India-US Relations : News and Discussion

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 21 Dec 2014 12:03

pankajs wrote:
Asha ‏@asha_ny 21h21 hours ago

Dr. Vivek Murthy, new US Surgeon general takes oath on the Bhagavadgita #Hinduism

how kommunal onlee

rabid Hindu.

Anantha · Post by **Anantha** » 22 Dec 2014 05:58

deleted

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 22 Dec 2014 09:41

Dec 20, 2014 :: Obama visit to launch new Indo-U.S. defence agenda

Along with the normal riffraff:

Pentagon teams, including State Department officials dealing with the defence relationship, have been visiting New Delhi for the past few weeks. On Saturday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal will join other officials for the “India-U.S.-Japan” trilateral talks as part of the “Asia dialogue” that has been going on all week.

Sources said Australia has formally requested a “quadrilateral dialogue” and also wants to join the Indo-U.S. ‘Malabar’ naval exercises annually, along with Japan. The request was reportedly made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in November and the issue may raise “tripwires over the China factor”, according to some officials.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 22 Dec 2014 09:46

India, Japan & US trilateral talks to be at foreign ministers' level

India, Japan and United States are set to elevate their trilateral dialogue to the level of the foreign ministers – a move, which signals growing convergence in strategic interests of the three nations in Asia Pacific.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 23 Dec 2014 00:21

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 607204.cms

Emphasizing that an "amendment" in Article 25 (b) is "must as it clubs Sikhs with Hindus", Singh said the petition mentioning "Sikhs are not Hindus", and more than 100,000 signatures will be presented to Obama by AISSF and SFJ.

Hindus should also help and sign this petition. Let us aim for 100 million signatures for these istoodents to present to their benefactor-the Great White Hope of Sikhi.

Pulikeshi · Post by **Pulikeshi** » 23 Dec 2014 10:34

Admins - kindly request an end to this DK madness on this thread. Annoying to see this self flagellation day in and out...
What does it have to do with India-US relations today? It seems more an internal India issue right now...

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 23 Dec 2014 11:09

^^Moved to Nukkad - sorry Nukkadwalas, put it to an end there in the usual dormitory style...

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 24 Dec 2014 02:54

sanjaykumar wrote:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 607204.cms

Emphasizing that an "amendment" in Article 25 (b) is "must as it clubs Sikhs with Hindus", Singh said the petition mentioning "Sikhs are not Hindus", and more than 100,000 signatures will be presented to Obama by AISSF and SFJ.

Hindus should also help and sign this petition. Let us aim for 100 million signatures for these istoodents to present to their benefactor-the Great White Hope of Sikhi.

Nobody is going to amend this article in this way! Nor should one!

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 24 Dec 2014 03:29

It is all Badal doing this against Navjot Singh Sidhu (who is in BJP)!! once again Dharmics are confusing Dharma with religion for some votes and political power.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 24 Dec 2014 03:36

SBajwa wrote:It is all Badal doing this against Navjot Singh Sidhu (who is in BJP)!! once again Dharmics are confusing Dharma with religion for some votes and political power.

I was there 2 weeks ago,Biggest issue is of drugs in Punjab and any party who promise to clean this curse , will win the election. And its not going to be Badal whose own relatives are main distributors buying parking lots in Massland with ill earned money destroying the health of millions of youths.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Dec 2014 05:18

Before Obama’s visit, new push for Rana extradition

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 28 Dec 2014 09:24

Jhujar wrote:
SBajwa wrote:It is all Badal doing this against Navjot Singh Sidhu (who is in BJP)!! once again Dharmics are confusing Dharma with religion for some votes and political power.
I was there 2 weeks ago,Biggest issue is of drugs in Punjab and any party who promise to clean this curse , will win the election. And its not going to be Badal whose own relatives are main distributors buying parking lots in Massland with ill earned money destroying the health of millions of youths.

its not new, this has been there for atleast 10 years i known, i used to known a farmer who took to linux out of curiosity , seems to have been educated. Over discussing the OS/Linux things , he said drugs and pesticides/chemical in farming was 2 major issue that is going to kill punjab

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 02 Jan 2015 15:25

The year of dollar danger for the world
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/econ ... world.html
We are entering a new financial order where there is no longer an automatic “Fed Put” or a “Politburo Put” to act as a safety net for asset markets

My prediction for 2015: The dollar will hit $1.08 against the euro before 2015 is out, and 100 on the dollar index Photo: Reuters

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, International Business Editor

01 Jan 2015

America’s closed economy can handle a surging dollar and a fresh cycle of rising interest rates. Large parts of the world cannot. That in a nutshell is the story of 2015.

