Bye Bye NAM, Hello Realpolitik!

DM Sir,
I am glad that someone wrote on this topic. Like they say ``Countries do not have friends but Interests``, and in the present day scenario Iran is not aligned with India`s interests, as simple as that.

India`s ruling Congress Party, since 50ies has been trying to hug Iran, PLO, Iraq and many other 3rd, 4th World countries to emerge as a Non Aligned Front`s leader. NAM always had the secret blessing of USSR, and frankly I think USSR enjoyed NAM`s presence to counter the weight differential between USA/West. India has already dumped PLO, Iraq by forging alliance with Israel and Saddam`s episode, so why is Iran Chapter a surprise, it was so obvious to me.

Natural Gas Pipeline sounds good, but frankly is not a viable option. It`s feasibility is questionable, especially as it goes through Pakistan. Who would stop Pakistan from shutting off the valves during tension that always exists between India and Pakistan?

America`s offer of helping to rebuild and sell the Nuclear Reactors to India is more preferable anyday, in fact it is a ``blessing and Boon``. Power generated by Nuclear technology is the futuristic concept along with Solar Energy. I have no doubts in my mind that when the World`s existing Gas reserves are exhausted then Nuclear Power would be the main vortex of Power.

Nobody likes to be friends with Fundamentalist country, at least openly.

GoodBye NAM
Hello SAM

Re: # 15

It`s good to know that more and more young people are getting into parliament..... I, for one, am sick of these old mothf**kers like Deve Gowda and all...... these people should be retired and put out to some pasture somewhere......

In US, the devout Christians ask themselves WWJD (what would jesus do) before doing anything

It seems in Pakistan, the rulers who devise any policy ask themselves 5 questions

WWMD – what would mohammad do
WWUS – what would ummah say
WWSS – what would the Saudis and other arabs say
WWAS – what would America say
WWHD – what would the hindus do and lets do the exact opposite OR do it before they do

India also has the largest Shia community outside Iran``
India does not have the largest Shia community, outside Iran.

The vote on Iran actually had two interesting aspects. India voted against Iran, as this article highlights. However, Pakistan, despite intense US pressure, did not vote agaisnt Iran. This is the second time in a row, that Pakistan has voted independently, outside US pressure. The first, being unwilling to send troops to Iraq. This is a good sign, in my opinion.....

Interestingly, when India tested its nuclear weapon, the argument put forth by the India govt. was based on nuclear apartheid by USA, i.e. any country should be allowed nukes. Now it is supporting exactly the opposite argument in case of Iran.

The vote on Iran, is a much bigger event internationally, than this article highlights. It is much bigger than India`s association, or lack thereof, with NAM. That was one small aspect of it.

The biggest event was the fact that so many countries did not vote agaisnt Iran. Usually such votes are open and shut cases. The second biggest event was that China and Russia voted on the same side, and in support of Iran. As did Brazil and Vanuezula. Vanuezula being the only one that did not abstain and openly voted in favor of Iran.

India, all along, was going to vote in favor of Iran. It is not a question of theoretical issues like NAM. It is a simple question of energy supplies. For an economy to grow at a certain %, its energy supplies need to grow at three times that %. For India to maintain 6% economic growth rates, it will need energy growth of 18%.

However, at the last moment, it changed its mind, due to intense lobbying and pressurising by the USA. The return deal being access to nuclear know-how......

I think this article, incorrectly, highlights the fact that India has energy resources in Bay of Bengal, Myanamar etc. Currently, India uses the same amount of natural gas, as Pakistan. This means the average Indian uses 1/7th the natural gas, as the average Pakistani. Thus the demand of natural gas (and oil) in India is going to go up manifold. Ten-fold to twenty-fold and more. Such energy is not available to India. There is only one place from which India can get such energy resources, at a cheap price. And that is Central Asia/Iran. If a country cannot get such natural resources, its economy hits a wall, regardless of literacy rates and govt. policies.......

There is, however, a huge problem with such access for India. Pakistan sits right in the middle. Hence, to satisfy its energy resources, India has to go through Pakistan. And we all know, that is not an easy or acceptable proposition for India........

I think there are two major theatres of war that are developing. The first, ``Great Game`` is for the oil resources of Central Asia. With China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran on one side. And US, Japan, UK, India, Afghainstan on the other. The second, ``Great Game`` is Israel/USA vs. Arab/Iran countries. This game is eventually going to center around Iran. Iranis are passionately connected to their nukes. Much like Indians and Pakistanis. Mullahs/non-Mullahs, all want them. At the same time, Iran has a govt., which gets elected every x number of years. Thus Iran is a difficult nut to crack.........

Pakistan has played its cards well. Its future lies with the China block on the North Side. And with the Middle Eastern block on the West side. These are the directions Pakistan should be looking at. And these are the directions Pakistan should be voting along. The more I am seeing the voting patterns and policies of India, the more I am begining to get convinced that Pakistanis should not be looking towards South Asia, as a viable economic and social partner. This is not to say that Pakistan should not trade there. It should. But that is not where Pakistan`s future lies. The situaiton is too unstable. A good example being India`s immediate change of mind on the Iran-Pak-India gas line, which was to be the future of Indo-Pak friendship. The decision changed in one day. That is how most decisions will be...........

In addiiton, Pakistan needs to make one final move. It needs to fully, or conditionally, recognize Israel. And it should link any major transit access to India, towards Central Asia for energy, with a justifiable principle based dealings in South Asia. This access is India`s achilles heel..........This is where, India`s large size is actually a liability for India, i.e. its energy needs will be massive, if it is to grow. Much like being of smaller size is Pakistan`s achilles heel, in most dealings with India.........

