India-US Strategic News and Discussion

[Suraj]

ramana, I'm aware she's former Congresswoman, and that WWI is a Democratic stronghold. Yet, she's neither a sitting policymaker nor speaking in an official capacity. She's no Robin Raphael or Talbott. My point is that in 1998 PRC could have the POTUS push sanctions against us. Today, in the face of a strategic event of similar magnitude, they cannot do any better than this. One needs to recognize that in terms of actual ability to hurt us using 'the system', both the US and PRC is vastly more constrained now.

Rising powers should not waste their energy dealing with every dissenting voice. If she wants to be heard, she should speak from a level worth hearing from. One of the reasons few speak out loudly against PRC is a) they're ignored, b) talked down or c) future access to PRC hampered. If you do a straw poll of BRF how many do you think have heard of her before ? Except perhaps US CSPAN watchers, probably no one. Further, this comes 3 weeks after the test. If she was speaking as part of concerted US policy she'd have spoken within days.

If at all this woman deserves a response, it should be in the form of our paying off someone else from a Republican aligned thinktank to shoot her statement down, and let her fight it out as a domestic political argument. If PRC can play the game so can we.

[svinayak]

r
If at all this woman deserves a response, it should be in the form of our paying off someone else from a Republican aligned thinktank to shoot her statement down, and let her fight it out as a domestic political argument. If PRC can play the game so can we.

This should be done at the minimum.

[svinayak]

"What if PRC feels that circled by US is a sham "

Yes, they could feel that way, but still make the accusation, as a way of justifying their own atrocious behaviour.

This is part of large games nations play. This circling of PRC could be wink wink arrangement between US and PRC. The entire trade supply chain eco system is around the PRC, JAPAN, Soko, Taiwan and other Asean countries. This is more than $1T and unless there is a roadblock this will not stop.

[ramana]

HC is on her farewell world tour. Maybe JH is angling for that job. Being PRC pasand could be needed next term.

[Kanishka]

HC is on her farewell world tour. Maybe JH is angling for that job. Being PRC pasand could be needed next term.

Thought JK=S of S after HC.

[svinayak]

No it is JK who is the next

[Suraj]

HC herself is PRC pasand, slick Willie even more so. It was under his watch that so much US space and defence tech data made it into Chinese hands, with no negative consequence to PRC. If JH makes it to the position of SoS and speaks out differently than either current official US or NATO position, then we can evaluate her statements at the time.

[KLNMurthy]

...

Rising powers should not waste their energy dealing with every dissenting voice. If she wants to be heard, she should speak from a level worth hearing from. One of the reasons few speak out loudly against PRC is a) they're ignored, b) talked down or c) future access to PRC hampered. If you do a straw poll of BRF how many do you think have heard of her before ? Except perhaps US CSPAN watchers, probably no one. Further, this comes 3 weeks after the test.

IMO we need to be asking more of: what is behind some utterance or deed and less of: should we react to xyz, if so how?

The Harmon article is intriguing at many levels. Firstly Harmon was quite powerful though low key. She easily won re-election in 2010 and very soon quit to head up WWI. Usually politicians take up such jobs after losing elections so this was strange. One reason may be she lost her power in the committee since dems became minority. But she might have got it back in 2012 election just as she got it in 2008. So I think that's not the whole story.

The 3 week delay in publishing the article may also signal something. Harmon is not part of media; IMO she is stating WWI decision to not let go of this issue and fight to defend PRC interests against India in the long term. WWI is famous for advocating "self-determination." The article tells us who is on the opposing team and what play to expect. I would forecast summer intifada in the vale along with right-to-protect pressure to break India.

[KLNMurthy]

HC is on her farewell world tour. Maybe JH is angling for that job. Being PRC pasand could be needed next term.

Could be. A deal between PRC and BO might include more PRC cooperation on economic and fiscal front (revaluation of currency before election?) in exchange for a PRC shill at State. ( banking penetration by PRC is under way ) This article may be job interview for JH--to be PRC candidate for SoS to compete with JK.

