India-US Strategic News and Discussion

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jan 2014 08:00

the whole meat/protein thing is very similar to the TSP taller/stronger complex. no wonder they get along so well with TSP elites - their view of india/indians/indian culture is in perfect alignment.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 13 Jan 2014 08:06

Singha wrote:the whole meat/protein thing is very similar to the TSP taller/stronger complex. no wonder they get along so well with TSP elites - their view of india/indians/indian culture is in perfect alignment.

Was it Nixon (or Dulles) who spoke of Ayub Khan as ramrod straight and looking like a Hollywood hero ?

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 08:07

It seems the new has spread ..

Expelled Diplomat Wore Bias on Sleeves - New Indian Express

American diplomat Wayne May, who was asked to leave India, may be secretly relieved since he has previously talked of “challenges” of living in India. His wife, Alicia Muller May, also a US embassy staff, had shown prejudice while talking about India on her Facebook page.

On November 18, 2012, Alicia had shared a link to an article about an Indian textbook claiming non-vegetarians were inclined towards violence and sexual crimes. On the discussion to the post, Alicia wrote, “I’d like them to do a follow-up article on how many vegetarians rape women here every day!” After the reply of a friend, Alicia pushed her theory forward. “It’s the vegetarians that are doing the raping, not the meat eaters — this place is just so bizarre.” When another commentator replied jokingly that he had never raped anyone, Alicia persisted, “Applies only to Indians… not westerners!”

The diplomat, Wayne May, had announced the start of his tenure in New Delhi by posting a picture of two cows in the middle of an Old Delhi lane. “The adventure begins! Welcome to India…” posted May on June 30, 2010. In an interview on his professional life in March 2011, he had said, “Challenges include unhealthy living conditions like air and water pollution, threat of disease and sickness, bad traffic and everything else that one would associate with a developing country with a population of over 1.2 billion.”

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jan 2014 08:12

india weak, khan stlong

khan saheb slaps in a friendly way the POTUS

be afraid my indic brothers....

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jan 2014 08:13

and finally

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 13 Jan 2014 08:14

pankajs wrote:
ramana wrote:I think now that DK has very good first hand experience with US system she should be out in the America desk so the US diplomats get to meet her in Delhi every time they visit and think over what they did.
My idea is to post her as a officer in charge of immunity/privileges of foreign diplomats (perhaps known as the protocol officer???). Force US embassy to petition her for relief in these time of excessive pandugiri as far as US diplomats are concerned

Yeah, with massa holding her kids hostage to all intents and purposes. There is only so much a mother can stand. So, probably not a totally good idea, even if it is a fantasy.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 13 Jan 2014 08:16

On the FB / Wayne and Alicia's world affair, here is a thought:

Writing on FB is not official diplomatic business and not covered by limited diplomatic immunity. Offending Religious Sentiments is a non-bailable offense (I assume) in India. If some kind entity could pls file a case, the said offender could be arrested at the airport, be taken to the dentist (to have cavities searched and her brain found) and dumped in Tihar jail along with a few Pakis to await trial. When she eventually comes out, she will deal appropriately with her dear hubby who is the responsible entity.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 08:23

US Must Realise that India Can be a Friend, Only as an Equal and Not as a Follower

Agonised apologists for America are in angst over the angry objurgation against American arrogance over L’affaire Devyani Khobragade. Ever since the Indian government showed some spine by retaliating against the US government, America’s Indian megaphones are rising in fortissimo to counter the orchestra of domestic disgust. For them, money is more important than national pride. The class that adores the colour of the greenback over respect for the Tricolour are asking fustian questions like “Is Devyani more important than the Indo-US relationship?” In their lucre-driven bombilations, they have chosen to forget that Devyani, a Dalit diplomat, was representing her country and was not just some individual the Indian government had dispatched to the US. Forget amor patriae, an obstreperous campaign is on to undermine her reputation and underplay the colossal insult to the prestige of Indian state by a petty American official. As Devyani returned home in disguised disgrace, the government hit back by asking a US diplomat to be recalled. He was the one instrumental in getting Devyani’s maid Sangeeta Richard’s family ‘evacuated’ from their own country—India.

While Devyani was declared persona non grata, US authorities remained silent about the behaviour of her nanny and her family members who entered the US to avoid facing Indian courts. The inexplicably imperious US posturing on Devyani hides more than what it reveals. Otherwise both countries wouldn’t have adopted an eyeball-to-eyeball stance. It is perhaps for the first time that both India and the US have expelled diplomats in concert. Such an exceptional row comes at a stage when they were perceived as allies in global economic and strategic issues. For the past two decades, India has been bending backwards to mend its ways and means to suit American corporate and strategic interests. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is the only Head of State who has made the maximum number of trips during his two terms to the US than any of his peers. American diplomats in India were given exceptional waivers to open schools, clubs, import luxury goods and even employ Indians without following Indian laws. The American Embassy in New Delhi was shown the magnanimity of blocking the road behind it in the name of security, while the Indian Embassy in Washington was even denied two parking spots. American diplomats have been enjoying special facilities at various airports in India, unlike Indian diplomats in the US. American Embassy staff were given passes to enter official areas where even senior civil servants, ministers and chief ministers could not tread. The Indian Prime Minister and Union ministers have been liberal in granting visiting US junior diplomats an audience. But for our ministers, getting an appointment with even a Secretary in the US government, let alone President Obama, would be unthinkable. The UPA has been so eager to oblige America that it even risked a fall by getting the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement passed, facing charges of political misconduct.

If that wasn’t enough, the Indian government went out of its way to save American companies from sinking during the economic recession by placing huge orders on capital equipment. America has been treating India as a bespoke colony, expecting Indians to surrender their self-respect. Since India opened up its economy to become a global player, it has been granting American companies preference over multinationals from other countries. During the past 10 years, India has placed orders worth `50,000 crore with US corporations for defence equipment and aircraft. India is America’s largest but unreciprocated trade partner. It has invested over $60 billion in US treasury bonds, thereby becoming America’s 17th largest investor. Even on international issues, the UPA would invite the ire of its domestic constituencies by supporting US policy on Sri Lanka and Iran. Indian corporate Caesars have been liberal in funding American academia with millions of dollars, which they rarely do for Indian institutions. In America they perceive a natural ally who would fight against terror, dictatorships and communist expansionism for mutual benefit. Indians of American-origin contribute bounteously to parties during the US elections.

The Devyani episode has proved that America preaches democracy and peace but practices dictatorship and exclusivity. Anyone who questions their arbitrariness and arrogance would be treated as an enemy. Even after extracting maximum economic flesh from India, no American company or the US government has shown even a minor interest in protecting India’s dignity and security. In reality, they have been supporting the anti-India forces in our neighbourhood, closing their eyes against terror camps in Pakistan and imposing strict conditions on the immigration of Indian skilled labour to the US. They are tight-fisted while investing in India. According to official records, the cumulative FDI equity inflow into India was just $2 million until September 2013. About 20 per cent of it went to the services sector. Americans have refused to transfer technology and invest in immovable assets but are insisting on extremely liberal tax policies for their FIIs so that they could fatten their coffers by playing the markets.

Yet India has been magnanimous towards America. But the way they treated Devyani proves beyond any doubt that US policymakers are uncomfortable with India’s rise as an economic and military super power, which could challenge their supremacy one day. They have perhaps forgotten former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who always showed them their place, whether it was over China or Pakistan. The US may have infiltrated the Indian establishment but it has wounded the heart of India. For Indians, protecting the prestige of the Tricolour is a matter of faith, which cannot be compromised by showering a bounty of dollars on a chosen few. The time has come for America to realise that India can be a friend, only as an equal and not as a follower.

Quite well written. Again .. I disagree with the last line. If you keep insisting for love and friendship they will never realize. Walkaway or at least walk you own path with nary a care and they will soon come running after you.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 08:23

KLNMurthy wrote:Yeah, with massa holding her kids hostage to all intents and purposes.

That is news to me!