Tightening by the US Federal Reserve will have turbo-charged effects on a global financial system addicted to zero rates and dollar liquidity.

Yields on 2-year US Treasuries have surged from 0.31pc to 0.74pc since October, and this is the driver of currency markets.

Since the New Year ritual of predictions is a time to throw darts, here we go: the dollar will hit $1.08 against the euro before 2015 is out, and 100 on the dollar index (DXY).

Sterling will buckle to $1.30 as a hung Parliament prompts global funds to ask why they are lending so freely to a country with a current account deficit reaching 6pc of GDP.

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There will be a mouth-watering chance to invest in the assets of the BRICS and mini-BRICS at bargain prices, but first they must do penance for $5.7 trillion in dollar debt, and then do surgery on obsolete growth models.

The MSCI index of emerging market stocks will slide another third to 28 before touching bottom.

The Yellen Fed will be forced to back down in the end, just as the Bernanke Fed had to retreat after planning a return to normal policy at the end of QE1 and QE2.

For now the Fed is on the warpath, digesting figures showing US capacity use soaring to 80.1pc, and growth running at an 11-year high of 5pc in the third quarter.

The Fed pivot comes as China’s Xi Jinping is trying to deflate his own country’s $25 trillion credit boom, early in his 10-year term and before it is too late. He does not need or want uber-growth. The Politburo will more or less keep its nerve as long as China continues to meet its target of 10m new jobs a year – easily achieved in 2014 – and job vacancies outstrip applicants.

Uncle Xi will ultimately blink, but traders betting on a quick return to credit stimulus may lose their shirts first. Worse yet, when he blinks, a tool of choice may be to drive down the yuan to fight Japan’s devaluation, and to counter beggar-thy-neighbour dynamics across East Asia. This would export yet more Chinese deflation to the rest of the world.

At best we are entering a new financial order where there is no longer an automatic “Fed Put” or a “Politburo Put” to act as a safety net for asset markets. That may be healthy in many ways, but it may also be a painful discovery for some.

A sated China is as much to “blame” for the crash in oil prices as America’s shale industry. Together they have knouted Russia's Vladimir Putin. The bear market will short-circuit at Brent prices of $40, but not just because shale capitulates. Marginal producers in Canada, the North Sea, West Africa and the Arctic will share the punishment. The biggest loser will be Saudi Arabia, reaping the geostrategic whirlwind of its high stakes game, facing Iranian retaliation through the Shia of the Eastern Province where the oil lies, and Russian retaliation through the Houthis in Yemen.

Mr Putin will achieve his objective of crippling Ukraine’s economy and freezing the conflict in the Donbass, but only by crippling Russia in the process. Controls will not stem capital flight. Mr Putin will have to choose been a dangerous loss of foreign reserves and a dangerous chain of corporate bankruptcies. He will continue to pawn Russia’s national interest to Beijing in order to save his Siloviki regime, but wiser heads in Moscow will question how a perpetual dispute with Europe and the revival of a dying NATO can possibly be in Russia’s interest. They will check his folly.

The European Central Bank cannot save the day for asset markets as the Fed pulls back: it does not print dollars, and dollars are what now matter. Nor is it constitutionally able to act with panache in any case. While Mario Draghi and the Latin bloc could theoretically impose full-fledged QE against German resistance, such Frechheit would sap German political consent for the EMU project. Mr Draghi will accept a bad compromise: low-octane QE that makes no macro-economic difference, but noisy enough to provoke a storm.

The eurozone will be in deflation by February, forlornly trying to ignite its damp wood by rubbing stones. Real interest rates will ratchet higher. The debt load will continue to rise at a faster pace than nominal GDP across Club Med. The region will sink deeper into a compound interest trap.

The political triggers for the next spasm of the EMU crisis are complex, yet trouble must come since the North-South gap is as wide as ever in key respects, and the depression drags on. The detonator may of course be Greece. If Syriza rebels hold their poll lead into the snap-election this month, a cathartic showdown with Brussels will occur in short order.