However, the real fight is not Pakistan/India. These are minor players. The real fight is USA, Russia, China over the Central Asian/Middle Eastern resources of energy...........

P.S. How possible is it to replace natural gas and oil needs with nuclear energy. To the best of my knowledge, no country has been able to make that replacement (otherwise the price of oil would not be so high). France seems to have had some success, but even it is dependent on Middle Eastern oil..........

Romair# 20

Your thesis is viable only if viewed thru the pradigm of energy sources that India utilizes today. However, I think that we should consider the option of alternative energy sources that are open to India. The Indo-US cooperation in Nuclear technology means that India is shifting its policy of the consumption from fossil fuel to the nuclear fuel. Just imagine an India where all households, all factories, all agriculture equipment, all mass transit are supplied with electricity that has been generated by nuclear fuel. Where would be the demand for fossil fuel then? Just for the privately owned vehicles or the petroleum based products like plastic, fibres, and lubricants etc. I think Manmohan government has made the best energy related decision ever. It will make India more efficient and cost effective in it production.

Practically, getting nuclear fuel should not be a problem no more. American and British companies like Bechtel, a subsidiary of Haliburton are extracting Uranuim from Central Asia like there is no tomorrow. This fuel has to be sold somewhere; so why not India. I do not think that they are digging it up just for their amusement.

Why can`t Pakistan think on these lines. Why can`t we replace our dams and diesel powered power plants with nuclear ones. Theoretically, and as this regime paints the rosy picture of its relationship with US because of its war on anti-American resistence aka terrorism, Pakistan should expect to face least of resistence. In my opinion, since 9/11 Pakistan should have laid foundation for at least three nuclear power plants by now - with American cooperation. But as usually, duffers in Na Pak fuaj are only menatlly trained to obey the orders from their masters. Corruption and shortsightedness have renederd them imbiciles and arrogant who are only good at killing their own people and whose dictator is apt at insulting helpless rape victims. They could have gotten the debt on Pakistan forgone by now, but they didn`t because then it will close the door for their corruption. They could have established nuclear power plants but they are busy insulting and hounding Pakistans scientists and heroes. We should look at INdia and should lower our heads in shame instead of giving them lectures on what is good for them and what is not.

Congratulations to the indian nation on taking a measured and pragmatic approach towards its relations with others.

Iran is yet another of these loser countries with a lot of oil. It is technologically backward and xenophobic nation. If it continues on its current path, its population will increase by 60 million by 2020. It has no plans to develop industry so all of these people will live of oil revenues.

Re: # 22: Agree with you completely, Saudi arabia`s per capita GDP went from $20K/yr in 1982 to $7.5 a yr in 2003. The only thing countries like these have been capable of doing is producing retards via cousin marriages who destroy value.

Senator Lanto’s


It`s congresscritter Lantos, not Senator(he wishes!!)


India also has the largest Shia community outside Iran and alienating Iran also means a potential political cost to the Congress Party, especially in the state of Uttar Pradesh.


Indian leftist/pacifists/liberals are no different from the gujjubanias: Both assume Indian muslims will be more loyal to their co-religionists than to India...of course, Indian muslims(and most muslims worldwide) have given people ample reason to suspect that..but still....

Re: # 20
Interesting perspective from a Pakistani, however still lacking in objective inference.

India needs Nuclear Technology more than Gas Pipeline to sustain it`s projection as a Super Power for Energy needs. Down the road, Nuclear Technology would remove all the dependence of foreign countries and will make Indian self sufficient for at least 50-60 yrs and support India in it`s Space Conquests.

Indian think-tanks did not plan for this shift in American offer until 6 months ago. India never thought that USA would want to make India as its strategic partner to counter China and Islamic counter-measure in coming days. Though BJP govt`s Jaswant Singh, a very learned man himself tried his best to appeal to USA to make it adverse to Pakistan, USA never agreed to it.

I think that American Govt had a big policy change vis-a-vis India/Pakistan after the Colin Powell`s demise and Condi Rice`s succession, unlike Colin, Condy is a trained strategician in foreign affairs specialising in Balkans/Russia and China. USA, it seems values India more now than ever, and would never want to lose it over Iran.
Indian IT was a major factor in shaping India`s image in Western mindset that was tarnished as pro-soviet, beggars, disease ridden skinny people. Now, Americans view India as educated, still poor, but reasonable friend.

Condy is the fulcrum of Republican Party. 9-11 helped India politically than ever before.

Re: # 25
I meant Colin Powell`s departure NOT DEMISE.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Another example of Slave mentality of Indians at work here. Another sign that the Indian rat is one step closer to a cage......East India Company all over again.

Re: # 27
Please take this nonse elsewhere.
Spare the readers on Front Page with your childish, silly grudges.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Re: # 28 kaura

Come on - East India company? that`s freaking commie-talk...... See - that`s the mentality which has taken India where it is today - poor, wretched and isolated.....

Re: # 31
Mr Kaura, what is wrong with what India did and why they should not do what they did?
I think history will remember MMS as the leader who made India as America`s strategic partner, meanwhile BJP and others will complain that he took the credit for their work.
Purely from tactical and logistical purposes MMS leaped India forward.

I also agree with you on; pretty much that goes on around the world is still controlled by the Western Powers. But less Powerful countries try to make the most by what-so-ever means just to survive, hoping that one day they would be powerful.