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 13 Jan 2014 08:24

TSJones wrote:
ManjaM wrote:TSJ,

What repercussions will the Mays face? Bad mouthing the brownies might not be worth anything more than a a slap on the wrist. I seriously doubt it is going to be any more than that. The Foreign service throwing one of their own under the bus because Preet Bharara and SD messed up? no way.
When things go wrong you've got to be able to produce a body for sacrifice. The Foreign Service is no different than any government organization. The Mays will be "it". Unless you are absolutely convinced the Foreign Service in total is a racist, bigotted organization that looks down on poor people. I personally do not thik that is the case. A stumbling bureaucracy, that sometimes doesn't have the common sense that God gave a goose? Yes, I believe that. But a total arm of evil biggoted people? No I don't think that.

Don't know about the racist, bigoted foreign service of US, but there is the whole 1971 Bangladesh thing, when the foreign service (with honorable exceptions like Archer Blood) proved itself to be a happy collaborator in genocide, of a kind that has roots in racism and bigotry. Not a whit of soul-searching since then, hence the presumption must be they as a body don't think they did anything wrong. So, I don't buy the few bad apples theory, I'm afraid. It's the core, so to speak.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 13 Jan 2014 08:24

Helpful suggestion received on email. Someone please forward to the relevant authorities:

Alycia Mays (sh)ould be arrested at the airport on charges of Offending Religious Sensibilities, which is probably a non-bailable offence. Of course her "diplomatic immunity" does not extend to what she posted on FaceBook, so she will have to be sent to the dentist etc to search cavities and see if they can find her brain, and put in Tihar jail pending trial, housed with a few Pakistanis.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 13 Jan 2014 08:24

How long did it take from BR to Twitter to toi headlines?

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 13 Jan 2014 08:27

matrimc wrote:
Philip wrote:Our own NAM/whatever equivalent of the ICJ (International War Crimes Court)should be set up in India ,representing the rights of the aggrieved nations,and these despicable neo-Nazis should be tried if available or in absentia,so that there freedom of movement across the globe is at least curtailed,knowing that they would be arrested and deported if they travelled to those countries aprt of the group.
Philip ji, are you suggesting the resurrection of NAM - a failed movement which gave rise to dictators like Sukarno and Castro, Sadat followed by Nasser?

Can't trust the NAMs, India should realize it is big enough to be its own NAM.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 13 Jan 2014 08:35

pankajs wrote:
KLNMurthy wrote:Yeah, with massa holding her kids hostage to all intents and purposes.
That is news to me!

"to all intents and purposes" == she can't go back to massa to see her kids; if her husband wants to stay on in the US, she has lost them in effect.

Therefore she would be vulnerable to an offer of a deal by whichever massa comes by her desk.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 13 Jan 2014 08:37

What I find amusing is that while the Wayne's were stupid enough to publicly put those posts on FB being career diplomats (that itself is enough evidence of the lard accumulation in their brains )and while they have every right of "free " speech their own government felt it necessary to abrogate their rights and got their pages removed. Let us say even if they did it voluntarily then why the need if they were so righteously "right "? BR monitoring person any comments. By the way we have to have a nice nickname for the BR monitoring person! (Though by the timelines i have my suspicion who it is ) Ideas for the nickname?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Jan 2014 08:41

Prasad wrote:How long did it take from BR to Twitter to toi headlines?

Late B Ramangaru used to say he first found out about the Lok Sabha attack from BRF.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 08:41

KLNMurthy wrote:
pankajs wrote:[>>quote="KLNMurthy"]Yeah, with massa holding her kids hostage to all intents and purposes.[/quote<<]That is news to me!
"to all intents and purposes" == she can't go back to massa to see her kids; if her husband wants to stay on in the US, she has lost them in effect.

Therefore she would be vulnerable to an offer of a deal by whichever massa comes by her desk.

Didn't DK's father say they are expected to turn up in India in a short while? The only reason the children did not relocate immediately was not to disrupt the school calendar.

So apart from the delay and the consequent stress of missing ones loved ones I don't see any issues.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Jan 2014 08:43

TOI should reflect on the fact that if it were not for the zealous bloggers they would not have story to print!!!!