The EU creditors may agree to debt forgiveness for Greece, but they might equally refuse to talk with a gun held to their heads. There is a 50/50 risk that they would instead switch off life-support and eject Greece, calculating that they now have the back-stop machinery to stop contagion. In this they would be wrong.

Breaking my normal rule of discussing equity prices let me say only that the S&P 500 index of Wall Street stocks will not defy monetary gravity or the feedback loops of global stress for much longer. Half the earnings of US big-cap companies come from overseas, repatriated into a stronger dollar, and therefore worth less in reporting terms.

The index has risen at double-digit rates for three years, further inflated this year by companies buying back their own shares at a pace of $130bn a quarter, often with borrowed money. The profit share of GDP is at a post-war high of 12.5pc (much like 1929), an untenable level as US wages start to rise and the balance of power swings back to labour. The S&P index measuring the price-to-sales ratio is higher today than at its pre-Lehman peak.

Expect a shake-out of 20pc comparable to the LTCM crisis in 1998 when the wheels came off in Russia and East Asia, though don’t be shocked by worse. Emerging markets are a much bigger part of the world economy today, and their combined debt ratio is a record 175pc of GDP.

Once these hiccups are behind us, we can look forward to sunlit uplands as always. Happy New Year.

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Jan 2015 15:53

the dollar system is slowly being dismantled, there is going to be some turmoil in short-medium term
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/01 ... larization
Russia, China currency agreement to promote 'de-dollarization': Economist

On December 29, an agreement signed at the end of October came into effect which would allow a currency swap of CNY150 billion (up to 25 billion USD) between the two countries.

This currency agreement is a “very significant development and it will be a boost for the Russian economy,” Jon Hellevig told Press TV on Wednesday.

“It means a strong move towards the de-dollarization of the economy, not only Russia and China’s economy, but the whole global economy,” he added.

The US economy will lose its strongest advantage, which is printing US dollars due to this currency swap because the Federal Reserve will have to raise interest rates and that will cause the US stock market to collapse, Hellevig warned.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/russia-hol ... de/5382215

Of course, the success of Moscow’s campaign to switch its trading to rubles or other regional currencies will depend on the willingness of its trading partners to get rid of the dollar. Sources cited by Politonline.ru mentioned two countries who would be willing to support Russia: Iran and China. Given that Vladimir Putin will visit Beijing on May 20, it can be speculated that the gas and oil contracts that are going to be signed between Russia and China will be denominated in rubles and yuan, not dollars.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 03 Jan 2015 04:58

pankajs wrote:

Quote:

Asha ‏@asha_ny 21h21 hours ago

Dr. Vivek Murthy, new US Surgeon general takes oath on the Bhagavadgita #Hinduism

how kommunal onlee

rabid Hindu.

Please focus on positive and positive only!!! i.e. CHARDHI KALA!!! as explained by Guru Gobind Singh ji!!

If a person is taking oath on a Holy Bhagwat Gita why must you come out with such a comment? sarcasm does not work on a discussion forum!! as many people are new and read only new posts!!! only we old BRites from the 90's know that this is a sarcasm!

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 04 Jan 2015 20:54

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subc ... 1011000090
Jimmy Carter 'humiliated' on recent China visit, says scholar
Staff Reporter 2014-10-11

It appears that the PRC love to humiliate leaders of nations whom they are in enmity with.This is a method of sending a message to their own flock who understand diplomatic slights better than firang barbarians. waging war against Vietnam when ABV was on an oiffical visit as Foreign Minister,and the ultimate insult to a host,by sending in your troops into his territory when visiting!

In the forthcoming visit by O'Bomber,it would be worthwhile if there are subtle ways of showing the Zhongnanhai sh*tworms the upturned finger.

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 05 Jan 2015 06:17

Popcorn time, considering Obama's visit this month:

Pak. has reined in LeT: U.S. - Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu

Certification comes ahead of Obama’s India visit

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Pakistan this month, shortly after certifying the Pakistan government’s “action against” Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

The authorisation is likely to spark outrage in India. Mr. Kerry is due to visit the Vibrant Gujarat summit, which begins in Gandhinagar on January 11, ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit on January 24.

Mr. Kerry will lead the Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad later in January, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry announced this week.

