India-US relations: News and Discussions III

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Dec 2016 21:48

China wont start that shooting war. It might lose.
They never start a war they can't win.
Please look up China's sources of power and don't be contrarian for the sake of it.

PH has posted a reflective post.
A one liner is not worthy reply.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 08 Dec 2016 21:53

ramana - you are the mod so I will defer to you, however I do not agree with your reasoning on this - 1 liners are not always without thought. I will not post further on this topic

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Dec 2016 21:58

Trump relying on the Generals is because he has no national security(NS) experience and the Republican NS grand Pooh-Bahs' had actively worked to undermine his election. So he really cant trust the McCain et al.
By choosing the generals he gets automatic proven winners, who have distinguished themselves in the area and above all those who follow orders.
The commentariat on NPR is forgetting he will be the Commander in chief per the Constitution. He will be first of among the Generals.

His cabinet will implement his agenda and not politick to be his successor.
Nor does it have eminent has-beens (Kerry, Clinton etc.) filling important posts.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Dec 2016 22:09

Lalmohan wrote:ramana - you are the mod so I will defer to you, however I do not agree with your reasoning on this - 1 liners are not always without thought. I will not post further on this topic

No need to defer to me as mod unnecessarily.
So indulge us the reasoning behind your summary statement.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 08 Dec 2016 22:21

Did Trump not berate the Army Generals and said that he would fire them. How come the Generals from the same army and same 'proven' pedigree suddenly are like Gen Patton and would work wonders under DT Ji.

Ramanna ji, Would ascension of Trump be considered a Black Swan event or a Black Elephant one ?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Dec 2016 22:29

Black Elephant. He was ignored while his presence was very obvious since the primaries where he defeated his 16 opponents.
Trump picks one opponent and make one remark which accurately describes the faults of the person and finis.
Example Low Energy Bush and that ended him.
It shows he does opposition research very well. Mark of a negotiator and uses the facts in confrontation.

Please look at the bios of these Generals and you will find common thread is humiliation by or confrontation with Obama Administration (OA).
So by seeking them out he is restoring the pride in the military.
Most of them faced career dead ends due to OA.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Dec 2016 23:15

ramana wrote:Black Elephant. He was ignored while his presence was very obvious since the primaries where he defeated his 16 opponents.
Trump picks one opponent and make one remark which accurately describes the faults of the person and finis.
Example Low Energy Bush and that ended him.
It shows he does opposition research very well. Mark of a negotiator and uses the facts in confrontation.

Please look at the bios of these Generals and you will find common thread is humiliation by or confrontation with Obama Administration (OA).
So by seeking them out he is restoring the pride in the military.
Most of them faced career dead ends due to OA.

It is ok for Business, politics and personal level negotiation. Does not work for state to state and other international things

Indians dont want such negotiation and Indians have their own world view

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 08 Dec 2016 23:20

Written version of Oakley, Sifton, Oakley testimony at House Committee's hearings on Compassion, etc., available here:
https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearin ... obstacles/

I don't have the bandwidth to read, deconstruct them. Thanks in advance for any analysis (which, IMO, should be done).

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 09 Dec 2016 00:18

svinayak wrote: Indians dont want such negotiation and Indians have their own world view

And we certainly do not want to be suckered into playing a role like UK, France, or even the Pakis. Any such predicament will be harmful to our interest and antithetical to our Indian ethos.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Dec 2016 00:34

svinayak, How does your post have any connection to my answer to Vikas Raina?
He asked a question and I answered.
Where does India come into that question or answer?

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 09 Dec 2016 00:54

India, US vow to expand bilateral defence cooperation

India and the United States today vowed to expand the bilateral defence cooperation as outgoing American Defence Secretary Ashton Carter met his counterpart Manohar Parrikar here for the record breaking seventh time and termed New Delhi as a "major defence partner".
"Thank you my friend," Carter told Parrikar as both met at the South Block here.
Carter said that this is the seventh meeting that he was having with Parrikar. "He is the defence minister with whom I have met for the maximum number of times," he said emphasising the importance that the US puts on its ties with India.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 09 Dec 2016 01:38

I have a story to tell which I think could be highly relevant here, especially with regard to some views that Panduranghari ji and Ramana ji have expressed. It has to do with some first-hand knowledge of Donald Trump's negotiating style, as told to me by the person who negotiated with him.

As it happens, Donald Trump is the first POTUS-elect to whom I am connected by just one degree of separation. That is, if you consider a one-time professional encounter to be a "connection."

An old friend of mine... desi guy... is a film maker in NYC who has been producing corporate documentaries for decades. About 10-12 years ago, he was asked to shoot a corporate video for Trump Organization, including an interview with the Donald himself.

So on the appointed day, my friend and his crew of camera guys, light guys, sound guys (6 in all) arrive at Trump Tower in Columbus Circle.

The filming is a long and tiring process. At some point in the afternoon, DT asks for a break. At this time, a Trump Org Employee comes to my friend and asks: "Can I get you guys some water?"

My friend says "sure". He and his crew are given one bottle of "Trump Water" each. These are standard, small bottles of Poland Springs water with a special label showing Trump's face and the Trump brand name.

The day ends and the job is done. As my friend and his crew are packing up their gear, the Trump Org Employee comes up and hands my friend a bill. $9.00, for six bottles of Trump Water!

My friend says: "I'm not paying for this. You never told us the water was for sale."

Trump Organization Employee, after going back and forth for a while, retorts: "OK, well then, we're not paying for your work today either!"

My friend says: "OK, fine. Then I'm not giving you the video tape."

Finally, Trump Organization relents. They pay for the work, and accept the tape, without charging for the water.

Why is this important? Because I think it gives some insight into how Trump's mind works. It shows the negotiating philosophy that Trump Organization imbibed and practiced, even in the smallest of deals. Let's examine this:

1) First step, make an offer while remaining deliberately nebulous, or ambiguous, about the terms.

"Can I get you guys some water?"

NOT

"We have water for sale" or "Would you like to buy some water for your team"

2) Second step, take advantage of the ambiguity you previously created. Present a demand assuming better terms for yourself, even though the actual terms were not initially clarified or agreed to by both parties.

"That will be $9.00 for six bottles of water"

This technique plays on the idea that MOST people, particularly in an unequal relationship (like vendor-client) will quietly swallow the ambiguity in a way that is disadvantageous to themselves. Out of a desire to avoid confrontation, many people will actually doubt themselves...

"maybe it was I who misunderstood that the water was complementary, when it was actually for sale, so perhaps I should just pay for it."

However, my friend was (a) a shameless desi and (b) had done business in the shameless world of NYC for a long time. So he said no.

3) Third step, aggressively bluster and bluff about raising the stakes.

OK, if you wont pay 9 bucks for the water, we won't pay you the few thousand dollars you invoiced for your work shooting the documentary.

When the vendor is not shy about confronting the Trump Organization,intimidate him using the appearance of greater leverage. My friend is a small businessman... he had already spent a full day of his time on this project, and was also liable for paying his crew a few hundred each for their day's work. So the Trump Organization says:

Fine, if you're going to stand on principle, you have more to lose than we do. Go ahead, make my day.

My friend, confronted with this intimidation, did not back down. He realized that, even though he had his own billable hours plus the fees of his crew to lose, the Trump Organization actually had MORE to lose. Donald Trump himself had spent hours in front of the camera being interviewed! Plus the disruptions to building security, human resources, operational planning etc. which the documentary shooting had entailed.

If Trump Organization did not pay for his work, my friend was willing to make sure they lost all that by withholding the video tape. Their loss would be greater than his.

So in the end, he made them back down, and he walked away the winner.

I think of this story every time I hear about Trump's negotiations with various parties. It has been revealed, e.g. that the Taiwan President's phone call to Trump was set up by a lobbying firm led by Senator Bob Dole and paid $140,000 by Taipei. That phone call, plus subsequent comments by Trump on Twitter, have clearly rattled the Chinese.

One thing the Chinese would definitely be looking at, right now, is the reality that their own lobbying investments in the US to date have proved inadequate. They sent Kissinger to bat for them, but he was out for a duck. Therefore, Beijing will be getting ready to increase its own lobbying spend, which will benefit new lobbyist firms that were not connected to China's erstwhile network (Brookings, Stimson, CEIP etc). Trump has created an opportunity for lobbyist firms in Washington to receive mucho dinero from Beijing to represent them... firms that probably have connections one way or another to the Trump Organization

Possibly the gush-fest reported between Trump and Nawaz Sharif, AND the recent noises by Trump and Pence regarding J&K mediation, had similar intentions. For the past 10-12 years, India has been sitting pretty in terms of lobbying the US. The Americans themselves have been courting India, talking of "counterweight to China", and meanwhile Pakistan has been increasingly (if not officially) recognized for a rogue, terror-sponsoring state in Washington circles. American diplomatic language on J&K has undergone a sea change from "we wish to see it resolved bilaterally with the interests of the Kashmiri people in mind" (George W Bush era) to "it's a bilateral matter for India and Pakistan" (Obama era).

So maybe all of this naatak is a technique to get India to increase its lobbying spend in Washington. The incoming Trump administration is telling us: "don't take it for granted that we will follow in the same diplomatic vein as the Obama administration. We're a new bunch in power now, and you have to pay up all over again if you want to retain your influence."

Yayavar · Post by **Yayavar** » 09 Dec 2016 02:36

^^I agree he is stating dont think the same policies as before will continue but am not sure if it means the admin cares whether there are a few 100Ks spent on lobbying or not.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Dec 2016 02:56

So we will call this the Negotiating Template of Trump Organization. (NTTO).

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 03:46

A scary anecdote. My experience with NY is small but sufficient to make me go to considerable lengths to avoid passing through that geographical zone and make me think of John McEnroe and the cast of Seinfeld when I think of many of the denizens as an internal warning.

But charging the interview team for bottled water was sheer pettiness. I am surprised DT's organization tolerate(s/d) that. That's more like Hilton than Comfort Inn/ Marriott (guess which I avoid). Unless the employee who provided the water had to pay for it out of personal funds from a machine (look at it this way: Comfort Inn would have pointed me to the vending machine. Trump Inc got the water and delivered it to the visitors. And did detailed accounting).

The Indian govt and embassy etc should do a thorough study on these kinds of things. Yes it looks like the WHOTUS is (now, pending re-counts) in the hands of bijnejppl rather than politicians.

You are right that the Taiwan call looks like pre-planned strategy rather than "naivete" or "impulsiveness". Notice how quickly the Chinese seem to have realized that it was bait / a probe into their biggest area of weakness stemming from hyper-sensitivity.

The tactic of hugging and issuing grand Statements of Cooperation with visiting Heads of State, then following it up with a nasty backstab, is classic PRC. Look at all the incidents where they tried to humiliate Indian top-level visitors. I think NaMo delivered a good counter-stab. Now DT ppl are paying the Chinese in their own coin, particularly with the Kissinger humiliation.

Avarachan · Post by **Avarachan** » 09 Dec 2016 03:50

Rudradev-ji, thank you for that very interesting anecdote.

krishna_krishna · Post by **krishna_krishna** » 09 Dec 2016 06:21

Rdevji excellent as usual, Guru's please spread this on teetar and face kitab so called xtian missionaries involved in kidnapping of Indian babies as well. Lets have investigation on this on how foreign government are supporting such horrible organizations who appear to be benign but involved in such atrocities that amount to human trafficking. Let see what massa and it dalals have to say about this :

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-38205042

The dark story took a chilling turn when two skeletons of infants were exhumed from small graves when detectives raided the Christian charity, which doubled as a free clinic and school for children. The detectives believe the infants died after falling sick in transit and were buried in a garden and a field. "There could be more graves here, who knows," said Bijon Ghosh, a local policeman.
The police soon announced that they had unearthed a baby-trafficking racket. "It appears to be pretty big operation. We suspect 45-50 babies may have been trafficked and sold to childless couples," Rajesh Kumar, chief of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), told me.
Thirteen babies - 10 girls and three boys - have been rescued, three nursing homes shut down and 20 people arrested so far. They include nurses, midwives, middlemen, clerks who allegedly faked adoption certificates and the people who ran the nursing home that was raided, the charity and the home for the mentally ill.

Viv S · Post by **Viv S** » 09 Dec 2016 08:54

India, US finalise Major Defence Partner agreement

Parrikar had given a non-paper to Carter during his visit to Pentagon in August, following which the two sides had negotiated the exact contours of this designation.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and United States Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter Thursday finalised India’s designation as a Major Defense Partner of the United States. This was announced in the India-US joint statement on Carter’s visit to New Delhi.

The designation as a Major Defense Partner, the joint statement noted, is a status unique to India and institutionalises the progress made to facilitate defence trade and technology-sharing with India to a level at par with that of the United States’ closest allies and partners, and ensures enduring cooperation into the future.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Washington in June, the United States said it recognised India as a Major Defense Partner. The joint statement issued then had acknowledged the US-India defence relationship as a possible “anchor of stability”, with the United States saying it will “continue to work toward facilitating technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners”.