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Jan 2014 08:46

saip wrote:How many US Diplomats were asked to leave? From this it appears to be two, one in 48 hours & the other in 72 hours or is it DDMitis?
Link

I think cursed by speaking out of turn gave additional 24 hours. The initial order was for leave within 48 hrs ie 2 days, so where did this 3 days come from?

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 13 Jan 2014 08:46

Singha wrote:the whole meat/protein thing is very similar to the TSP taller/stronger complex. no wonder they get along so well with TSP elites - their view of india/indians/indian culture is in perfect alignment.

a lot of amirkhan's get all twisted up on vegan/vegetarian Vs meat eating argument. visceral and abusive.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 13 Jan 2014 08:52

There is a reason perhaps why she did not travel with her kids. It is not just the reason given out to the press. It is very likely a technical reason, due to the fact that the kids are US citizens. If they were Indian citizens then she could have taken them with her. There is a distinction. If she had tried that there could have been issues created for her at departure. Best is for her husband to take them along with him as he is a US citizen.

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 13 Jan 2014 08:53

pankajs wrote:

"to all intents and purposes" == she can't go back to massa to see her kids; if her husband wants to stay on in the US, she has lost them in effect.

Therefore she would be vulnerable to an offer of a deal by whichever massa comes by her desk.
Didn't DK's father say they are expected to turn up in India in a short while? The only reason the children did not relocate immediately was not to disrupt the school calendar.

So apart from the delay and the consequent stress of missing ones loved ones I don't see any issues.

There is the dynamics of marital relationship to consider and you can be sure that massa isn't naive enough to not consider that factor.

May be no issue in long term if DK and Rathore manage to survive the strain that the whole affair surely put on the marriage. All would soon be well if Rathore opts to follow his wife, but if he demands the prerogative of staying in the US, that may even lead to a divorce with the court awarding the children to the father.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 09:01

Tense talks with US agencies up until Indian diplomat departed - ChaddiTV/NYT

By Thursday night, the diplomatic crisis seemed over, but only after a tense final few hours, as Khobragade was driven to Kennedy International Airport, only to be told by her American lawyer not to leave until a federal judge approved her departure.

The lawyer, Daniel N. Arshack, who provided the account of her departure, also offered a first look at his negotiations with prosecutors in the office of Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in New York. Prosecutors have said they outlined "reasonable parameters for a plea" but received no response. Arshack said he met with prosecutors Jan. 4, a Saturday. Khobragade was not there but with her permission, two Indian diplomats attended the meeting.{MEA was engaged all along}

A U.S. State Department official said this weekend that although the legal and diplomatic processes were separate, the State Department encouraged India to work with the U.S. Justice Department.{SD lit the fuse and handed India the bomb and said go talk to the DoJ}

Arshack said that the defense had been willing to have an independent arbiter review the case and determine whether there had been an underpayment to the worker, Sangeeta Richard, and "to be bound by that finding."

But he said Bharara's office insisted that as part of any deal, Khobragade, 39, would have to plead guilty to a crime and acknowledge her participation in a fraud.{Ah.. DK was ready for an independent arbiter review but PB was not confident of his case the rat went to his rubber-stamp grand jury! He did not dare submit his case for an independent but binding review. No wonder DK's father sounds confident.}

"That was their prerequisite," Arshack recalled. "Their threshold issue was, 'You must admit to committing a crime and to defrauding the U.S.'" He said a guilty plea "was a nonstarter" for his client.

"She has steadfastly refused to plead guilty to any crime because she didn't commit one," Arshack said. "That has been her position from the beginning."

Arshack said he and the Indian diplomats "were troubled by the intransigence of the U.S. attorney's office."

Bharara's office was asked Sunday for a response to Arshack's comments, including his statement that his client had not committed a crime. The deputy U.S. attorney, Richard B. Zabel, responded by citing the detailed allegations in an indictment released Thursday, which included as exhibits "two contradictory contracts signed by Ms. Khobragade, one of which the indictment alleges was used to deceive the U.S. government and is there for the public to see."