I would look for similar moves by PRC on the Romney side. It adds up to, PRC is upping the ante as stapled visa approach had no effect on Indian drive for independence.

[V_Raman]

I would forecast summer intifada in the vale along with right-to-protect pressure to break India.

maybe that is why test are being scheduled in a hurry...

[KLNMurthy]

HC herself is PRC pasand, slick Willie even more so. It was under his watch that so much US space and defence tech data made it into Chinese hands, with no negative consequence to PRC. If JH makes it to the position of SoS and speaks out differently than either current official US or NATO position, then we can evaluate her statements at the time.

Yes both Clintons are cheeni-pasand but smart enough to apply the soft touch when overt cheeni pasandgiri recoiled against their country. Now HC's game is to flatter and coax Indians into letting the RAPE proclaim to the abduls that they subdued the kafirs, so that RAPE will be allowed to cooperate with US and US can keep up payments to RAPE without aam amriki asking how come. That means cheenis are spared from RAPE begging--if PRC says no enough times, even RAPE might figure out that PRC is not really their all weather patron. That would be a huge loss for PRC.

So hillary is doing PRC's job in her pappi jhapi with burkha and the PYTs of Cal.

[Suraj]

Former Rep.Harman's history bears reviewing:
wiki bio

Harman was born Jane Margaret Lakes in New York City, the daughter of Lucille (née Geier) and Adolph. N. Lakes.[4] Her father escaped Nazi Germany in 1935,[5] and worked as a medical doctor. Her maternal grandparents immigrated from Russia.[6]

Presumably Jewish. Her husband is the Harman of Harman-Kardon.
Further:
AIPAC controversy

In October 2006, Time magazine, quoting anonymous sources, asserted that an FBI and US Department of Justice investigation of Harman was underway. The magazine alleged that Harman had agreed to lobby the Department of Justice to reduce espionage charges against Steve J. Rosen and Keith Weissman, two officials at the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). In exchange, Time said there was a quid pro quo in which AIPAC would lobby then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to appoint Harman as chair of the House Intelligence Committee if the Democrats captured the House after the 2006 elections. Harman, the FBI, the Justice Department and Pelosi's office have all denied knowledge of or involvement with any investigation.[16] AIPAC denied it had engaged in a quid pro quo with Harman. "AIPAC would never engage in a quid pro quo in relation to a federal investigation or any federal matter and the notion that it would do so is preposterous," a spokesperson said at the time.[16]

Now let's review her article - which basically brackets us with NoKo and Iran. Since her elevation to the HIC didn't work out, she's moved into the nearest influential policymaking thinktank. The WWI wiki reads:

The Center is a public-private partnership. Approximately one third of the Center's operating funds come annually from an appropriation from the U.S. government, and the Center's building, a wing of the Ronald Reagan Building, was provided by the U.S. government. The remainder of the Center's funding comes from foundations, grants and contracts, corporations, individuals, endowment income, and subscriptions.

I would venture to guess that the article has Israeli and PRC funding, the former to pressurize Iran, and the latter funding lifafas against us after no one bothered to even respond or follow up on the 'ZOMG! Agni-V has 8000km range!' statements from them.

[KJo]

Who the F is HC to comment about internal Indian politics?

Clinton praises Mamata for overthrowing Left
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-new ... 54000.aspx

Terming her trip to Kolkata as remarkable, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was all praise for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee saying despite being a women she successfully ended 34-year-old Left rule in the state.

[shyam]

Bloomberg doing image building for Mamta-di

Banerjee Leads Rebellion Within Indian Coalition Against Singh

[Altair]

Bloomberg doing image building for Mamta-di

Banerjee Leads Rebellion Within Indian Coalition Against Singh

PMO appears to have given the handle to the US so that US can leverage from India what it needs in way it wants.
If PMO had the balls it would have stopped US interaction with local leaders like, Chiranjeevi, Mamta etc..
It is dangerous combination of incompetence and arrogance.

