War mongering a sales pitch for US weapons?

Vinodji,
I think we are being very jumpy (as pakistan is wrt India) whenever there is hostile action from China. This kind of behavior makes us insecure and to an extent coward.
We should treat China like any other country and should never lower our gaurd against it. We have to learn art of reciprocal diplomacy. Whenever China directly/indirectly pokes its nose in our internal affairs (J&K and Arunachal), we should politely remind it about Tibet and Uighur problem. Let us keep them on toes without making them tip over.
Their newfound superpower status has gone thru their head and they are hell bent on interfering in others’ affairs but are very sensitive when other do the same. This is what we have to exploit very carefully.
When China floated the idea of dividing India into 20-30 entities we should have reminded china thru PRIVATE media that if same was done to China it will become 1/3 the current size.

[Reply]

Dear VinodJi,

Please correct me if I am wrong, as far I understand you are not an expert on strategic affairs. As far as China is concerned please defer to views of Mr.Maloy Dhar, Mr.B.Raman,Prof. Rajamohan and Prof.Brahma Chellaney who specialize in these matters. I am enclosing a more enlightened piece on China border by Prof.Brahma Chellaney (enclosed herewith). You will surely agree that if Government pulls wool over our eyes and believes in Hindi-Chini bhai bahai, Pak-Hind bhai bhai and enemies take the opposite tack the Indian population will be ill prepared to face conflict. FActs always speak better than rhetoric of PM Singh and his Government. Indian military is weak and ill prepared with vintage technology in ar,ed forces and some dating even back to World War 2 so what is wrong on modernization instead of Congress and other politicians eating money and making Quattrochi richer unless you want repeat of 1962?

Warm Regards

Ram

Sunday, October 04, 2009 10:01:00 PM

Setting boundaries

Brahma Chellaney / DNA (www.dnaindia.com)

No one in the Indian government has said Chinese cross-frontier incursions aren’t happening. Yet to play down the incursions, New Delhi has accused the media of overplaying such intrusions.

To the delight of the autocrats in Beijing, who tightly control the flow of information in their country, including through online censors, New Delhi has made its home media the whipping boy. The unwitting message it sends to Beijing is that when the world’s biggest autocracy builds up pressure, the world’s largest democracy is willing to tame its media coverage, even if it entails dispensing half-truths and flogging distortions.

The facts, even if unpalatable, should be allowed to speak for themselves. New Delhi’s oft-repeated line in recent days has been that Chinese incursions are at last year’s level, so there is no need to worry. But 2008 brought a record number of incursions, with defence officials reporting that the number of such intrusions went from 140 in 2007 to 270 last year, or almost double. In addition, there were 2,285 reported instances of “aggressive border patrolling” by Chinese forces in 2008. As defence minister AK Anthony told an army commanders’ conference last year, “there is no room for complacency” on the Tibet border.

That the incursions this year are continuing at the 2008 level suggests there is every reason to be concerned. After all, the 2008 record pattern is continuing, with China keeping India under sustained, unremitting pressure. Yet, from the external affairs minister and foreign secretary to the national security adviser and army chief, Indian officials have sought to tamp public concerns by saying there is “no significant increase” compared to last year. Do they wish to thank Beijing for keeping border incidents and other provocations at the 2008 level without seeking to establish a new record through a “significant” increase in incursions?

The key point to note is that China has opened pressure points against India across the Himalayas, with border incidents occurring in all the four sectors. Chinese forces are intruding even into Utttarakhand, although the line of control in this middle sector was clarified in 2001 through an exchange of maps, and into Sikkim, whose 206-kilometer border with Tibet is not in dispute and indeed is recognised by Beijing.

Yet, gratuitously stretching the truth, Indian officials say the incursions are the result of differing perceptions about the line of truth. That may be so about Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, but can that be true about Sikkim and Uttarakhand? It speaks for itself that Beijing hasn’t offered this lame excuse.

Make no mistake: The Chinese border provocations have resulted both from India’s political pusillanimity and from the withdrawal of China-related army divisions in past years. For example, the 8th Mountain Division, tasked with defending Sikkim, was moved from northern Bengal to J&K and took part in the Kargil War. Tank forces also were moved out from Sikkim.

Similarly, a mountain division was moved from the northeast to J&K for counterinsurgency operations. Such relocation of forces emboldened the Chinese. The current Indian moves to beef up defences against China largely involve the return of the forces that were withdrawn a decade or more ago.