Despite the fact that both the LeT and JeM have resurfaced visibly in the past year in Pakistan and the founders of both, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, have held public rallies in Pakistan in 2014, the U.S. Secretary of State has signed off on a certification that the Pakistan government has “prevented al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad from operating in the territory of Pakistan” for the year.

Civilian aid

The certificate is a condition for the U.S. to disburse funds under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for civilian aid to Pakistan that was co-authored by Mr. Kerry in 2009. This year’s grant of $532 million to Pakistan will be disbursed shortly, as the Congress gave its nod to President Obama, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson disclosed.

According to official agency APP, Mr. Olson met Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to finalise the agenda for Mr. Kerry’s upcoming visit . Significantly, the Kerry-Lugar Bill lapsed in September 2014, but only about half of the $7.5 billion outlay has been disbursed so far.

According to Section 203 of the Bill, which is formally called the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act (S.1707), there are limitations on clearing the annual $1.5 billion assistance to Pakistan based on actions in the “preceding financial year.”

The authorisation required is that the Pakistan government and military have “ceased support” to extremist and terror groups, that they have “prevented” groups like the LeT and JeM from operating in Pakistan, and carrying out attacks against its neighbours, while dismantling their bases in Muridke, FATA and Quetta.

One must appreciate the Americans - their emphasis on following rules and regulations is surpassed by none (especially our SDRE forces off the coast of Gujarat). Only by such certifications can they release the money. I truly did not know. Good they are holding themselves to such high standards.

I am getting the popcorn ready - this month will be full of such tamasha, including some illuminating news items about what Obama's dogs eat when they visit New Delhi, how the Americans love India, etc.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 05 Jan 2015 06:20

Jimmy Carter? Who?

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 05 Jan 2015 06:48

arshyam wrote:Popcorn time, considering Obama's visit this month:

Pak. has reined in LeT: U.S. - Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu

Certification comes ahead of Obama’s India visit

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Pakistan this month, shortly after certifying the Pakistan government’s “action against” Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

The authorisation is likely to spark outrage in India. Mr. Kerry is due to visit the Vibrant Gujarat summit, which begins in Gandhinagar on January 11, ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit on January 24.

Mr. Kerry will lead the Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad later in January, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry announced this week.

Despite the fact that both the LeT and JeM have resurfaced visibly in the past year in Pakistan and the founders of both, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, have held public rallies in Pakistan in 2014, the U.S. Secretary of State has signed off on a certification that the Pakistan government has “prevented al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad from operating in the territory of Pakistan” for the year.

Civilian aid

The certificate is a condition for the U.S. to disburse funds under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for civilian aid to Pakistan that was co-authored by Mr. Kerry in 2009. This year’s grant of $532 million to Pakistan will be disbursed shortly, as the Congress gave its nod to President Obama, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson disclosed.

According to official agency APP, Mr. Olson met Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to finalise the agenda for Mr. Kerry’s upcoming visit . Significantly, the Kerry-Lugar Bill lapsed in September 2014, but only about half of the $7.5 billion outlay has been disbursed so far.

According to Section 203 of the Bill, which is formally called the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act (S.1707), there are limitations on clearing the annual $1.5 billion assistance to Pakistan based on actions in the “preceding financial year.”

The authorisation required is that the Pakistan government and military have “ceased support” to extremist and terror groups, that they have “prevented” groups like the LeT and JeM from operating in Pakistan, and carrying out attacks against its neighbours, while dismantling their bases in Muridke, FATA and Quetta.
One must appreciate the Americans - their emphasis on following rules and regulations is surpassed by none (especially our SDRE forces off the coast of Gujarat). Only by such certifications can they release the money. I truly did not know. Good they are holding themselves to such high standards.

I am getting the popcorn ready - this month will be full of such tamasha, including some illuminating news items about what Obama's dogs eat when they visit New Delhi, how the Americans love India, etc.

Sure, but what if Doval gets his way and gets his way on on January 27 and Hafeez Saeed finds himself on the receiving end of a strike hand carried or via Brahmos.

The popcorn you invest in might have a better ROI after 1/26.