[svenkat]

Nirad Chaudhari,the exemplary Hindu upper caste nationalist(with the prejudices of his time) chronicler of the colonial interaction wrote that the British intervenion to modernise India had been interrupted and the Hindu leadership would have to invite back the West to complete the task.

The Congress is grappling with Indian diversity where awareness of rights,conflicting narratives,fractiousness over resources and power has ended the Nehruvian vision, which with all its faults guided it since 1947.

The Indian population is huge and there is a resource crunch because of increasing aspirations.

It is easy to be 'brave' in BRF.Where is the vision,alternate leadership?

The US South Asia narrative is so alluring because it takes some burden off the tired geriatric Congress leadership offering the cold comfort of a 'world vision' having the support of the pre-eminent power of the world.

I dont know what moral authority american citizens and NRIs have to criticise Dr.MMS when at the minimum,they too have accepted in some measure the US world view and partake of it in their lives.//

Rant ends.

[Altair]

Where is the vision,alternate leadership?

One of the many reasons US has a powerful image is because of the processes in place for its leadership, The Office of the President of United States.

India needs a visionary leadership in the spate of increased challenges both politically and strategically. If the person is not suitable for the job then he should quit instead of finding blame in others and surrendering to pressure every day .

India needs an institution for its leadership which directs actions with its derived authority and respect.

Let us not rant about problems, let us find solutions instead.

[D Roy]

I know this is the el strategico thread etcetra etcetra ...

But all this HC visiting MB is no biggie.

it ij MMS ppl wonlee who asked HC to go to Kalkatta and massage "true" ppl's leader's Bangali ego ... And nothing massages Bango shauntaan ego more than accolades from gora or gori.

It gives a filip to MB's media image when she is in a tussle with the local and national media. which is precisely why loads of interviews with the "international" press have been lined up for MB. MB is showing to the desi media that "Bhai, hum kissi se kum nahin". Basically a tamacha to all the negative coverage of late.

All this coverage also helps her to get the momentum going on what she really wants - a moratorium on interest payments for a period three years that MMS wants to give but is being blocked by someone else (hint: hint:).

In return MMS ji will get what he really wants.

and the moment WB gets that waiver you will find that all opposition to a variety of "reforms" will be dropped.

[KLNMurthy]

...

I dont know what moral authority american citizens and NRIs have to criticise Dr.MMS when at the minimum,they too have accepted in some measure the US world view and partake of it in their lives.//

Rant ends.

You make some valid points about alternate vision etc. However, the "moral authority" argument is a false one. Since the time of Marx it is understood that revolution--IOW alternate vision--comes from within the middle class that is benefiting from the system itself, because of leisure to think and act. We have to live and survive in the US defined system while we also take up a study of that system with its contradictions and develop our own vision. That is how change comes. Moral authority concept is a red herring meant to stifle the growth of revolutionary consciousness.

This is already OT. But the "NRIs should shut up" kind of point keeps coming up (sorry if you didn't mean that) often enough that we should be clear about what role the NRI class plays in this process of defending Bharat.

The higher intellectual echelons of US SD like Hillary etc. understand this, and work to keep it in their control. This requires constant calibration. Denying Modi's visa while courting other CMs etc is part of that process.

[svenkat]

KLNM ji,
A rant is not a very well thought out agrrement.

The NRIs have contributed immensely to our economy,our self esteem.They have an important role to play,IMHO.

I am trying to look from GOIs view.