Chinese cross-border incursions are designed not only to keep India under military pressure all along the Himalayas, but also to ensure Indian “good behaviour” on assorted political issues, including Tibet, Pakistan and military ties with the US.

Take the Pakistan factor: At a time when an internally troubled Pakistan is facing US pressure to redeploy a sufficient number of forces to the Afghan front, China wants to shield its “all-weather ally” from Indian military pressure by keeping a sizable number of Indian forces bogged down along the Himalayas.

Had India’s nuclear deterrent been credible in the eyes of China, Beijing wouldn’t have dared to ratchet up border tensions. But the Chinese muscle-flexing suggests otherwise. In fact, more than three decades after China tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile, India doesn’t have an ICBM even on the drawing board. India still hasn’t deployed even a single, Beijing-reachable missile.

If the threat from an increasingly assertive and ambitious China is to be contained, India must have an honest and open debate on its diplomatic and military options, including how gaps in its defences can be plugged and what it will take to build a credible deterrent. The media has a crucial role to play in such a debate, both by bringing out the facts and providing a platform for discussion. If New Delhi wishes to ensure Himalayan peace and stability, pulling the wool on public eyes at home is certainly not the way.
About us | Contact us | Advertise with us | Subscription | Reprint rights
© 2005-2009 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Reply]

Hi,
There are a couple of things that we need to learn from China. Planning and execution are the top two in the list. Next two items would deceit and ruthlessness. We may be turning a blind eye to the Chinese incursions, but make no mistake, they are not. They are master planners, who would have thought of a dominant China 20 yrs down the line. They are absolutely clear about what they want and how they want it. They are flexing their muscles ever so frequently now. It is actually disturbing to note that even the US is making concessions these days. For all his posturing, George Bush managed to make it to the opening ceremony of Olympics. Obama has postponed his meeting with the Dalai Lama – something that has not happened in the past 18 yrs. India may wish to ignore the signs at her own peril. The danger is ever present and staring at us. Unfortunately, the comrades in India have their loyalty to the dragon (who can forget their support to the Chinese during the war?!). They will do anything in their power to divert our attention and lull us into complacency. When China is not letting up on the vigil on their side of the border, why should India? What is the harm in maintaining an active deterrence ? We have the best brains in the world. It is only with a bit of political will that we can start pursuing our goal of keeping all our enemies at bay. One way of doing that is by ensuring that our economic clout grows. Another could be by enhancing our defences. We have it in us to ward off any attack – but if continue to live in a fool’s paradise and listen to the Karats of this world, we will be run over by the dragon.
Regards,

[Reply]

Vinod Ji,
You surpass even the absurd by beleiving that Karat’s fulminations have ring of any credibilty about them.

War mongering in the media is sales pitch by US weapons vendors. Some questions ?

1. As far as I can tell, the media which has been most ballistic on this has been TOI and it’s broadcast division Times Now. Yet, no one has the courage to name them. Not Shekhar Gupta in Indian Express when he writes a piece to tone it down. Not you. Not the other TV channels who also take a similar line.

Why not openly suggest that the Times Group is sold out to US arms vendors?

2. You are an expert in putting two and two together – please put the following things together and give us your considered view :

Visas to Kashmiris on separate sheets ( even when there is no dispute on Kashmir with China unlike Arunanchal) – blocking of ADB loans for Arunanchal – blocking of Indo-US nuclear deal and refusing to take last minute frantic calls of our PM which ultimately led to Bush intervention – A Q Khan’s recent bombshell letter and how China systematically armed Pakistan.

Does any of this sound like a benign neighbour hell bent on good relations?

It’s amazing that communists view on China should ever be taken a face value. Karat’s says that this war mongering is motivated. It would have had credibility if he had the guts to simultaneously condemn China for its visa stunt of Kashmiris, or it’s blocking of ADB loans. Have you ever heard him speak on any of these issues?

I am really dissappointed that you quote him to make your case. Considering your political leanings and earlier writings, it’s like quoting Modi to say the Muslims are terrorists. Do you get the irony?