Hey! but popcorn is good anytime and I wish I had the carb availability

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 05 Jan 2015 12:37

Schweinhund Kerry and the US gives Pak a clean chit on terror!
In a most glaring perversion of fighting international terrorism,the Americans yet again have yet again stabbed India in the back by declaring that Pak has "reigned in" its terror cells who have been waging war against india.This has been done so that the US can gift Pak oodles of moolah to fight terrorism",meaning India! This is a scandalous outrage and the GOI must send a stern message to Washington that relations between us will be severely damaged in the US persist in its duplicity.C**ts like Kerry are typical of the US establishment that will always reward Pak and punish India.I cannot see any worthwhile point in inviting O'Bumbler of his administration acts in such a disgraceful manner,rubbing salt into India's wounds.In short,it is the US who by default are the perpetrators of terror against India by repeatedly arming and funding its hatchetman Pak.

Mr.Modi must realize the US's duplicity and read the riot act out to O'Bumbler when he visits us.A failure to do so would be betraying those in and out of uniform who have sacrificed their precious lives for the country. Similarly,Jo-Kerry's visit to India should be cancelled with immediate effect.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/internatio ... epage=true
Updated: January 5, 2015 08:20 IST
Kerry-Lugar BillUpdated: January 5, 2015 08:20 IST
Pak. has reined in LeT: U.S.

Suhasini Haidar
Reuters
Hafiz Saeed, chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa. File photo

The certificate is a condition for the U.S. to disburse funds under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for civilian aid to Pakistan that was co-authored by Mr. Kerry in 2009.
Certification comes ahead of Obama’s India visit

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Pakistan this month, shortly after certifying the Pakistan government’s “action against” Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

The authorisation is likely to spark outrage in India. Mr. Kerry is due to visit the Vibrant Gujarat summit, which begins in Gandhinagar on January 11, ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit on January 24.

Mr. Kerry will lead the Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad later in January, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry announced this week.

Despite the fact that both the LeT and JeM have resurfaced visibly in the past year in Pakistan and the founders of both, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, have held public rallies in Pakistan in 2014, the U.S. Secretary of State has signed off on a certification that the Pakistan government has “prevented al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad from operating in the territory of Pakistan” for the year.

Civilian aid

The certificate is a condition for the U.S. to disburse funds under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for civilian aid to Pakistan that was co-authored by Mr. Kerry in 2009. This year’s grant of $532 million to Pakistan will be disbursed shortly, as the Congress gave its nod to President Obama, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson disclosed.

According to official agency APP, Mr. Olson met Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to finalise the agenda for Mr. Kerry’s upcoming visit . Significantly, the Kerry-Lugar Bill lapsed in September 2014, but only about half of the $7.5 billion outlay has been disbursed so far.

According to Section 203 of the Bill, which is formally called the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act (S.1707), there are limitations on clearing the annual $1.5 billion assistance to Pakistan based on actions in the “preceding financial year.”

The authorisation required is that the Pakistan government and military have “ceased support” to extremist and terror groups, that they have “prevented” groups like the LeT and JeM from operating in Pakistan, and carrying out attacks against its neighbours, while dismantling their bases in Muridke, FATA and Quetta.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 05 Jan 2015 19:41

PhilipJi, if wishes were horses, beggars would fly. But I would like Sushma Swaraj to have a phone conference with Kerry, and understand the details behind US decision, and what specifically TSP has done to rein in LeT. Now, it could be, and I am only give a huge benefit of doubt to US, that TSP has indeed throttled Hafeez pig and his pigLeTs nd shown evidence of that to US. Ad any public harangues by Hafeez are just for show because US understands TSP compulsions in not overtly going after Pakijabi pigLeTs. Once again, this is a huge benefit of doubt to US.

Now, in the event Sushma Swaraj is not convinced, more likely assuming such a conversation takes place, then I say ModiJi must find some excuse to withdraw invitation to Obama. After all, recall, republican Cong led by some bone-head withdrew invitation to ModiJi to address US congress. India can do the same.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 05 Jan 2015 20:37

"Reining in" of LET et al by pak is worse than worthless. Where there is a "reining in" today, there will be a "reining out" or unleashing tomorrow. The import of what Kerry is saying is that LET continues to exist and run around, and Pak is holding the reins.

member_20317 · Post by **member_20317** » 05 Jan 2015 20:42

Cosmo_R wrote:Sure, but what if Doval gets his way and gets his way on on January 27 and Hafeez Saeed finds himself on the receiving end of a strike hand carried or via Brahmos.

The popcorn you invest in might have a better ROI after 1/26.