1)It seems today that because of domestic and external reasons,we are not able to give the dhakka which would put pakistan out of its misery.
2)Within India,our political class does not seem to have pakisatan as a priority the way Reagan administration had their sights on SU.Ofcourse,our history,value systems and relative strengths of the real adversaries are defferent.Pakisatan is a proxy.Our priorities are different too.
3)How does GOI then deal with pakisatan?
a)One voluble section in bRF feels Dr MMS is a gatekeeper/sellout etc
b)I am suggesting one other possible view.An ideologically pragmatic view of accepting US 'involvement' for piss among the 'peoples' of 'South Asia' which means engagement with RAPEs/paki political class and because of this 'bhaichaara',monkeys asha,siachen demilitarisation, TSPA goes to its barracks,theres free trade,people to people love fest,open borders in Cashmere,more autonomy for Cashmere etc.This is what I suggested in my rant.Only the jingoes in BRF would be dissapointed.And we 'dont matter' in the real world.
c)There could be another 'chankian' view for jingoes/keyboard jihadis who are ever optimistic.Realising our present 'predicament', the GOI is accepting 'chai-biskoot' sessions with pak,without giving any real concessions and frustrating TSP and its sponsors until the time is ready to put TSP out of its misery.

This is a forum where we express our thoughts on the strategic framework.My thoughts fwiw.

[Prem]

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2 ... ut-why.php
Obama is standing traditional foreign policy thinking on its head, but why?

wrote here and here about how President Obama tilted American policy in South Asia away from our natural ally, India, and towards Pakistan, a country with whom we have little natural affinity and whose role in Afghanistan has remained ambiguous at best. Obama’s approach to South Asia is consistent with his approach to foreign policy general. In the Middle East, he tilted away from our long-time ally, Israel. In Eastern Europe, he tilted towards an increasingly hostile Russia and away from Poland and the Czech Republic. The pattern seems unmistakable.A tribe or nation might ally with a one-time enemy, or even a potential future one, to defeat a current enemy. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and all that. But a tribe or nation would only do so if it were sure that the would-be “friend” actually is the dedicated enemy of the tribe or nation’s enemy (which Pakistan is not). And in the absence of a common enemy, a powerful nation would favor its friends over its non-friends.
Why, then, is Obama’s default position to distance the U.S. from traditional friends and allies who generally share our values, and to cozy up to traditionally hostile entities who don’t.?The second possibility goes beyond the quest for sophistication into a deeper emotional realm. What if the “tribe” we were born into is defective to the point that its enemies should be viewed in a favorable, or at least a neutral, light? Then, the “tribe’s” friends may not merit special consideration; if anything they may merit contempt. And even if we are ambivalent about our “tribe,” not downright disgusted with it, the traditional notion of how to treat the tribe’s friends and enemies may tend to unravel. In pop psychological terms, we’re no longer talking about the desire to surpass the father; generally speaking (though not in Obama’s particular case, to the extent his approach to foreign policy stems from ambivalence about America), we’re talking about trying to kill him. Whatever the drivers, Obama’s moves towards abandoning the traditional way of approaching foreign friends and enemies is as radical as anything else he is attempting or seriously contemplating. In some ways, they resemble abandoning thousands of years of thought about what constitutes marriage, but with greater risk, I would argue, to our security, and without any sensible countervailing humanitarian or egalitarian argument.

[KLNMurthy]

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2 ... ut-why.php
Obama is standing traditional foreign policy thinking on its head, but why

Convoluted pseudo-intellectual way to construct a thesis that Obama hates America. Needlessly dragging in India as "traditional ally" of America, which is BS.

[Philip]

Years ago the cricketers of OZ,Greg Chappel in particular had an "underarm" problem,now we have both the CIAs and MI-6's "underwear" problem!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/ma ... -cia-leaks

Underwear bomb plot: British and US intelligence rattled over leaks
Leak about UK involvement described as despicable by CIA as anger turns to Obama administration for compromising mission

Ewen MacAskill in Washington and Ian Black, Middle East editor
guardian.co.uk, Friday 11 May 2012

Detailed leaks of operational information about the foiled underwear bomb plot are causing growing anger in the US intelligence community, with former agents blaming the Obama administration for undermining national security and compromising the British services, MI6 and MI5.

The Guardian has learned from Saudi sources that the agent was not a Saudi national as was widely reported, but a Yemeni. He was born in Saudi Arabia, in the port city of Jeddah, and then studied and worked in the UK, where he acquired a British passport.

