the country. Fifty or hundred years from now, who knows?

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 29 Jun 2011 08:34

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/busin ... rupee.html
U.S.-India Talks Yield Little for Trade
By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM Published: June 28, 2011
"WASHINGTON — Financial policy makers from the United States and India concluded a brief round of meetings Tuesday with talk of friendship but no specific agreements, a result that contrasted with the superficially similar talks between the United States and China last month.
The United States and India have much in common. They are the world’s largest democracies, with relatively open economies and similar views on a range of geopolitical issues.
Yet trade between the two countries is just a fraction of the flow between the United States and China, and leaders from both sides struggled to articulate an agenda for this latest round of talks.
“One of the things that’s so encouraging about it is the relative absence of drama,” Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said Monday, when asked why these meetings lacked the specific objectives of the meetings with China. “There is a natural complementarity of interest.”
The Obama administration inaugurated annual economic talks with India last year as part of its focus on cultivating relationships with emerging markets like India and Brazil.
The administration views increased exports as the most likely driver of an American economic recovery, so it is seeking to open new markets in those countries. Moreover, it sees an opportunity to make common cause in pressuring China to adopt economic reforms.
Mr. Geithner traveled to India last year for talks with his counterparts. The meetings Tuesday were the return engagement, attended by senior officials from both sides, including the heads of both nations’ central banks and a representative handful of financial regulators......."
Gautam