Regards,

[Reply]

Dear Vinod,

I characterize the recent media coverage on China as an overkill; but I disagree that it’s a ploy to buy more US toys. For the sake of an argument, if we choose to ignore the incursions, you’d agree that China sends veiled messages which alarms many countries, including India. This reason alone is good enough for India to be prepared if not engage in war mongering. A confident but authoritarian China, with Pakistan as its sidekick, is going to pinprick India at every turn. To counter this, India may not only need US toys but also require clever alliances with nations neighboring China which are not too excited from the rumblings of the dragon.

I’d not form an opinion based on the analysis by Mr. Karat on China, for one simple reason because he is not the brightest mind in such matters. His implication that the two Asian powers growing simultaneously is the cause of envy to the West should be immediately put to rest.

[Reply]

Not strangely, your introduction on this blog as a “peace activist” explains a lot more than just your faith in KARAT’ and company. While I can’t comment, if this holds true for you also or not, categorizations like Peace activist (and variants like Human rights, civil society, anti communalism, pro-secularism etc.) do a fairly adequate job of explaining the belief systems of people categorized like this. While you might find some variation in the way, they position themselves, the mother theme is always the same.

Do you agree that Indians made a mistake in 1962? Do you believe Indians were the losers in 1962 war? If your answer is YES, then can you tell us the difference between our response and Chinese actions in 1962 vis-à-vis 2009. (for clarification, by Chinese actions I mean as alleged by Indian media, of course we all know that nothing important ever happened). On the other hand if your answer is NO, then I do understand.

The main reason for India-China problem is obvious, given that China has sorted out its major boundary issues with nearly all the countries except India. AGREED ?

What is your opinion on the FACT that 26/11 was a result of Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal (as our RED Theologians have proved conclusively). Do you think 26/11 would not have happened if we did not sign the deal? Let me get more liberal. Do you think 26/11 would not have happened, if we had conducted UN mandated plebiscite in Kashmir? Or if Ayodhya destruction did not happen? Yes/No as answer would be better, of course you can chose qualifiers like however, nevertheless etc.

Do you agree that India is wasting too much money on defense and we could have used it for reducing the poverty or for building schools, or hospitals? Do you agree that the hostility between Indian and Pakistan would not have existed if Bramhins were not controlling everything in India.

Do you agree that only way now for improving the conditions of oppressed dalits and backward castes and to reduce the income equality is to start reservation in private sector?

Do you think the globalization/liberalisation has achieved little, apart from making upper caste Hindus, affluent, who also happen to be narrow minded, communal, jingoistic and highly inconsiderate towards the low caste Hindus and poor Muslims?

And now for the grand mother variety: “Terrorism has no Religion” , No religion preaches hatred, What about LTTE, About IRA, what about Dalit oppression since time immemorial,

One would wonder if the article is about China, what all am I talking about? It is the bottom-line guys, the BOTTOM-LINE for all the ills: Globally, It Is US of A, domestically Brahminical Forces.

All the articles, opinions and statements of the Mr Vinod’s category is summarized in the Bottom line

[Reply]

We should build up our defense well so there is no recurrence of 1962.
China a nd Pakistan are cohorts; China is closing its eyes on Pakistani terror. They are building ports for them, they are involved with the nuclear program, and many infrastructure projects.

Nothing wrong in buying American or any otehr country’s weapons. And Karat is stupid to say it is aploy, blah…Any company will market its products the way they choose advantageous. So, theer is nothing wrong if an Arms supplier says the neighborhood is dangerous and one needs these sophisticated weapons.

And, why even give any attention to Karat? People have rejected his party and its approaches.

China has to feed its 1.5 billion people (and they do a much better job than India does). They will do anything to ensure India does not stand in its way in the global markets. Theyw ere taken aback by India’s IT powress, and they will not yield anything else to india. And it may not have anything against India pers e, but more to improve the prosperity of tehir people..

It is high time our leaders and govt focus on our people – prosperity, protection, peace. A strong military and security systems are important.

[Reply]

Dear Vinodji,

I sincerel request you not to write articles on Indian foreign affairs as you seem to be too innocent and incase we were to follow your advice, we would need to give part of India to Pakistan and another part to CHina to keep our neighbours happy.

Maybe you should write the weather column or the food column, where you are not capable of causing much damage to national interests.

As far as Mr Karat is concerned here is a truth.

Prakash Karat is a blundering buffoon who needs psychiatric help. He is famous, not account of ability but mental disability; and the fact that he is Mr Prannoy Roy’s “saandu” and has managed to get TV time for that reason.