Mike Scheur, the former head of the CIA's Bin Laden unit, said the leaking about the nuts and bolts of British involvement was despicable and would make a repeat of the operation difficult. "MI6 should be as angry as hell. This is something that the prime minister should raise with the president, if he has the balls. This is really tragic," Scheur said.

He added: "Any information disclosed is too much information. This does seem to be a tawdry political thing."

He noted that the leak came on the heels of a series of disclosures over the last 10 days, beginning with a report that the CIA wanted to expand its drone attacks in Yemen, Barack Obama making a surprise trip to Afghanistan around the time of the Bin Laden anniversary and "then this inexplicable leak".

Robert Grenier, former head of the CIA counter-terrorism centre, said: "As for British Intelligence, I suppose, but do not know, that they must be very unhappy. They are often exasperated, quite reasonably, with their American friends, who are far more leak-prone than they.

"In their place, I would think two and three times before sharing with the Americans, and then only do it if I had to. The problem with that dynamic is that you don't know what you don't know, and what opportunities you might be missing when you decide not to share. The Americans are doing a very good job of undermining trust, and the problem starts at the top."

The name of the British passport-holder has not yet been released but may come out through al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. He is reported to have spent time at at language school in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, and been recruited by al-Qaida as a suicide bomber.

Mustafa Alani of the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai told CNN that the bomber had been recruited by the Saudis to penetrate al-Qaida about a year ago, in part because the group would be attracted by the fact that his UK passport meant he could travel to the US without a visa.

"Apparently he was able to convince al-Qaida that he is genuinely ready to carry out the mission," said Alani, who CNN said had been briefed by Saudi counter-terrorism officials. Alani said his understanding was that al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap) intended the would-be suicide bomber to fly through a Gulf country to connect to a US-bound flight.

The Saudi operation culminated with the agent and another Saudi informant – likely his handler – being whisked out of Yemen, Alani said. "My information is that he was pulled out after the device was handed to him, and they ordered the green light to carry out the operation," he told the US network.

Yemen has been a key target country for the CIA and MI6 in line with the growing strength of Aqap in recent years. But the lead on the ground has been taken by the Saudi intelligence service, the Mabahith, which is best placed to operate in the local environment and exploit links on either side of the border.

Both the US and British intelligence communities are known to work closely with their Saudi counterparts and both have liaison officers permanently stationed in Riyadh and Sana'a.

Aqap moved its operations to Yemen in 2007 after the defeat of al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia. The Nigerian "underwear bomber", Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit in 2009, was radicalised in Yemen while claiming to be there as a student.

The US, Britain and the Saudis are likely to have preferred their own intelligence operation to co-operation with the Yemeni security authorities, who are anxious to avoid being seen as a western pawn.

Cables released by WikiLeaks exposed the scale of US covert involvement in the Arab world's poorest country. In 2009 the Saudi deputy interior minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, told General James Jones, President Obama's national security adviser: "The Saudis have been monitoring conversations of al-Qaida operatives in Yemen very closely and whereas before the [recent] attack they were hearing relaxed 20-minute phone conversations over cellphones, after the attack the phones went virtually silent. This suggests that at least for now these operatives are more focused on their own security rather than on planning operations."

Bin Nayef's support for operations against Aqap is unsurprising. He survived an assassination attempt in Jeddah in September 2009 when a Saudi Aqap operative named Abdullah al-Asiri feigned repentance for his jihadi views in a meeting with the prince then blew himself up with a bomb concealed in his anus. Al-Asiri's brother Ibrahim is Aqap's chief bombmaker.

Gregory Johnsen, a US expert on Aqap, pondered on his blog whether the group would now reveal the identity of the undercover agent. "Undoubtedly, Aqap recorded a marytrdom video of the undercover agent before giving him the bomb," Johnsen wrote. "The US and Saudis won't divulge his identity for obvious reasons, but will Aqap?"