Zabel said that the charges remain pending against Khobragade, that she was presumed innocent and was "free to exercise her constitutional right to put the government to its proof in a court of law."

"There, as always, we will have the burden of proving the charges in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt," he said, adding that the office would "welcome the opportunity."

The focus soon turned to a diplomatic solution, Arshack said.

India had already asked the State Department to accredit Khobragade to its mission, which would give her immunity. The State Department said such requests are rarely rejected and on Wednesday, the United States approved the request, according to a court filing by Arshack.

The United States said it then asked India to waive immunity with respect to the charges against Khobragade, that India refused and the State Department then requested her immediate departure.

On Thursday, Arshack said, he got a call from Khobragade, who was about to be driven to the airport for a 2:25 p.m. flight. He called the State Department, saying he would not allow her to leave without the court's permission. He says neither he nor his client, who was free on bond, wanted it to appear that she was fleeing the country, when in fact she was leaving because was obligated to.

Arshack said he told Khobragade to stay inside her vehicle when it arrived at the airport. He said he then called two investigators, both retired New York police lieutenants who had been working for him on the case, and had them drive to the mission and follow the sport utility vehicle carrying his client to the airport.

If Indian officials tried to compel her to leave the vehicle, Arshack recalled telling his investigators, they should take her to the Manhattan federal courthouse, where he was heading.

At 3:33 p.m., Bharara's office released the indictment charging Khobragade with fraudulently obtaining a visa for Richard, saying she had "illegally underpaid and exploited" the worker and tried to "silence and intimidate the victim and her family."

But two prosecutors, Amanda Kramer and Kristy Greenberg, wrote to the court, saying no arraignment was needed because Khobragade had "very recently" received diplomatic immunity.

At 4:40 p.m., Arshack and the prosecutors appeared before Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, who, after reviewing the record, said Khobragade would not be "violating any conditions of her release" by immediately returning to India.

"So, that problem is resolved," the judge said.

But by then, Khobragade's Air India flight had left without her; she caught a plane later that night.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 13 Jan 2014 09:12

To repeat what another poster has said,C.Rajghatta twists the comment of one blogger "You insulted their god" to "you insulted their cow".

From Prabhu Chawlas article

Agonised apologists for America are in angst over the angry objurgation against American arrogance over L’affaire Devyani Khobragade. Ever since the Indian government showed some spine by retaliating against the US government, America’s Indian megaphones are rising in fortissimo to counter the orchestra of domestic disgust. For them, money is more important than national pride. The class that adores the colour of the greenback over respect for the Tricolour are asking fustian questions like “Is Devyani more important than the Indo-US relationship?” In their lucre-driven bombilations, they have chosen to forget that Devyani, a Dalit diplomat, was representing her country and was not just some individual the Indian government had dispatched to the US. Forget amor patriae, an obstreperous campaign is on to undermine her reputation and underplay the colossal insult to the prestige of Indian state by a petty American official

The sub-editor who wrote(?)it for Chawla must be laughing his head off behind his editor's back for all this bombast.Cant these morons, who until yesterday were singing paens about Congress, write simple prose?Writing such pompous nonsense shows the real worth of these guys and their artificial outrage trying to cash in on the mood.

It is such people we have in our media-Chidanands,Chawlas of the world who are so deeply cynical about their land.You guys have a right to your cynicism,but why this pretense of being know-alls and sitting on judgement over 'trolls ever ready to be outraged'.We dont do your charades for a living,you know-alls?

rajanb · Post by **rajanb** » 13 Jan 2014 09:24

http://mindbodypolitic.com/2014/01/11/u ... mat-story/

Oh boy. Nicholas Stix epitomises the rather narrow and uneducated state of most Americans, including the Mays.!

Read it for what it is worth.

The ending is great:

STIX

The real question though remains, do we as Americans want immigrants like this, obsessed with ritual purity and pollution, bringing such behaviour to the United States?

Is this misogyny, violence, and anti-Americanism something the United States needs?

Lila:

Apparently, if you don’t like your women being stripped and having their private parts inspected as standard procedure, that makes you an anti-American and a misogynist.