Parrikar had given a non-paper to Carter during his visit to Pentagon in August, following which the two sides had negotiated the exact contours of this designation. There were differences between the two sides about the level of technology transfer and cooperation permissible under the Major Defense Partner status.

India was seeking benefits granted to the closest allies of the US, such as Australia and the UK which the Pentagon was hesitant to concede. On Thursday, the two sides did not specify details of the benefits that will accrue to India under the designation.

India’s Major Defense Partner status has, however, been made a part of the India Amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act, 2017 (NDAA), approved by the US Congress to allocate funds annually to the US military. This Bill is expected to be passed shortly which will put a formal, official stamp on India’s status.

Under the India Amendment in the NDAA 2017, the US government will, consistent with its conventional arms transfer policy, inform the review of requests to export defence articles, defence services, or related technology to India under the Arms Export Control Act, and inform any regulatory and policy adjustments that may be appropriate.

Besides recognising India’s status as a Major Defense Partner, the India Amendment will designate an American official to ensure the success of the Framework for the United States-India Defense Relationship which was signed last year, to approve and facilitate the transfer of advanced technology, and to strengthen the effectiveness of the US-India Defense Trade and Technology Initiative and the durability of the India Rapid Reaction Cell in Pentagon.

While the Obama administration had committed to each of these actions, there were concerns that the incoming Trump administration could do away with these India-specific provisions. New Delhi had, therefore, been insisting on some institutional mechanisms to safeguard the gains made over the past two years. The passage of the India Amendment will make it obligatory for the Trump administration to adhere to these commitments.

Carter’s farewell visit to India is his seventh interaction with Parrikar, and the two sides “applauded the deepened scope of India-US military-to-military ties, which includes a dramatic increase in defense trade”.

Rammpal · Post by **Rammpal** » 09 Dec 2016 09:11

^^^^ Would this lead to freer travel to States, and looser visa requirements?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 09 Dec 2016 11:55

^ Why should it? This is purely a defence deal.

Rammpal · Post by **Rammpal** » 09 Dec 2016 11:58

^^^ Fat defense deals = cozier relationship overall, perhaps ??

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 17:42

Far from it. Look at the Power of a Paki Passport (Pee-Pee-Pee) in the US.
Meanwhile, US direct investment in PeeAllSee reaches $228B. And DT tweets to US companies there to "drop dead".

(Reuters Breakingviews) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's precedent-breaking call with Taiwan's president on Dec. 2, followed by ominous tweets about Chinese policy and American firms' overseas production, has policy wonks scratching their heads. But one message is clear. Trump is indifferent to any potential backlash against U.S. investments in China, and may even welcome it.....After defending his Taiwan call he went on to lay into China's business policy and territorial claims in the South China Sea, making it much harder for Beijing to brush the incident off.

As worrisome for U.S. firms, Trump also tweeted a plan to apply a 35 percent tax to products imported by U.S. firms from factories they have moved overseas. That would hammer companies who have spent decades building supply chains and facilities in China, like Apple, for example.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 09 Dec 2016 19:01

$9.00 for 6 bottles of water in downtown Manhattan?

I am shocked I tell you!

Where else could buy Trump brand water at that price?

Trump is being an outrageous humanitarian at that price.

no wonder so many of his businesses go bankrupt......

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 09 Dec 2016 19:09

True...he was giving at a discount to the retail rate: http://www.trumptowerny.com/trump-cafe-beverages

Suresh S · Post by **Suresh S** » 09 Dec 2016 19:34

And 5 bucks for a lousy cup of coffee and ten bucks for a cheese sandwich. Sounds very appetizing?. No wonder I stick to my desi fragrant cup of chai.

kit · Post by **kit** » 09 Dec 2016 19:55

most likey Trumps business ethics will be the new American policy as well w r t the world including India .. needs a Gujaratis business acumen for dealings no doubt

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 09 Dec 2016 20:27

Rudradev ji,

Trump has been siphoning off Campaign funds to pay for services rendered by his own company. Donald Trump, the businessman, has been sending the bill to GotUS for allowing Secret Service people to use his plane and premises to provide protection to Donald Trump, the Presidential Candidate.

I don't know but he probably bills his children for the license to use his genetic material in their bodies.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 09 Dec 2016 21:08

everybody should be a profit center....