[Lilo]

Seems like the FDI in retail Bill at center will be of "enabling nature"".
The Individual states can draft their own laws based on the skeletal bill passed by center.
i.e

the implementation of the Centre's decision had been left to the individual States.

Explains increased US contacts with the State Govts.

[Roperia]

Video: World View: Has America arm-twisted India on Iran?

I actually agree wit Amb Rathore, these are realities of life.

[pankajs]

'US promise to remove sanctions against Indian entities remains on paper'

Two years after US President Barack Obama announced the removal of Indian entities from the sanctions list, DRDO has said that this has remained only on paper and the impact is not even ten per cent in terms of implementation.

DRDO Chief VK Saraswat, in an interview to PTI, said there was a dispute between India and the US over the definition of dual use technology.

"Today on paper, we have been removed for that list. On paper, instead of denied companies, they have us on the list of positive companies. But in practice, this change has not made any great difference.

"When it comes down to actual implementation of this policy, the impact is very very poor. In terms of gain to defence, I can say it is not even ten per cent," he said.

During the visit of Obama to India in 2010, the US Department of Commerce' Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) had announced the removal of the nine Indian space and defence-related organisations from the Entity List.

Saraswat said there was a parallel regime in form of the'Control on Dual Use Technology' which continues to function against providing dual use items to India.

Commenting on the long dispute over the dual use technology, he said, "That is continuing and it is not resolved. The US law is that it needs licences and that licensing process is as stringent as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)."

On the ways of resolving the issue, Saraswat said, "The way out is that you should have a more pragmatic approach about the definition of dual use. The definition of dual use has to be framed properly."

Saraswat said it should not be such that anything required for defence would be denied just because it may be used for a weapon of mass destruction. "This is a major issue to be resolved," he said.

Asked about his optimism over getting the issue resolved, he said, "While there is a will on both sides to do it, the processes involved in implementing this are too complex in nature. Unless we simplify these processes, it will take a lot of time."

He said there were legal procedures in the US and there were certain issues in India and "unless those processes are simplified, we can't expect a quick result. I am not expecting quick results."

Asked if India would raise the issue during forthcoming visit of US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, Saraswat said the issue has been discussed at various platforms including the structured meetings of the Defence Policy Group and the Joint Technology Group (JTG) which were held recently.

"It has been discussed at various platforms and there are discussions as to how to accelerate the process of giving licenses of dual use items and also take a pragmatic view of the dual use.

"Sometimes, we take a very stringent view of dual use. This is what we have to look at. Just because the defence is asking for it, you are denying it but (you are) selling it to the vegetable vendor," the DRDO chief said.

[Prem]

http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS ... 1312123059
Special U.S. Envoy on Energy to Travel to India Next Week

Washington: A top American diplomat on energy issues would travel to India next week to discuss several broad themes, including emerging trends in the global energy economy and helping India address its challenges in the energy sector. In his first trip to India in this capacity, the Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Carlos Pascual will travel to Delhi and Mumbai, from May 14 to 17 to meet with Indian officials, energy industry experts, and members of civil society."India is a vital and growing actor in world energy markets," the State Department said in a press statement."On this trip, Pascual will engage with the Indian government, private sector, and civil society on several broad themes, including regional energy security in South Asia, the next steps for India and the United States on unconventional gas, energy access, the UN initiative Sustainable Energy for All, the development of power markets, and emerging trends in the global energy economy," the State Department said.
The announcement in this regard was made by the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in an interview to the CNN while she was in New Delhi early this week.She said she is dispatching her senior aide to India for talks with Indian officials on Iranian issues."We are working with them to help them in any way that we can offer technical assistance, and next week my energy coordinator, Ambassador Carlos Pascual, will be here in India with a team of experts," Clinton had told the CNN.

