|
Stable India in Shaky South Asia a relief
for US. This is one of the headlines finding prominent space in a
section of the media. There is no doubt that the result of the
general election has come as a relief to the millions in the country
and the Indians living abroad. However at the time when the country
is yet to see the formation of the new government in its place, a
section in the media is busy circulating the notion that the result
has also brought cheers world over specially the United States. The
basis of these reports ironically is the customary congratulatory
messages that usually world leaders exchange after every election or
regime change in a country. It is to be kept in mind that the response of
the world leaders would have been the same had the results of the
general election in India been the opposite of what we are seeing today.
Hence reading too much in such
congratulatory messages is like living in a fool’s paradise. It’s
more ironic when it comes from senior journalists associated with
reputed newspapers. It’s been becoming customary for a section in
the media to come out with such kind of reports after every event in
our country perhaps to please their masters abroad instead of
analyzing with a deeper look vis-à-vis the world events.
President Obama no doubt is a pleasant
change in United States. But what kind of change he would be able to
bring to his foreign policy is yet to be seen. In fact some
analysts, looking at few initiatives taken by Obama during past
hundred days in the office, fear that he would be towing the same
line as his predecessors. If their apprehensions are true, it asks
we Indians for utmost caution. For the US foreign policy is marred
with instances wherein it played instrumental roles in destabilising
the sovereign countries and the rulers who refused to fall in line.
That the ongoing violence in the
Middle East and instability threatening Pakistan and daily bloodshed
in Afghanistan and Iraq are the recent examples of the dangerous US
foreign policy is not a secret anymore. It is also known to the
world that the day Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1991, former US
Defence Secretary Ronald Rumsfeld
was reportedly present in Iraq and it was only after assurances from
him that Saddam gave marching order to his military. This has now
been established for certain that the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam
Hussein in 1991 was part of the larger US game-plan to destabilize
the whole region. If the move was to safeguard Israel’s interests or
was to control over the Middle East oil fields, is still debated.
However one thing is certain. If the innocent lives are at stake in
the Middle East, the US foreign policy has played a key role into
this.
As for South Asia, there are reports
and analysis ample in numbers to establish how US used Osama bin
Laden and Taliban first to destabilize and then disintegrate former
USSR. And now reportedly it is using to the same forces to subvert
not only Pakistan but whole of the region. The admission by none
other than US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that they are
paying the price for their own misdoings in Afghanistan and Pakistan
has only vindicated the notion.
Those who always eye for the proximity
with United States should not forget what fate the kinds of Saddams
and Zia-ul-Haques, and also Osamas, once regarded as the trusted US
allies and lieutenants, have met with. Against this backdrop,
doesn’t the Indian Foreign policy need a thorough assessment?
President Obama no doubt is signaling
new, pleasant and more accommodating amendments in his policies. If
they survive till they are implemented is yet to be seen. For it is
widely believed that in US, the presidents change not their foreign
policies. However like the world we too are optimistic. For sooner
the United States changes its foreign policy better is for the
world. Till then we have to be cautious. This is also needed
because India as an emerging world leader owes it to the South Asian
countries to play a pivotal role for building a peaceful and strong
South Asia. India has always led the world. Suggesting it to become
a toady hanger-on of US may serve the purpose for a section in the
country. But in the longer run, it is dangerous not only for the
country but also for whole of the South Asia.
Interestingly till yesterday everyone
of us, including the Congress and UPA, was worried of the post poll
scenario that dreadfully suggested a fractured mandate. The Indian
voters cleverly kept their cards close to their chests. It was only
after the results that we came to know what a pleasant surprise they
had in store for all of us. By giving a verdict for a stable India
clearly suggests that the Indian voters have now grown matured. Can
one expect the same from our responsible journalists?
|
Fatimah
bint Mohammad: Fatimah was the fifth child of Muhammad
and Khadijah. She was born at a time when her noble father had begun
to spend long...
"No Muslim child in India to be left behind for education”:
A Towering Entrepreneur:
‘Advising
Restraint, work for the Revival of the Community’:
Inquilab
1857 to Sacchar Report-Nothing has changed for Indian Muslims:
The silent horror of
the war in Sri Lanka
Why Do
So Few Speak Up for Gaza?:
Comment on this article