In 1962, when China attacked India, the communists believed that that the “gods” had arrived to save India from imperialists. In fact they implored the youth of India NOT to join the army and banned their cadre from donating blood to the Indian soldiers. ( Indian Express reports).

Today as India faces a threat, blundering buffoon Karat is trying to find a link between “USA, Isreal and arms merchants” trying to provoke China. WHat a joker! Imagine we, the taxpayers and people of this country pay his salary!

Mr Karat, you are indirectly responsible for these tensions. The heat you created during the sign up of the nuke deal probably made CHina wary and aggressive. China, if had a chance would have signed such a deal without caring two hoots for India.

[Reply]

Dear Vinodji,

I have an innocent question to ask…

Is it that by cheerleading for Prakash Karat you hope to make it on panel discussions for NDTV?

We all know that our blundering buffoon Prakash Karat has reaqched this point only courtesy saanduji Prannoy Roy.

Maybe by hangin onto Prakash Karat’s coat-tails you aspire to reach some heights….:)

[Reply]

Some part was missing:

Now to your fundamental questions: is it our case that US arms manufacturers aren

[Reply]

Dear Vinodji,

Why are you denigrating Pancha janya ?

The words they might be using is wrong. But its the intention that matters. It totally incorrect to tarnish the entire organisation with the same brush. I know of people who are 70-80 years old, remained bachelors and have served in villages all these years.

Is Congress a secular party according to you. I am sure you will be aware of the caste violence that each and every party indulges during election times. Those things never get played up. Here is a grand old party which is entirely subservinient to one family and supposed to be guiding India and media hails them !!!! that is what this english media is doing. I digressed from the topic but thats where these conversation normally end up

[Reply]

Dear Vinodji,

I am sorry that you felt that I was spewing venom, since I said everything out of love and concern for you and for my country, especially our children who will face the consequences of the action of duffers and buffoons…. like Prakash Karat.

You see in our country we now have a set of people who oppose everything just because it gives them publicity and an invitation to a chat show.

So it does not matter to Mr Karat, that China let an article be printed in its controlled press which talked about dismembering India; or it does not matter to you that they have started issueing different visas to Kashmiris.

In fact our blundering buffoon, Prakash Karat, gloats in an article in the CPM magazine that CHina is much ahead of India in manufacturing. He does not state that the CPM had opposed the modernizatoin of CHina under Deng and had issued statements warning it not to move away from Mao’s path. The CPM has similarly opposed all steps by which India could have a modern manufacturing sector. Yet it gloats about the manufacturing strength of ChIna, which was achieved through infusion of multinational capital.

Unfortunately these are issues through which some shallow journalists, cannot see thorugh. Hopefully you are not one of them.

Let us all unite against buffoons who have loyalties outside our country beacuse of ideological fantasies; or the fact that they m,anage to eat a free luch with a visiting dignitory.

C’mon Vinodji don’t be so sullen. Remember in India, you do have a choice to uphold an opinion different from the government. If you were in an fanatic dictatorship, which you at times end up supporting, you could well have been executed.

So let us say cheers and shun communist or fanatic thought

[Reply]

Dear VinodJi,

Let me contribute one more article to the discussion from Indian Defence Review which illustrates the asage leopard cannot change its spots— or Pakistanis visceral hatred for India and Indians notwithstanding candle lights in Wagah wheas innocent Indians are murdered by Pakistani terrorists in garb of Jihadis or Sic -freedom fighters (Backed by its Master Puppeteer China). I am confident that you will take it in appropriate spirit as Indians we share the same concerns about national security.

As for Left (Commies) and Right (RSS), less said the better. karat is intellect is blinded by his blind following of China and secondly power had gone to his head while he was remote controlling UPA 1 earlier and with defeat of his party all rational Indians are breathing sigh of relief!