Would US permit a hit job on Hafeez Saeed, to Doval, after they have just agreed that Pakis are meeting the criteria of GWOT?

Hope you did not miss reading about, the bomb blast today in Afg. Some European Union police vehicle in Kabul just received the graces.

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 05 Jan 2015 21:11

Esp. now that they have 'certified' a no-terrorism stance - if India were to do what Cosmo_R-ji suggests, India will have to take the brunt from Unkil's impartial and certifying govt. This certification, coming as it did a few weeks before Obama's India visit, was intended to send a message to us. They could have done the certification last month, before the Hafeez Saeed rallies, or in Feb after we are basking in the glow after an Unkil visit.

@@Cosmo_R saar: Come on! You are doing a great disservice to Doval-ji if you think he has any plans to use Brahmos to take out someone like Saeed - it is too blunt a weapon and little plausible deniability. Sure, it has great accuracy, but it suffers from being too obvious. Going by open sources and a few speeches of his (pliss to see the one at Sastra Univ someone posted last week), he is more likely to use some low key but more effective sniper type op to take such persons out, and make it appear like an internal feud (the offensive-defensive strategy). The latter also gives better scope to verify the hit.

arun · Post by **arun** » 05 Jan 2015 21:22

Official Spokesperson's response to a question on US certification on aid to Pakistan

January 05, 2015

In response to a question on US certification on aid to Pakistan, the Official Spokesperson stated:

"How the Government of the United States of America decides to spend US Tax payers money is entirely its prerogative.

However, India does not believe that Pakistan is showing "sustained commitment" or making "significant effort" or ceasing support" or dismantling "bases of operations" of the Laskhar e Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, the Haqqani network and quite possibly the Al Qaeda.

Also with increasing citings of Punjabi/urdu speaking elements operating with terrorist groups inside Afghanistan, we now also know that these very groups also pose a significant threat to members of the international community working in Afghanistan including to Indian diplomatic personnel working in the Indian Embassy in Kabul and our four Consulates.

But as I said before-How the Government of the United States of America decides to spend US Tax payers money is entirely its prerogative."

Clicky

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 05 Jan 2015 22:18

arun wrote:
Official Spokesperson's response to a question on US certification on aid to Pakistan

January 05, 2015

In response to a question on US certification on aid to Pakistan, the Official Spokesperson stated:

"How the Government of the United States of America decides to spend US Tax payers money is entirely its prerogative.

However, India does not believe that Pakistan is showing "sustained commitment" or making "significant effort" or ceasing support" or dismantling "bases of operations" of the Laskhar e Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, the Haqqani network and quite possibly the Al Qaeda.

Also with increasing citings of Punjabi/urdu speaking elements operating with terrorist groups inside Afghanistan, we now also know that these very groups also pose a significant threat to members of the international community working in Afghanistan including to Indian diplomatic personnel working in the Indian Embassy in Kabul and our four Consulates.

But as I said before-How the Government of the United States of America decides to spend US Tax payers money is entirely its prerogative."
Clicky

SDRE Syed Akbaruddin saab is so mean.

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 05 Jan 2015 22:52

^^It would be great to hear his perspective (after retirement, of course) on how the message modulation happened during MMS and NaMo eras. I do notice a more assertive from the MEA of late.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 05 Jan 2015 23:13

ravi_g wrote:
Cosmo_R wrote:Sure, but what if Doval gets his way and gets his way on on January 27 and Hafeez Saeed finds himself on the receiving end of a strike hand carried or via Brahmos.

The popcorn you invest in might have a better ROI after 1/26.

Would US permit a hit job on Hafeez Saeed, to Doval, after they have just agreed that Pakis are meeting the criteria of GWOT?

Hope you did not miss reading about, the bomb blast today in Afg. Some European Union police vehicle in Kabul just received the graces.

