07-14-2009, 02:02 PM
<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Asked for his comments by the India/South Asia Bureau Chief of The Straits Times of Singapore, Mr B Raman, the Indian security affairs analyst, said:
QUOTE:
It will be essentially an"ego-massaging" visit. Indiaâs inflated ego
was hurt when she went to China first in February and spoke in very
positive terms about China. She has already embarked on an exercise
to introduce correctives.
2.Whatever she might say to please India, the reality is that Pakistan
and China are more important to the US at present than India. Pakistan
is important for preventing another 9/11 in US homeland and for
preventing a catastrophic act of terrorism involving the use of
weapons of mass destruction material and China for its economic
recovery.
3.Comparatively, Indiaâs utility to the US is limited. At the same
time,the US cannot ignore India because of its size, its democracy,
its economic potential in another 10 years if not now and the
vigorous Indian-origin community in the US which is politically more
active than the Chinese-origin community.
4.We can expect from her positive statements and gestures, but one
cannot say definitely how sincerely-meant they would be. Indians have
a weakness for flattery and tend to indulge in wishful-thinking.
5.We have no culture of strategic-thinking and laser-sharp analysis
based on cruel facts and figures..But we have a long-ingrained culture
of wishful-thinking. All Hillary Clinton has to do is to make a few
statements describing India as a great power, praising Mahatma Gandhi,
highlighting the impact of Gandhiji on Martin Luther King and Barack
Obama, Indiaâs IT genius etc, Indians wil be quite happy for some
months till the next disappointment comes.
6.Americans understand India better than they understand Pakistan and
its jihadi hordes. Pakistanis understand the US better than Indians.
7.Hype and flattery will be the defining characteristics of her visit.
Indian ego will remain tickled for some months.
8. Ultimately, our people will continue to die at the hands of jihadi
terrorists. Pakistan will continue to use terrorism against India to
change the status quo in Jammu & Kashmir. Americans will continue to
link terrorism with Kashmir.
9. I have always considered skepticism to be an essential component of
a good analysis.I have always been a skeptic vis-a-vis the US.
QUOTE:
It will be essentially an"ego-massaging" visit. Indiaâs inflated ego
was hurt when she went to China first in February and spoke in very
positive terms about China. She has already embarked on an exercise
to introduce correctives.
2.Whatever she might say to please India, the reality is that Pakistan
and China are more important to the US at present than India. Pakistan
is important for preventing another 9/11 in US homeland and for
preventing a catastrophic act of terrorism involving the use of
weapons of mass destruction material and China for its economic
recovery.
3.Comparatively, Indiaâs utility to the US is limited. At the same
time,the US cannot ignore India because of its size, its democracy,
its economic potential in another 10 years if not now and the
vigorous Indian-origin community in the US which is politically more
active than the Chinese-origin community.
4.We can expect from her positive statements and gestures, but one
cannot say definitely how sincerely-meant they would be. Indians have
a weakness for flattery and tend to indulge in wishful-thinking.
5.We have no culture of strategic-thinking and laser-sharp analysis
based on cruel facts and figures..But we have a long-ingrained culture
of wishful-thinking. All Hillary Clinton has to do is to make a few
statements describing India as a great power, praising Mahatma Gandhi,
highlighting the impact of Gandhiji on Martin Luther King and Barack
Obama, Indiaâs IT genius etc, Indians wil be quite happy for some
months till the next disappointment comes.
6.Americans understand India better than they understand Pakistan and
its jihadi hordes. Pakistanis understand the US better than Indians.
7.Hype and flattery will be the defining characteristics of her visit.
Indian ego will remain tickled for some months.
8. Ultimately, our people will continue to die at the hands of jihadi
terrorists. Pakistan will continue to use terrorism against India to
change the status quo in Jammu & Kashmir. Americans will continue to
link terrorism with Kashmir.
9. I have always considered skepticism to be an essential component of
a good analysis.I have always been a skeptic vis-a-vis the US.