[Prem]

US-India Relations And The Coming Changes In Afghanistan – Analysis
By: Richard Rousseau
http://www.eurasiareview.com/11052012-u ... -analysis/

India has set itself on a clear course for political and economic influence in Asia. But it has quickly realized that its appetite has the potential to lead it into a clash with the United States.
There is a major a sore spot in the Obama administration’s Asia “pivotal policy,” and it is likely to affect Washington’s relations with India. The United States has decided to extricate itself from the armed conflicts (Iraq and Afghanistan) in the Greater Middle East so as to redirect its attention to East Asia where, in the words of President Obama, “the action is going to be” in the future.Strengthening the U.S. strategic position in East Asia, deemed necessary to counterbalance China’s ascendency role in that region, will require closer cooperation between the United States and India. However, the rapid U.S. and allied troop drawdown and eventual withdrawal from Afghanistan will actually increase friction between Washington and New Delhi; the process can potentially steer the relationship in the opposite direction, with dire consequences.In January 2012 the Pentagon released a document called Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense. The specific mention of India in the document is quite relevant: “The United States is also investing in a long term strategic partnership with India to support its ability to serve as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the broader Indian Ocean region.” Both President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during trips to India in November 2010 and the previous summer respectively, have urged New Delhi to pursue a more assertive strategic policy in East Asia. Clinton reiterated the importance of such an engagement on India’s part during her May 7, trip to New Delhi.

One of the less trumpeted news stories of the past year is how India has began to be more active in East Asia, a move designed to meet Washington’s demands. For instance, despite China’s warnings, India has announced that it reserves the right to explore the hydrocarbon deposits off the coast of Vietnam, a gesture that can only add a new layer of complexity to an existing dispute over who controls the South China Sea. India is also working to strengthen defense and economic ties with Japan, as demonstrated during the apparently very productive visit of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Nody to New Delhi in December 2011. It also consolidated security relations with Vietnam and Australia, and shored up its influence in Burma at the expense of China.

Washington and New Delhi now hold regular policy consultations on Asia-Pacific issues and in November 2011a trilateral security dialogue involving the U.S., India and Japan was launched. It also appears that the rebirth of the four-way security cooperation between the United States, Japan, India and Australia, which flourished briefly in 2006-07, is under discussion. The expansion of Chinese power and ambition has manifestly persuaded New Delhi to establish closer links with the United States, though this process is unlikely to be smooth and fast moving, as many American diplomats would want.India’s security interests in Afghanistan lie in the fact that any government in Kabul has to serve as a bastion against Pakistan and act as a gateway for consolidating trade and energy ties with Central Asia, especially Turkmenistan. The achievement of these two goals would be undermined if Islamabad gained a central role in shaping a political settlement in Afghanistan or if a Taliban-dominated government were to take power.Two questions are paramount for India: How committed the United States will be to the survival of the Karzai regime? How important India’s interests will be in Washington’s accommodation with the Taliban?

[Varoon Shekhar]

When Hillary Clinton was in India, I wonder if anyone had the boldness to remind her that it was her husband who imposed sanctions on the world's most populous democracy, and who jointly with the world's most populous dictatorship, China, denounced( through Madelaine Albright) India's nuclear tests. And ask her to contrast that situation with what is being asked of India now, vis-a-vis Iran. The whole scenario is stupefying.

[Roperia]

India decides to cut crude oil import from Iran by over 11 pc

[Roperia]

US sanctions Dawood Ibrahim's top aides Chhota Shakeel, Ibrahim Tiger Memon

A welcome move! It reflects a greater appreciation in US of Indian security interests. There have been various reports suggesting that these guys are involved in Hawala money transactions to finance terror attacks in India.

Though it may just be a quid pro quo for India reducing oil imports from Iran.

US-Israel vs Iran is a diplomatic nightmare for us. We've been able to maintain a perfect balance till now by getting from all of them what we want without antagonizing the others. We need to keep pursuing this policy without taking sides!

[ramana]

What useless gesture is this? Of what real use is this gesture?
BTW, recall the US destroyed the Mumbai blasts evidence in 1993 which was given to them as proof!

[Philip]

I agree! The only "sanction" that would be eminently laudable and acceptable to India is that of style and substance carried out by a certain Clint Eastwood in a film called "The Eiger Sanction".