Warm Regards

Ram

Marshall or Martial aid for Pakistan? (Source:www.indiandefencereview.com)
By Subhash Chopra
Issue: Net Edition

Almost since its birth Pakistan has been lucky in finding friends who have been generous with supplies of oil, armaments and hard currency to keep its ruling classes live life in style and the country at large afloat. Successive governments, both civil and military, have been able to find munificent donors like Saudi Arabia and the USA to fund their fond ambitions and pet projects, the former in the name of Islamic solidarity and the latter in the fight against communism or in defence of ‘democracy’ world over. The rulers, while fighting for survival or internal dominance, have often turned to the masters of their purse strings not just for money but overtly or covertly for advice, arbitration and asylum. The ultra frequent visits by prevailing and ousted rulers for Umrah (visit to the holy shrines) in Saudi Arabia and for money and international recognition to America are symbolic of Pakistan’s abiding special relationship with the two countries.

subhash-choprapsdTracing the march of the Saudi connection, a columnist in the Pakistani daily, The News, of the Jang group, writes: “Deposed and discredited Pakistani leaders can always bank on being rescued by the Saudis. First it was Nawaz Sharif, he was plucked from Musharraf’s clutches, and now it is Musharraf himself. Hopefully, Mr Zardari will also be able to bank on the Saudis if things go wrong.” Blaming the leaders for bringing the country to such a pass, Zafar Hilaly, a former Pakistani Ambassador, adds: “Grovelling for Saudi dole outs, be it discounted oil or F-16s, we dance to the tune of the piper in Riyadh or Washington.”

Not deflected by such perceptions of their role, the Americans and Saudis have launched yet another rescue package for their friend currently in dire straits. It is being dubbed ” Marshall Aid for Pakistan” on the lines of Marshall Aid for post-war Germany nearly 65 years ago. The German experiment proved eminently successful in pulling the country out of the ruins of war and putting its economy back on its feet, indeed making it the power house of Europe.

An international group – Friends of Democratic Pakistan – led by America and Saudi Arabia which held its conclave in Turkey a few weeks ago, variously pledged to help out the cash-strapped country engaged in a bloody war against home grown Taliban militants on its own soil along the Afghanistan border. It has envisaged a $5 billion package to stabilise the economy and polity of the country.

Half the money is believed to have been pledged to rebuild homes, roads , bridges, schools and hospitals damaged or destroyed in the military’s operation “Rah-e-rast” in SwatValley. Once known as the Paradise Valley, its luckless population has suffered massive displacement following the disastrous peace deal struck by the Islamabad authorities with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leaders to buy peace in exchange for “sharia” rule in the valley. The surrender of arms by the Taliban militants as the other portion of the deal was, as everybody knew, a non-starter. The resultant mess has left Swat valley alone with the problem of rehabilitation of nearly a million “internally displaced persons (IDPs), with another million IDPs to be resettled in neighbouring districts of the Frontier province.

The problem is indeed gigantic and requires a bold scheme like the post-war American Marshall Plan for the battered and beaten state of Germany. Almost forgotten now a days, the package for Germany had one binding condition that Germany would not engage in any re-armament and not raise a defence force even remotely capable of attacking any other state.

Pakistan’s history over half a century and more has been characteristically different. American aid was avowedly militaristic throughout the SEATO, CENTO and Cold War era with the supply of all kind of war materials, including Patton Tanks and F-16 bombers, to ward of the Soviet threat. That aid became nakedly weaponised in the 1980s campaign to oust the Russian forces from Afghanistan during the rule of General Zia-ul-Haq and his jihadi forces recruited both from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Needless to remind the donors of equipment and cash, the tanks and bombers were pressed into wars and skirmishes with India, for which they were not intended, at least officially. The donors have traditionally turned a blind eye to the actions of their faithful ally over the years.

This time, however, there are loud noises being made by the 20-strong group of donor nations including Britain, Japan and China, over conditions attached to the new $5 billion Marshall Aid package so that only a specific portion would be used for military purposes and that too specifically for fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan while the rest of the aid would be seen, indeed monitored, to be used for rebuilding of educational and economic infrastructure and rehabilitation of the people displaced by terrorism.

How much of that package, when finalised and delivered, will be used as Martial Aid against India is anybody’s guess. Past history points to a lot of cautionary, indeed questionable, record. A just released US Congressional report reveals how much armament Pakistan bought between 2005 and 2008.

A whopping $4.5 billion worth of arms including F-16 fighters and over hundred 155 MM artillery guns, were sought from the USA. The orders included thirty-six latest 50/52 F-16C jets and air-to-air missiles and bombs worth $ 640 million. The arms deal also provided for mid-life modification of its earlier F-16 A/B fighters. Islamabad also sought 115 M109A5 155 MM self- propelled howitzers worth $52 million, the guns it did not have during the Kargil conflict in 1999, making Pakistan the biggest buyer of US arms worth over $3.5 billion in 2006. The controversy raging about General Musharraf’s recent interview to a Pakistani TV channel that Pakistan deployed whatever armament it had where ever it was needed, clearly implying its use against India which it has always regarded as target number one. Musharraf’s denial of any specific reference to India in the TV interview cuts no ice. Such denials are the normal fare of all politicial players but they only confirm what is cleverly implied but not literally spelt out.