"No US clean chit to Pakistan on fight against terrorism "

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-new ... 03660.aspx

"Unwilling to certify that Pakistan was doing everything it can to fight terrorism, the Obama administration asked the US Congress to waive a provision to release $532 million in civilian aid to that country. "

This does not OK the payment but the US needs Karachi for its remaining forces and safe passage thereto. Would not be necessary if US completely left Afghanistan but that is not something India wants either.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 05 Jan 2015 23:53

On what kinds projects this civilian aid is being spent? Is there a source which gives the breakdown of how this money is being spent by Pakistan? That would be of interest to investigative journalists in the US.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 06 Jan 2015 00:12

Looks like we never learn. We even invited Obama to India for Jan 26. GOTUS - just to show who the boss is - decides to give us a tight slap before Obama arrives. Even Modi is not immune to naivete and Gandhian wishful thinking.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 06 Jan 2015 07:18

devesh wrote:Looks like we never learn. We even invited Obama to India for Jan 26. GOTUS - just to show who the boss is - decides to give us a tight slap before Obama arrives. Even Modi is not immune to naivete and Gandhian wishful thinking.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-new ... 03660.aspx

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 07 Jan 2015 07:27

Kerry to visit India ahead of Obama trip

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Jan 2015 08:45

Cosmo_R wrote:No US clean chit to Pak on fight against terror

Clearly, the US is playing a drama. It probably doesn't want such an announcement to be made until Obama's visit to India was over. But, peeved by Obama visit to India, Pakistan ignored the US request to keep quiet and made known what the US has promised. The US has no leverage with Pakistan and it can do nothing about Pakistan not keeping its promise. The US, as usual, has been squeezed and it cannot retaliate. It may not also wish to retaliate, but that is another story.

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 07 Jan 2015 10:10

The U.S is under heavy influence of Jihadi elements. Overt and covert. The Bappi Jappi with the Dictators in the middle east and shaking hands and hugging terrorists were the basis of U.S foreign policy until 9/11. It has not completely changed even after 9/11. They arm, abet the same terrorists.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 10 Jan 2015 05:09

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 829813.cms
India, US to ink 10-year pact on defence framework during Obama’s visit

NEW DELHI: India and the US are all set to ink their new 10-year defence framework pact when President Barack Obama comes visiting as the chief guest of the Republic Day parade on the special invite of Prime Minister NarendraModi. US undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics Frank Kendall will be in town on January 22, just before Obama, to stitch up the loose ends. The new defence framework will be "more ambitious" than the earlier one -- which was signed in June 2005 by then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee and his counterpart Donald Rumsfeld -- without impinging on India's "strategic autonomy", sources said.
The expansive framework will outline the series of steps to bolster the bilateral defence partnership, ranging from stepping up the scope and intensity of joint military exercises already taking place to advancing shared security interests for regional and global security. Collaboration in intelligence-sharing, maritime security and the drive against terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction will also figure on the agenda. A significant addition will be the incorporation of the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) to augment the ones existing under the overall mechanism of the Defence Policy Group, which chalks out the path for future defence cooperation. The US has been hard-selling a score of "transformative defence technologies" for co-development and co-production with India under the DTTI, which range from the next-generation of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and MH-60 Romeo multi-role helicopters to long-endurance UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and 127mm warship guns, as reported by TOI earlier. But the Modi government has already chosen an initial off-the-shelf purchase of Israeli Spike ATGMs, with 321 launchers and 8,356 missiles, for Rs 3,200 crore. Sources said India will initially choose only a couple of "simpler projects" from the ones being offered by the US to kick-off the DTTI process and then ascertain how they actually materialise on the ground. Towards this, South Block is looking at technologies being offered by those American armament companies who already have Indian partners and will bring in FDI. "The technologies that come initially should also be open to being exported for long-term sustainability of such projects," said a source. As for exercises, the two sides are poised to upgrade their annual Malabar naval exercise. India has largely restricted Malabar to a bilateral one with the US after China protested against its 2007 edition in the Bay of Bengal since they were expanded to include the Australian, Japanese and Singaporean navies as well.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 10 Jan 2015 16:50

F.B.I. and Justice Dept. Said to Seek Charges for Petraeus

WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. and Justice Department prosecutors have recommended bringing felony charges against David H. Petraeus, contending that he provided classified information to a lover while he was director of the C.I.A., officials said, leaving Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to decide whether to seek an indictment that could send the pre-eminent military officer of his generation to prison.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 10 Jan 2015 18:22

Spotted this article on twitter (link on twitter). Perhaps necessary as context to new found bonhomie.

http://blogs.swarajyamag.com/2015/01/10 ... es-of-cia/

Some quotes:

After the creation of the CIA, Christian missionaries played a very important role in destabilising various countries and in carrying out espionage activities on behalf of the CIA. The most recent high profile example of the US using religious missionaries as Trojan horses to cause disturbances in India was in the case of the agitation against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

This agitation came after a cable to the CIA from the US Consulate in Mumbai informed the agency that “we feel that the USG must move forward to enable our companies to compete in the next stage of India’s nuclear future. Otherwise we may have to watch bitterly as third countries become the first to benefit commercially from the environment that our diplomacy has created.”

