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VOL. 28, NO. 09, Nov 14 , 2008 (Kartik 29 2065 B.S.)
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Snippets From The American Trip (III)
- Madhav Kumar Rimal
The determination of the Islamic extremists to terrorize and kill the Americans and their friends who are supporting them seems almost ineradicable. They are well organized and spread all over the world. Their hatred of the American and Co. is so entrenched that it needs no proof since hundreds of suicide bombers have sacrificed their lives to hurt them. “It is impossible to convince a suicide bomber that he is pursuing a chimera,” said a middle east expert. Most Americans think that the Bush administration has shut the door against reconciling the Islamic extremists. A feeling that America should not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, howsoever demanding, is gaining ground in the US. Many Americans have even criticized their leaders, while discussing with this scribe, for their stance on human rights. They do believe that the super power role the United States is playing is becoming outdated and unwarranted. Even the noted statesman author Dr. Zbigniew Brezinski thinks that the activities of super powers are becoming counter productive in the present day global politics. In the context of the many recognized nuclear powers and some with great potentials of becoming one, the awe and reverence attached to a super power have become toothless and incapable of solving even regional problems not to say anything about global. As such, attempts to thrust one’s weight on issues that might not have any far-reaching impact on one’s interest are apt to boomerang. Invasion of Iraq by George W Bush could be cited as a very pertinent example. The nuclear deal signed with India by the United States bypassing so many restrictions, too, produced quite a negative reaction. Even though the most evident reason put forth by the proponents of the deal is the containment of China, the enormous potential of marketing billions of dollars of technology must be the overriding factor. This uncalled for deal would engulf one of the poorest regions in the world in a nuclear race that would push the poor countries of South Asia beyond redemption. In such a situation, how are we to take their commitments and protestations about eradicating poverty from the face of the earth?
The sudden downsurge in the US relation with Pakistan is not only the fallout of deepening Indo-US relation but has been the outcome of the American thinking that Pakistan is not doing as much as she should to nab the Al Qaeda terrorists. Many Americans are very critical of Bush for doling out billions of dollars to Pakistan. A retired senior American diplomat, noted as an expert on South Asian affairs, told this scribe that the new US regime after the Presidential elections must reshape its policy in South as well as South Western Asia. When asked whether Pakistan could contribute to mitigate the lopsided balance in South Asia, he said, “Certainly, Pakistan could play a very effective role. But she is not interested. She is West-bound. Since the smaller South Asian nations can, in no way, promote her strategic or economic interests, she is quite happy to maintain just correct relationships with them.”
To be continued
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