[Gilles]

U.S. pressures India to alienate strategic partner Iran

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/wor ... 001/page1/

Welcome to the club of countries whose Foreign Policy is drawn in Washington......

[Lalmohan]

What useless gesture is this? Of what real use is this gesture?
BTW, recall the US destroyed the Mumbai blasts evidence in 1993 which was given to them as proof!

and worthies such as madame fair are still in denial about this...

[habal]

Basically the UPA game is clear. Chid, Sonia et al and their clique have stashed huge funds out of India in Cayman, Macao, Swiss, Isle of Man etc and they are aware that foreign agencies are keeping a track on their funds flow. They need US not to be pissed just so that their wealth remains secure. Maybe this funds flows through Dubai hawala route and Pakis also must be aware of it. So they are trying to keep US and pakis in good spirits. They have totally lost focus on national interests, it's a completely compromised govt unless someone with a spine takes a stand and the ruling clique can't easily get rid of him, then on ocassion national interest prevails.

[Altair]

This is just a symptom of a very large disease we are facing. Let us not lose focus by concentrating on the symptom,instead let us eliminate the disease.

[Agnimitra]

X-post

The Nation of Islam religious group brings the gift of Two Nation Theory to American multiculturalism. But Christian fanatics in America are discriminating against this minority. India should castigate the US for oppression of minorities and abuse of freedom of speech and thought.

Senate rejects Nation of Islam follower for human rights post

SPRINGFIELD — In a rebuke to Gov. Pat Quinn, the Illinois Senate on Thursday rejected a Nation of Islam follower whose website advocates black separatism for a third term on the state Human Rights Commission.

The Senate voted down public-access cable television personality Munir Muhammad for the $49,960-a-year post after Republicans condemned his group’s Web page, which warns against racial mixing and advocates a separate territory within the U.S. for the descendents of slaves, both ideologies advanced by Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad.

Munir Muhammad’s group, the Coalition for the Remembrance of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, also parrots Elijah Muhammad’s views on its website that blacks should not be taxed and black children be taught separately “by their own teachers.”

“To appoint someone with these radical views to the Human Rights Commission, I think, is a travesty,” said Sen. Tim Bivins (R-Dixon).

Bivins also pointed to excerpts from one of Munir Muhammad’s television broadcasts in which he praised Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a “patient man.”

[shyamd]

Welcome to Panetta, who is due to arrive in Dilli to sign the Apache Contract

Exactly a week before Indo-US strategic dialogue in Washington, US defence secretary Leon Panetta is coming to the Capital on June 6 to discuss long term defence cooperation and seal the big ticket $1.4 billion worth sale of 22 Apache Longbow attack helicopters to
India.

Government sources said Panetta will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his Indian counterpart AK Antony as well as other senior leaders of the UPA government. Principal deputy assistant secretary of defence Dr Peter Lavoy was in Dehi today and briefed India about the Nato summit in Chicago on Afghanistan.

Secretary Panetta during his day long visit will share Pentagon's perception of political developments in China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, his main focus is going to be post 2014 scenario in Afghanistan after America withdraws from Kabul.

Both India and US are committed to a long term commitment to Afghanistan in order to have stablility in the regional neighbourhood. Panetta will be flying into India after attending the Shangri La dialogue in Singapore.

While the defence secretary will discuss long term defence cooperation with India, he will also ensure that the Apache deal is sealed during his visit. Pursued by India for the past two years, the Apache 64D II is possibily the best attack helicopter and has had a proven record in Iraq and Afghanistan operations. As of now, the two sides are trying to close the offsets part of the deal.

Terrorism is also going to be on the agenda for the bilateral talks with Panetta. A key player of Obama administration and a former CIA chief, he may also share the inside information about the US operation that took out Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad in Pakistan last May.

[Roperia]

Video - Iran, FDI, nuclear deal: Are India-US ties in trouble?

US Ambassador Nancy Powell on Worldview