Actually, America is consistently highly regarded in India, which, given all this, might not be a good thing. A bit of anti-Americanism might be just the thing for India to regain real independence in its policies.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 13 Jan 2014 09:34

pankajs wrote:But by then, Khobragade's Air India flight had left without her; she caught a plane later that night.

[/quote]
Wasn't there a report that said GoI did not want to involve AI and so chose United ?

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 09:45

Bade wrote:There is a reason perhaps why she did not travel with her kids. It is not just the reason given out to the press. It is very likely a technical reason, due to the fact that the kids are US citizens. If they were Indian citizens then she could have taken them with her. There is a distinction. If she had tried that there could have been issues created for her at departure. Best is for her husband to take them along with him as he is a US citizen.

While I am not sure what passport her children's carry but here is what she herself is quoted as saying

Devyani expresses anguish over uncertainty surrounding daughters, says she misses family

Her children, Khobragade said, were familiar with India. “Both my children were born in India. I flew from Pakistan, where I was posted then, to Mumbai, for the delivery of my second child,” she said.

I would expect them to have Indian passport given that they had to fly out of India but then I do not know the rules related to citizenship and passport.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 13 Jan 2014 10:01

In that case and if the kids are carrying an Indian passport, get them back to India immediately.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Jan 2014 10:04

shiv wrote:Helpful suggestion received on email.

Shiv ji, please to write a few paras on the piskology of the main players and your take on the affair.

vasu raya · Post by **vasu raya** » 13 Jan 2014 10:06

prasannasimha wrote:What I find amusing is that while the Wayne's were stupid enough to publicly put those posts on FB being career diplomats (that itself is enough evidence of the lard accumulation in their brains )and while they have every right of "free " speech their own government felt it necessary to abrogate their rights and got their pages removed. Let us say even if they did it voluntarily then why the need if they were so righteously "right "? BR monitoring person any comments. By the way we have to have a nice nickname for the BR monitoring person! (Though by the timelines i have my suspicion who it is ) Ideas for the nickname?

the cat is out of the bag, the comments section under the articles speak for themselves, the owner of the page couldn't have removed the pages that quick since most of these are cached on different servers, if its FB, they could do within hours and thats possible by govt. intervention, if it was a Indian diplomat in such a situation wonder what the response time would be.

KishnaK, think it over

Theo_Fidel · Post by **Theo_Fidel** » 13 Jan 2014 10:14

Gus wrote:a lot of amirkhan's get all twisted up on vegan/vegetarian Vs meat eating argument. visceral and abusive.

At least part of it is that adult vegetarians are typically identified with liberal ideas in the USA. The right wingers target all vegetarians for this. Adult vegetarians are relatively common these days, even in the heart land areas. Meat in moderation is useful for childhood development, Pregnant/fertile women/girls, sick folks, older folks, etc. For healthy middle aged folks like the May meat does little. In fact when taken in excess, and yes (1) Hamburger a day is excess meet, it probably shortens life.

That said the May folks were a particularly unsanitary streak. Eating a Hamburger stored in a suitcase without refrigeration. Eww!

vic · Post by **vic** » 13 Jan 2014 10:17

Can somebody do some search on how other SD employees are viewing Devyani issue on their FB pages?

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 13 Jan 2014 10:18

'Diplomatic privileges are not a one way street'

Washington: The bitter India-US diplomatic row over an Indian diplomat may have been defused for now, but Americans in New Delhi are not likely to get their swimming pool, hamburgers, bowling and booze back anytime soon.

For reciprocity is the name of the game since the US chose to arrest, strip search and slap a criminal case of visa fraud against Devyani Khobragade, India's then deputy consul general in New York, before India's hardball diplomacy sent her back home safe.

India has neither been "petty" nor "irresponsible" in "a vindictive campaign against US diplomats in New Delhi" as the influential Washington Post suggested in a recent editorial, a diplomatic source said noting that diplomatic privileges cannot be a one way street.

As Sridharan Madhusudhanan, press counsellor at the Indian embassy in Washington pointed out in a letter to the Post, US "officials posted in consulates have been issued identity cards with stipulations similar to those their Indian counterparts receive in the United States."

