In the recent conflict in Lebanon, involving Isreal and Hezbollah, as the author had pointed out, the efforts of certain nations to delay the ceasefire, made a mockery of the UN, as a World Organization.
It is believed that India has been kept out of the arrangements with regard to the post-ceasefire related peacekeeping operations, though India has been a significant contributor in the UNIFIL.
India has been maintaining cordial relations with both Isreal and the Middle-East nations. India should translate this relationship into diplomatic terms, and maintain a independent foreign policy by diplomatically engaging with individual nations.
I am glad that the author has clarified that these are his personal views, considering the astonishing amount of naivete, and baseless assumptions in the article. It is gratifying that government policy is not overseen by this bleeding heart. Robert Blackwill put it succinctly when he said, `Old bureaucrats do not fade away; they simply dig in\'. No wonder our relations with Israel were bad for a long time.
He has no word of condemnation for Hizbollah, which initiated the trouble by murdering and kidnapping Israeli soldiers. I suppose he believes that terrorists have a divine right to perpetrate atrocities.
The US supports Israel because Israel has proved itself a reliable partner in its dealings with the US. The author seems to be transferring India\'s logic for supporting Arabs to US\' case.
The author\'s bias is perceptible in remarks about peace talks, considering that Hamas does not recognise Israel\'s validity and continues with terrorism. In the absence of a dialogue partner, Israel\'s decision to settle its borders is dictated by geography.
Finally, the first duty of a state is to protect its citizens, and maintain its borders. Maybe there is a lesson for us somewhere!
RE:`west asian friends'
by truthprevail on Sep 10, 2006 07:33 PM Permalink
hello, who told you arabs give us subsedised patrol. The only subsedy given to us is given by government of india. get your fects right. the nation which gets subsedised patrol is pakistan, who gets subsedies from soudies. The oil which India get is on market price from oman,Iran and UAE. Then GOI subsidies it for customers
Can you instaed of being a spineless money (tax payer) eating beaurocrats, who screwed up our foreign policy by always looking for yeah! "But our relations with Arab countries are also equally important as they have always been", when was islamic countries supportive of us? including PLO after getting so much from us did not support us in Kashmir issue. Name an islamic country which helped us in Kashmir? Our muslime population is more than Paki, still we dont have membership in islamic council (who cares anyway). Let me ask you other than lip service, what did the islamic countries did for Palestinians, every islamic head used palestinians.
India did so much for their cause.
Less said about shaik the better, he comes here and sends money to paki and iran to make islamic bomb.
Mind you I am not of the opinion who feels India should emulate Israel in hitting Paki.
Being a Friend of Israel will help us in technology and military equipment. They gave us equipment during Kargil conflict also. If National interest comes above everything we get more by being pro israel than mullahs, just common sense is enough need not be a IFS to figure out the difference.
RE:Can u also in the next article tell us what did islamic countries did to our Nation...
by Indian Muslim on Sep 08, 2006 12:07 AM Permalink
Hey, you are really communal and you don't have any place in a secular country like India. Go to Nepal or your beloved America or Israel. You go to the office on the subsidized petrol offered to you by Arab govts and are so thankless! Shame on you! And Kashmir problem is still a debatable issue, even UN doesn't accept Kashmir as part of India. And if you think that just for some Arms and trade, we can side with any country, then I am confident that you are a cheap, soul-less and inhuman. The author is very right in his approach and you guys should not try to spill your anti-muslim venom anywhere you get a chance.
RE: Muslim cannot be Indian
by TAPAN GHOSH on Oct 14, 2006 11:37 PM Permalink
Dear Indian Muslim, I am not 'me communal'. But you too are not Indian Muslim. You have taken a fraud name to hide your actual agenda. A true Indian cannot be a Muslim and a Muslim cannot be Indian, because : 1) Your 'Ummah' does not permit you to be an Indian, therefore denial of Vande Mataram, 2) An Indian cannot cut his country into pieces which you did on 14 August 1947. - Tapan Ghosh
We have always backed Israel in her fight against terror, but use of the most advanced munitions including cluster bombs to indiscriminately kill hundreds of innocent civilians in her latest military actions, are not just immoral but downright criminal - they are guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and so are Hizbollah. Lebanon's govt must step up to the plate and take control of its territory - it's time the Lebanese Military, and not Hezbollah, were deployed along the borders with Israel. With the high risks involved and no final solution in sight, it's time India considered pulling her troops out of the Arab-Israel conflict area.
