A very good analytical article by Bhadrakumar. But alas, it is wasted on someone, who is basically a servile follower of orders, his foreign degrees and pedigrees notwithstanding, Jaganniwas Iyer
Very well analyzed article. As the author himself questions, "can 'greatness' be thrust upon a country... in a brief 4-5 year timeline?" it is impossible to think through the logic our policymakers are (seem to be) following.
In fact, 'greatness' cannot be thrust upon a Nation. The Nation that rises to the occasion achieves it through its own endeavours. And certainly, no country can help another become a Super Power.
We will have to grab this opportunity which presents itself to us in the form of the global interest in our capabilities. And this should not be for becoming a "Super Power" but to solve the problem of poverty for the hungry millions. Other jobs can wait for a few years or decades howsoever long it takes to achieve this.
And how far we will be from becoming a Super Power when hunger has been defeated and there is no criminal on the street and everybody is able to make it to the top irrespective of her socio-economic background? Will this not be our Mahan Bharat or the Ram Rajya (according to the camps we may belong to)?
It all a game, what if there were same blasts in the U.S.A, I am sure UN Security and G8 policies would have changed and a Base in the Arabian Sea would have been made with US Air Force Bombers bombing Pakistani and surrounding areas.
I may sound unpatriotic but I feel Musharraf has done much for Pakistan albeit walking a very dangerous tightrope. I admire his guts keeping Bush and Bin Laden in each fist in such a way that none is near the other. I lament Indian leadership in that they have been toeing the U.S. lines in return for petty gifts. Musharraf is himself and yet gets the same if not more benefit from the U.S. Why can the U.S. and Israel go about bombing their enemies while we are restrained? Who is restraining us? G8 needs terrorism or else there will be no market for arms. Why can't we see that India and Pakistan spending on stockpiling of arms is a means to keep U.S. arms factories running. Does one honestly think the G8 is going to do anything on terrorism? Let's face it, G8 is like a caste system that needs war and terrorism to exist as much as the Indian Brahmin who needs the Harijan to exist.
RE:Spineless Leadership
by Vikas on Jul 20, 2006 06:13 PM Permalink
That is my thought as well. Being submissive on the world stage is going to do no good to India. With aggression (consider it to be positive/constructive - 'fire in the belly' kinds), we can be in a position to demand rather than receive as charity or gift. We drift with the tide. Why dont we become the tide?
Let the world not sketch India's future in the G8 summit. It is an opportunity (provided Indian government representatives have a strong agenda) to voice our thoughts on how we would like to be placed on the world map!
I congratulate you on a finely nuanced piece. It only goes to show that in the tricky geopolitical arena, everything is transient and indeed everything is possible. India would do well to forge a string of alliances with China, Russia and the EU, rather than cling on to the US' apron. History has proved that Washington's stratgeic allies are immensely dispensable. India could also do well to forge stronger influence in S.E. Asia, the only area of strategic influence given India's rather unflattering geopolitical location.
Well researched and articulated in excelent fashion. However I am not certain if people in business of being eager slaves for pittance would read this or would have the character to stand up for the national interest. That unfortunately is the case as we do not even have a national debate on such policy matters that would affect the future destiny of the nation. Every thing appears to be conducted a a private limited company.