"Securing immunities and privileges for US officials abroad is best done by respecting international conventions and according entitled courtesies in the United States," he wrote.

All that India has been demanding is that Indian diplomats should be afforded "the same immunities and courtesies under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations that the US government seeks for its officials posted abroad."

"Immunity is the fundamental concept on which diplomats operate," a source said. Yet the Americans are very "generous" in interpreting international conventions when it relates to them and very "stingy" when it comes to others.

"The US is very reluctant to commit and very quick to ask" the source quipped taking a look back at the Khobragade affair that has threatened to derail one of "the most important relationships" for both nations.

In choosing to criminalise "a wage dispute with a domestic employee", a source said the US had ignored a pre-existing legal case in India with Khobragade as the first complainant against her housekeeper and nanny, Sangeeta Richard.

If the US takes the position that "law is the law" then it should be in India too and Washington should respect Indian legal processes, the source said.

Even as Indian and US diplomats negotiated at various levels in Washington and New Delhi, Indian embassy here also reached out to lawmakers to make its position understood on the Capitol Hill.

India's new ambassador, S. Jaishankar, met key members of the India caucus and House and Senate foreign affairs panels.

The overwhelming opinion on the Hill, a source said was that "this should not have happened" and the US officials who chose to act the way they did were "apparently not in the business of thinking how the next day's newspaper would look like."

Though India did explore the judicial option with Khobragade's lawyer Daniel Arshack negotiating with Manhattan's Indian-American prosecutor Preet Bharara, India's main concern was to get her immunity "not only for her, but for the principle itself," a knowledeable source said.

Now that the crisis has been defused with Khobragade's return to India, the expectation is that "everybody realises the importance of the India-US relations" and steps are initiated to put the relationship back on track in the weeks ahead.

And as the Americans in Delhi pine for their booze, burgers and bowling, they would hopefully remember a lesson learnt that it takes two to make diplomacy work.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 13 Jan 2014 10:22

sanjaykumar wrote: Dane is dog.

Are they not??

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jan 2014 10:23

hamburgers are available canned also
http://www.westlerfoods.com/Canned-Burgers.html

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 13 Jan 2014 10:26

Just the thought makes me sick.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 13 Jan 2014 10:26

shiv wrote:Helpful suggestion received on email. Someone please forward to the relevant authorities:
Alycia Mays (sh)ould be arrested at the airport on charges of Offending Religious Sensibilities, which is probably a non-bailable offence. Of course her "diplomatic immunity" does not extend to what she posted on FaceBook, so she will have to be sent to the dentist etc to search cavities and see if they can find her brain, and put in Tihar jail pending trial, housed with a few Pakistanis.

Now that, as a friend of mine said not so long ago, would be poetic justice.... But then again, he noted, such may only be found in poetry.

Though you never know.

One thing is certain, the uncivil and uncivilized Mrs. Mays will be treated with the politest of contempt by Indians deemed her social equals. One does not really expect much better in terms of the people sent to India. But if they kept their feelings to themselves we would not have to go through the motions with gritted teeth. Now she has opened her mouth and confirmed to the world. Unpleasant all around.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 13 Jan 2014 10:27

She is friend of Wayne and teaches at American Embassy School. Who are these "Johnsons" ?

Hitesh · Post by **Hitesh** » 13 Jan 2014 10:35

It is my opinion of the highest order that Wayne Mays needs to be stripped-searched and cavity-searched, Vienna conventions be damned. A shot must be fired across the US' bow as a clear message. They understand nothing else.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 13 Jan 2014 10:37

KLNMurthy wrote:
Yeah, with massa holding her kids hostage to all intents and purposes.

I don't think Kids or Hubby are hostage. That would be going too faaa..r. Being PIO ( hubby being US Citizen) and Children being NRI are free to come to India without VIsa and without informing anyone. MEA being involved , it becomes easier as well.

As for citizenship requirement of residency, any or all conditions can be waived if it is deemed essential. So no botheration on that count. However , it has to be personal choice and not a forced one on anybody.