Facts don't matter
Jun 3 2006 11:38PM comments rss:
FACTS DON'T MATTER
Mike Ghouse
America's interest is purely economical and in some instances it is hypocritical.
Our foreign policy is operated from the seat of our pants. We Americans have to wake up one day and work on developing a long term reliable foreign policy for our nation, a policy that can cushion issues and retain friends.
Look at our history - except Chamcha Blair, we have bought support from Israel and Pakistan for 4 billion and a billion each. We keep paying dearly and beg for their friendship. We do not have a single reliable ally. Not one! Even the Saudis are turning to India and China. We have paid dearly to Spain, Italy, Ethiopia and Namibia to send a hundred or so troops to Iraq so we can use the word - coalition partners -. If America decides to cut aid - all our allies will disappear in a heart beat. It is sad! Something seriously wrong with our foreign policy.
Our relationships are formed on short-term goals and they live shorter than we plan. We are yet to base our relationships on values and on equal terms. India is by far the closet thing America will ever come to having the opportunity to have a value based relationship, and our short-sightedness hurts it. The sale of Missiles is neither good for Pakistan nor for India or the United States. All parties stand to lose in this equation. US Forces are fighting Talibans, why does Pakistan needs to drain $375 million from its treasury, they can use it for education and infrastructre. India, most certainly will drain double that amount in purchasing stuff from either US or Europe. Who gains? Instead of the defense contracors, let the productive software companies gain, the monies will create more jobs for all parties than the defense contractors would. We have to honestly ask, why do we not have friends around the world? Mr. President, they hate us because we are flip flop or act as a bully, that is not how we conduct international relationships. If want the honey, we don't kick the beehive.
Non-aligned, reliable democracies like India have been shunted in and out. You can really bring an alliance between India, Pakistan and the U.S and promote democratic values thru educational programs. Let's not add the weapons of mass destruction to that region, let's not supply Missiles, lets sow peace and reap peace. Just two years ago, Collin Powell went to Delhi and then to Islamabad and made an announcment there about including Pakistan as a Nato Ally. He just did not have the gall to share that in Delhi before leaving to Islamabad. Let the relationships be based on honesty and integrity.
Condi Rice says, -we pursued stability at the cost of democracy, now we are pursuing (rather pushing) democracy (at the cost of stability). Dear Ms. Rice, we have a lesson to learn from our failures. Look at our failures: Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Palestine/Israel, Iran.... If we do not throw our money, we cannot show any significant, consistent progress. Every dude we have supported turned out to be a bummer. We welcome the shift, but let that be a morally good shift rather than feel good shift.
Facts don't matter to our President and his cronies. Arey baba there are no WMD's - but he keeps parroting the same stuff. His ratings are going down by day. And now, he has to fix this - may be he is capable of creating a terrorist threat and get the public to shut up and support him.
I am an embarrassed Republican, I will stick with the party but will vote for any one for President in the next election. It is in our long term interest to keep the executive and the legislative branches in the hands of opposing parties. We have to shed the party loyalties and be loyal to the democracy that has survived for over two centuries. That is the only way to ensure survival of democracy in the land it gave birth to.
India needs to remain dignified and not succumb to the following attitude:
Koi jab tumhara hruday tod day, tadapta huwa jab koi ChoR day
Tab tum mere paas aana georgie, mera dar khula hai, khula hai rahega. tumharay liye!
(When you are betrayed, and when you are let down, you are always welcome to us George, our door is always open for you, just for you)
Koi shart hoti nahin pyar mein...mera dar khula hai, khula hi rahega.
(In relationships, there are no stipulations...)
Prime Minister saheb, prem may Shart honi chahiye, (We have to have stipulations)
es say sir jhukana nahin padta (if we have ground rules, we don't have to humiliate ourselves)
donon ki barabai hona zaroori hai.( equal partnership is a must to have lasting relationship)
equal basis pay jo bhi faislay hotay hain, ( Whatever decisions are made on equal footing)
wahi long run may sahi hotay hain. ( will sustain in the long run - that is the secret for our relationship)
Mike Ghouse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5038672.stm BBC NEWS, JUNE 1, 2006
US 'agrees' Pakistan missile sale
The Bush administration says that it has agreed to sell Pakistan advanced missiles designed to be launched from ships and submarines.
It says that it has also agreed to sell $375m worth of related equipment.
In a notice to Congress, which has to agree the proposal, the Pentagon said the sale would significantly upgrade Pakistan's existing weapons systems.
It said that the security of the US would be improved by aiding what a "key ally in the war against terror".
'Significant upgrade'
The proposed sale is being dealt with by The Pentagon, which handles most such deals on behalf of the US government.
The Pentagon Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a notice to Congress that 50 Harpoon missiles sold to Pakistan would be for launch from submarines, 50 from surface ships and 30 by air.
However, officials stress that the deal is far from being completed, and could be vetoed by Congress.
"This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be a key ally in the global war on terrorism," a Pentagon statement said.
The US lifted restrictions on arms sales to Pakistan last year, when it announced an expansion in two-way defence trade, missile-defence cooperation, technology transfers and weapons co-production.
The restrictions were put in place in 1990, but lifted after The Pentagon said Pakistan had "demonstrated its willingness to fight terrorists", especially in Waziristan.
Correspondents say Pakistan had originally requested a much larger package, but had downgraded the amount, saying it could no longer afford it after last year's earthquake.
Harpoon uses a satellite-aided navigation system which The Pentagon says will "significantly reduce the risk of hitting non-combatant targets, thus improving Pakistan's naval operational flexibility".
The Pentagon says that Pakistan will use the new equipment on maritime surveillance aircraft, surface ships and submarines
Pakistan has fought three wars with India since both counties won independence in 1947.
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