JwalaMukhi · Post by **JwalaMukhi** » 09 Dec 2016 21:21

Aha, the tough friendly ~~swindlehood~~ neighborhood spiderman strikes always in Manhattan. One needs to know the ways of that hood to navigate there.
Once not to long ago evil coujin (removed 6th) along with his SHQ, and brats visited Manhattan New York. Well, as the walking tour was proceeding at its normal pace, your friendly neighborhood Spiderman struck. Along with Spiderman, all the disney characters, to sponge bob all presented themselves in full body attire and mobbed the kids. The kids are all excited and coujin's SHQ, who prides herself as descendant of yangoon refugee survivor with tough bania blood, was floored as all the friendlies offered themselves to pose for the camera. Coujin's SHQ took some four shots of the kids with the cartoon characters and even posed in one while evil coujin took the shot. After the scamera shots, the happy family thought of moving on, when suddenly the SHQ was presented with $8 bill request from the friendly neighborhood spidey gang. Since 4 shots were taken on one's Iphone, one shot was priced at $2. SHQ, the evil bania, thought it was a joke. But no sire bob, the persistent spidey gang mobbed and said they need to be paid. OK, SHQ offered to erase the pictures. Spidey gang lets them know, sorry too late, once posed, the business is over. Better pay up or else... (threatening demeanor). Finally, SHQ negotiated it down to $5. Bania learns a lesson as a good introduction to Manhattan.
The tour continues, and as fate would have it, there are some people who celebrate nature in its entirety are seen "aadai konjum, aal meedhi". Will leave it to imagination, scratch that there is actually very little left to imagination. Oh, body painting season arrived early for some. Evil coujin whips his phone out and asks could he take a snap, spidey lessons are fast learnt. As long as one doesnot pose together in that picture along with nature worshippers it should not cost you money. Evil coujin remarks, posing with a full body attire costs $2, and opposite of that would cost what?

Well, then the tour continues to diamond district, where friendly touts entice to sell you best of the diamonds at cheapest of the prices. Now, the spidey lessons are well mastered, evil coujin and SHQ, firmly stay away from any of that. Evil coujin is actually thankful for the spidey lessons.

Trump is from Tinsel Manhattan world, where the neighborhood is tough while appearing to be too friendly. Where lots of "baffle with bullsh1t" are packaged as "dazzle with brilliance" and presented to one. One needs to be tough navigating that neighborhood. If Indian diplomat Devyani who got mauled by Preet Bh.., is representation of how India's babucracy works, then they will be in for a long walk along the garden path.

Suresh S · Post by **Suresh S** » 09 Dec 2016 21:29

Now I like that one. Can we complete the BH------- as we like. Ok never mind

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 21:46

The other din we went to an airport restaurant (somewhere, maybe CT) and ordered a halal 400% veggie sandwich. Was sent back to counter to buy a bottle of water. I found this nice sleek bottle (maybe 1 liter) and took it to the counter.
"

"Do you really want that? It costs $6.

That's right, $6 for 1 liter!!!
She saved me at least $3, bless her heart. Oh! But didn't CT vote 4 HiC?

So she must be a DT supporter who had sought refuge in CT.

Reminded me of when we were stranded in NYC because of a snowstorm in Ulan Bator, and had to use my AT&T card to make a phone call. $6/minute!!!

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 09 Dec 2016 22:06

RDji,
Excellent post. I cannot disagree. It seems you are saying under Trump, the new Indo-US relationship will revert to a subversive conflict? Thats bad, isn't it? That makes Hillary a better option.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 22:26

Aiyyoo! Look at how a simple experience is mis-construed onlee. This desi team was working very hard under the hot lights of TV production. An asture DT-mohterma noted that in another half hour they would all take a break and head for the local ~~Coca Cola~~ Pepsi machine and pay $2 each for a can of fizzy poison, and then go around burping and fa*ting the rest of the day and raising the CO2 and H2SO4 level of the New York atmosphere. She averted this disaster noting that they were all good well-brought-up desi kids, and offered them inexpensive Trump water from the purest streams of bilge in Hudson Bay. For a cheap, cheap 0.75 per bottle, including complimentary mugshot of the Zee. THAT is the lesson conveyed. Is it her fault that the bania refused to pay for this service, hain?
Going forward, we may see also, Federal tax savings due to Privatized prisons that offer drinking water in nice Trump Bottles.

Uncle Donald Is Watching YOU!!

The proceeds from Mexican inmates will go towards building the Trump Wall, thereby fulfilling another campaign pledge.

LokeshC · Post by **LokeshC** » 09 Dec 2016 22:29

RD garu,
The tactic you mentioned is called Bait And Switch, aka Duplicitous behavior.

Which massan overlord has NOT been of the bait n switch types?

