No man is an island,entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee
The central purpose of G-8 appears to be consodilation of Russia amongst the group. For rest of the crowd there are other fora. On this parameter there has been real progress. As it is NATO has made major long term investments for presence into Asia, and the new proposals may bolster it further. The absolute democrat it appears has fallen in line. If only China sought a realistic coping response and agree to negotiate with India and Dalai Lama to make Tibet the buffer state making ground for concerted response to these developments.
RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 03:43 AM Permalink
If China also agrees to tweak its monetary policy in concert with other Asian nations, there would be a structural change in the percieved size of the various economies, thereby differential in energy and other form of access would look lot less favourable.
RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 03:54 AM Permalink
The need is to move from financial control regimes which are mostly oligopolisitic in structure to more efficient market economic dealings, thereby preventing largescale siphoning of 'productive surplus' from weaker 'labour' economies to the 'capital' economies.
RE:RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 03:45 AM Permalink
India, it can be safely expected shall always keep such options open and not tie itself with any constraining strategic structure. The criticality of non-alignment is no less today than it was ever before.
RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 04:47 AM Permalink
Indian response to Russia's co-option and severe US pressures on N-deal by making favourable noise to China may not be sound strategy. The Chinese occupation is real and threat potent one both to India's territory and our Constitutional edifice. China MUST withdraw from an existing position, while US threat is that is MIGHT force compromise on Indian law, which is not an existing reality. To cope with future threats by compromising on REAL and existing threat could only be useful as a smoke-signal. If non-alignment must be tuned with pragmatic considerations then strategic cooperation with US remains the only valid option.
RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 07:48 AM Permalink
The test case for India is Iran. India's long term interest is best served by safeguarding its vast civilisation linkages. If India has any pretensions of becoming a Veto member is Security Council, it ought to be able to Veto rest of the powers in ground reality. Else, better to avoid seeking such powers which would only force India to cast a 'jee juzoor' vote.
RE:RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 07:51 AM Permalink
Iran is looming large in G-8,India has already taken a formal stand which is clearly NOT 'jee huzoor', now with US-EU-Russia alignment in offing on Iran question, India's sustainability of the stand would be of immense interest and may define the course of events in the Persian Gulf.
RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 09, 2007 03:17 AM Permalink
The 'dard' which washed out the day for India was more like the one from who had not done his 'home work'. It is a different feeling!
RE:RE:RE:The absolute democrat
by dull roots on Jun 08, 2007 08:04 AM Permalink
Difficult to fathom what is a stake for India in the context of G-8 fallouts. May be reading Chapter 8 in Gita would help!. A bit of 'chahal-pahal' is indicative of the Indo-Iranian heritage.
chahal --------------------------------- jis dil mein dard nahin___ na dard ka rishta ___ vah na koi insaan na farishta....... pahal --------------------- jinhay ho desh ka dhyan ___ unkay mun mein basay ____ sankat mochan hanuman
Nice article. Lets hope our country does not sell out and maintain its sovreignity. India is likely to emerge as a vital ally to either side of the cold war. I think India will be an important ally for the US strategically and economically. However, US is not exactly a reliable ally.
RE:RE:Well written
by dull roots on Jun 10, 2007 06:13 PM Permalink
Yes, US and India may share strategic space for mutual safeguarding, it is good you balance it with fear about reliability. However, Indians often go overboard. Many years ago, in our campus we used to call them 'Thames', the ones so enamoured by West that they would opt for 'Thames water' instead of 'Ganga jal' on their deathbed. Your stance is very well said indeed.
RE:Well written
by dull roots on Jun 10, 2007 06:42 PM Permalink
Though there has been reiteration of commitment at highest levels in US, their laws are simply incompatible with Indian premises and needs. It is more like Pelican Grief!
RE:Light Years?!
by Easwar Sarangapani on Jun 08, 2007 03:11 AM Permalink
Distance light takes to travel in a year, traveling at 3 10E8 m/sec. & since Speed = Dist/Time, hence this could be translated to time unit too!
RE:Light Years?!
by A Bc on Jun 08, 2007 06:44 AM Permalink
Idiot Easwar - you already have a unit of time - one year. So, just say something is years away if you're talking about time, light years away if you're talking about distance. Don't try and spread your silly notions around..
With the unipolar predicament and the resultant creation of the GOD in his royal highness Mr George W Bush, the "satans" are bound to crop up ! Is this why the EU was founded ?? The noble concept itself should present a viable alternative to the hegemonistic GOD !!! Pound the dollar into submission with the Euro, should be the mantra ! And then Mr Putin has shown rare NERVE ! While Dr Singh hardly has alternatives, we have our "greatest" neighbours and the likes of Mr Putin who may eventually prop up the "third front" globally, akin to waht the regional satraps in India are trying to, but with greater purpose though !!!!!
When Britih PM insisted on 'BACK TO THE BASICS', nothing worked. Whether G8 or G80 nothing is going to change unless the ego of every individual is supressed for common good. From the old communes, which meant sharing and secure, we have come into the age of survival of the fittest or the richest. An automobile or an RF engineer is specialized only in respective fields and not on ecology or agriculture. Wholistic study is left to God Hence He only can save us.
your views sound like you have given all your hope & started to turn into a pessimist...be optimistic my friend... start changing own views & help changing others..
RE:G8: Bell for whom
by daniel on Jun 08, 2007 11:37 AM Permalink
Seeing the sun as an atomic bomb is a pessimist, Seeing the sun at its rise and is indeed an optimist. Nature is at our disposal - an optimist we are at the Natures disposal - a pessimist
RE:RE:G8: Bell for whom
by daniel on Jun 08, 2007 08:28 AM Permalink
Thank you, Seeing a tiger, a tiger is a pessimist seeing a tiger, as a cat is indeed an optimist.
G8 is nothing but a bunch of snobs who sit and blow their own horns,meet every once in a while, squabble about some stupid issues when there are much more important issues at hand, talk a lot of big things and finally end up doing NOTHING..thats my g8 for u
RE:RE:RE:What the bells tolls ?
by Mohan Raj on Jun 08, 2007 11:09 AM Permalink
John Donnes poem from where this title and Hemingway's book's title come from
No man is an island,entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee
