As Mr. Sitaram Yachuri has rightly said elsewhere it was the will of the US Government that was lacking to see the bill through the Senate. On three counts US has downplayed the interest of India. First, US Ambassador to Pak thought fit to advise India against bringing Pak's involvement in recent Bombay blasts to the open and instead desired India talking to Pak on the issue. Secondly, it vetoed India's nominee Mr. Shasi Tharoor's candidature for the post of UN Secretary-General. Third, Senators from both Democratic & Republican dithered on bringing the bill to the Senate for speedy passage through it. When US Government can lobby for other bills with the Democratic Senators, why not it did mobilize sufficient support to have the bill through the Senate in time. Why should not India reciprocate in the same coin by voting against US interest for a non-permanent seat for Guatemala on US Security Council. A vote for Venezuela would would show that we can also chart our course in our own interest.
The Democrats have been playing to their standard game of "criticize, undercut and second guess". Anybody who watched the debate ensuing in the House of Reps. saw that Dems were trying to work little nuances into the wording, the cumulative effect of which would be to render the Indo-US deal a useless document. There was nothing to discuss any more in the Senate, the bill could have been passed without further debate.... the House has approved the bill, the president and the Secy of State have made a commitment to India and the US Senate must prove that it is capable of standing by a solemn assurance to an ally.
It was very disappointing that the bill did not pass. Looking at the debate in Congress on C-SPAN, it was clear that a large number of American politicians want to put constraints on India they would never dream of putting on China. These people would cut off their nose to spite their face. Such people have tended to be primarily Democrats.