The difference between the incoming one and the older ones is that the incoming one is very open and brazen. That is a big plus if you ask me.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 09 Dec 2016 22:35

Why all this doom & gloom and deep psychoanalysis about strategic relations about this $1.50 bottle of water.

Amara Modi bhai will get along just fine in such a scenario with Trumpji. Both are pucca businessmen.

PS: I had alluded to this before, but in 2005 when Trump's Bedminster, NJ, Golf Course was just completed, I/we were selling a product/service to the Golf Course. I reached there about 11 am that day for what I thought would be a 30-45 minute final meeting. Instead, nobody there could make a decision on our product/service. I was kept waiting there until 4 pm when they finally got hold of him on the phone to get his decision, which was positive. Two things of note:

1. They served me lunch (for free) for keeping me waiting. Nobody charged me for lunch/water.

2. When they finally got the big man on the phone (at 4 pm)and put him on the speakerphone, the only thing he told me was," If your people do not stand behind your product, I am going to sue you all into bankruptcy. If you are OK with that, we have a deal." And that was that.

At that time I was furious at having to waste an entire day to put up with what I regarded as a disfunctional style of management. But looking back and having learnt much about Trump since then, it becomes clear as to why they behaved the way they did. For Trump the most important thing is his brand, especially the visual aspect of an entire presentation. The product we were selling would be displayed prominently at the entrance to the club house and hence the pussy footing by his subordinates around the decision.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2016 22:57

At the risk of getting flamed out, I should point out that this mgmt style is uncannily similar to that of certain hi-profile totally altruistic yindoo organizations which are also immensely wealthy, powerful and unbelievably effective. The locals, all very nice, won't scratch their own musharrafs without Orders from On Highest. But what they build and get done is unbelievably excellent.

arun · Post by **arun** » 09 Dec 2016 23:20

X Posted from the STFUP thread.

arun wrote:Dawn in an article datelined December 4, 2016 that “Altaf Khanani pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge before a United States court. He now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison plus a fine of $250,000. The plea agreement between Khanani and the prosecutor was signed on Oct 27, 2016.” Dawn, citing US Justice Department goes on to say “Altaf Khanani is known to have had relationships with Lashkar-e-Taiba, Dawood Ibrahim, Al Qaeda, and Jaish-e-Mohammed.”:

Khanani pleads guilty to money laundering in US court

Meanwhile Dawn in an article datelined the day after ie: December 5, 2016 reports Altaf Khanani’s brother and fellow Director in the Money Changing firm of Khanani and Kalia International (KKI) “died on Sunday after reportedly falling from an under construction building in Karachi”:

Javed Khanani dies after falling from building in Karachi, say police

A case of the Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Uniformed Jihadi’s of the Punjabi Dominated Military tidying up loose ends regards funding of Mohammadden Terrorism targeting India by State Actors and sending a message to brother Altaf Khanani to keep his mouth shut on this aspect of KKI’s operation

India must push the US to permit our Counter Terrorist Agencies to question Altaf Khanani given his links to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Dawood Ibrahim and Jaish-e-Mohammed

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 10 Dec 2016 00:00

panduranghari wrote:RDji,
Excellent post. I cannot disagree. It seems you are saying under Trump, the new Indo-US relationship will revert to a subversive conflict? Thats bad, isn't it? That makes Hillary a better option.

Will it be Modi the Maha-baniya vs Trump the yuuge baniya? My money is on Modi.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 10 Dec 2016 01:27

New Labor policy will also impact Indian business
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/don ... feb0da1b7c
Donald Trump Chooses Fast-Food CEO To Be His Labor Secretary

Puzder told the Los Angeles Times that he isn’t opposed to a minimum wage in principle, and doesn’t mind an occasional bump. He also told the paper he’d be open to indexing the wage floor so that it rises gradually over time.

In the same interview, Puzder didn’t seem to show much empathy for workers. He laid out all the reasons a company might prefer to use machines rather than humans for its labor force: “They’re always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnkRfjs45hY

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 10 Dec 2016 02:48

KLNMurthy wrote:
Will it be Modi the Maha-baniya vs Trump the yuuge baniya? My money is on Modi.

So is mine. But I am not a betting person.

I read something recently called Pournelles Iron Law of Bureaucracy http://www.jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/iron.html

Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people":

First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration.

Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc.

The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization.

Modi is trying to change the bureaucracy in India, slowly but successfully.
Is Trump trying the same? Dont know. Time will tell.