According to the CIA’s description of the case, the pastor’s analyses were based on his long-term friendships with the personalities, and the agents under him were “well known to him in his professional life.” At first the CIA provided only occasional gifts to the pastor in return for his services; later, for over ten years, the CIA paid him a salary that reached $11,414 annually.”
The figure of $11,414 in this excerpt gives us a clue that the country in question is most likely India as this amount translates to a nice round figure of one lakh rupees using the currency exchange rate of the day.

The CIA used opposition to communism in the Third World as the excuse to fund churches in Kerala and this interference in Indian politics came to light in 1978 when the former ambassador to India, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, published the information his book – A Dangerous Place.

Apart from interfering in Kerala, American churches have provided extensive support to the terrorists in Nagaland whose stated aim is “Nagalim for Christ.” These terrorists receive overt help from the American establishment in the form of so-called human rights reports and public statements of support from high profile politicians such as Jimmy Carter.

The fact that most American programs related to studying India grew out of the intelligence and military departments which sought to shape public opinion in other countries through the media and academia explains the strange phenomenon of American faculty members hating their own area of research and expressing hostility towards the culture they claim to study. This behavior is at complete odds with that of of real researchers, who pursue an academic field, not out of hate, but out of love for the chosen subject.

India has been the main target of Americans ever since they started their evangelical activities. The first evangelical missionaries from USA went to India and it was to India that one of America’s earliest missionaries Adoniram Judson led a group of evangelists in 1812.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 10 Jan 2015 20:20

..
Otherwise we may have to watch bitterly as third countries become the first to benefit commercially from the environment that our diplomacy has created.”
..
most American programs related to studying India grew out of the intelligence and military departments which sought to shape public opinion in other countries through the media and academia explains the strange phenomenon of American faculty members hating their own area of research and expressing hostility towards the culture they claim to study
..

lulz.. shows general outlook and quality of American programs towards Indians.

By the way, do we yet have any idea yet why India is one of the top spying targets by PRISM program under NSA (USA)?

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 11 Jan 2015 10:46

vishvak wrote:[q
By the way, do we yet have any idea yet why India is one of the top spying targets by PRISM program under NSA (USA)?

My guess would be to monitor Indian decision making about TSP and any plans thereof to punish TSP. I am sure TSP cried hoarse about India taking advantage of TSP's "vulnerability" when US demanded to send troops to Fata and other areas to get hold of mighty Al Queda and other "bad terrorists". So to allay TSP's paranoia, US probably assured them they have India under control. But then again, with MMS/Sonia at the helm, why would US waste any resources, I don't know.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 11 Jan 2015 22:53

I hope that US (and India and the rest of civilized world) finally learn from events below...It does not pay to appease or even ignore the obvious evil ...

Paris Attackers Funded by Pentagon Dinner Guest
.. Yes None other than Awlaki ...

Qaeda-Linked Imam (Yes Awlaki) Dined at Pentagon after 9/11

Anwar al-Awlaki – the radical spiritual leader linked to several 9/11 attackers, the Fort Hood shooting, and the attempted Christmas Day bombing of an airliner – was a guest at the Pentagon in the months after 9/11, a Pentagon official confirmed to CBS News.

Awlaki was invited as “…part of an informal outreach program” in which officials sought contact “…with leading members of the Muslim community,” the official said. At that time, Awlaki was widely viewed as a “moderate” imam at a mosque in Northern Virginia.

At the same time, the FBI was also interviewing Awlaki about his contacts with three of the 9/11 attackers – Nawaf al-Hazmi, Khalid al Midhar and Hani Hanjour – who were all part of the crew of five that hijacked the American Airlines jet that hit the Pentagon.

Awlaki (three of the 9/11 hijackers prayed at his mosque - and linked ot several other acts) was killed by american drone.

BTW, the FBI only learned of Awlaki's Pentagon luncheon during the investigation into the November 2009 Fort Hood shootings. A Defense Department employee recognized the cleric's picture and reported the 2001 meeting to the FBI.