Previous aid packages , worth over a total of $15.4 billion between 2002 and 2009, for Pakistan have been liberally diverted to military aid against India with full knowledge of donors and there is no reason to believe that a very substantial part of the latest “Marshall Aid” plus a proposed $7.5 billion under Senators Richard Lugar- John Kerry plan, cleared by the Senate, will not be used as “Martial Aid” against India.
October 3rd, 2009.

[Reply]

Cond… (Sorry guys, this part was somehow cut)
Now to your fundamental questions: is it our case that US arms manufacturers aren

[Reply]

Dear Vinod Ji,
When I asked that how do I know my full name, I said it because you had mentioned my full name, although I always sign by first name only.

To quote you…”my dear Akhilesh Mishraji..”

Anyways, I agree with you – what is there in a name?

On the issue itself :

So many replies to my comment, by a busy editor of one of the largest newspapers of India – and till now you have not yet answered my central question – the absurdity of the theories that Communists so easily float.

Here are some examples to refesh your memory :

1. Sitaram Yechury, no less, propounding in an article in HT last year, that there was hurry by the UPA government to seal the nuclear deal with US so that Israel could attack Iran ????

2. Communists arguing in general, that by signing nuclear deal with US, we were inviting Al Qaeda to attack us. Thus we should reject the deal.

3. M.K. Padhe, a politburo member of CPM holding forth on how we should reject the nuclear deal because Muslims don’t like it ??

4. The communists vehemently opposing the mobile policy change by NDA government in 1999 ( it is that policy change that saved the industry and made it a success it is today).

Sir, do I need to quote more to show the sheer nonsensical positions that the Communists get boxed themselves into. I am amazed that you even think of defending them.

As about The Hindu, I only refer you to an article by N. Ram in his Frontline Editor days. He was invited as state guest to visit the regions of Tibet. He visited and came back with such an excellent report on how Chinese rule was so benevolent for Tibet. As to how, everyone was happy there. As to how all Tibetans still living there considered Dalai Lama to be a the greatest obstructionist. And so on.

How do you, Sir, ever take such people at face value when they are commenting on China??

Here is my final argument :

When other Head of states visit India; in one-to-one meetings, they only meet government functionaries and the leader of the opposition. There is never an example of any head of state meeting political party representatives. For example, French President visiting India would never meet, say a RJD representatives.

This rule has one exception. When Pakistani president / PM visit India, they meet the Huriyat. We know what the Huriyat stands for. Who finances them? What agenda they serve? Etc.

However, in 2006, when Chiness President visited India – he set a similar example. He met the representatives of CPM and CPI. Did any one ask, in what capacity did the communists meet him? They were not official functionaries of India in any capacity. They were there solely representing their parties. Why should India’s domestic parties meet foreigh government functionaries?

The only conclusion one can draw is that the relationship betwen CPM / CPI and China is similar to the one betwen Huriyat and Pakistan.

Indeed when Musharraf visited India in 2001, he hosted a dinner on the same evening. He insisted on inviting the Huriyat in the dinner. NDA government opposed it bitterly. It decided to boycott the dinner. Requested all political parties to boycott too. Congress, so bitterly opposed to BJP, agreed and boycotted the dinner. As did every other party. Yes sir, Lalu, Mulayam, and all other secular wothies boycotted.

Except the Communists , who turned up in their best suits !!

Need any more proof sir, that with respect to China, Karat and company play the same role that Geelani and company play with respect to Pakistan.

[Reply]

Dear Vinodji,

Our Prakash Karat is a blundering buffoon if ever there was one…

Most communists need the permission of the headmaster and the masterminds sitting in China to do anything, including the need to go to the toilet….

SO in case you see a commie with wet pants you can guess what happened.

he just did not get permission!

C’mon Vinodji. If you know history, you would know what communism stands for. One newspaper with an official view; all TV channels with an official view praising the everlasting supreme commander like Mao, Kim Jog II, Castro or Pol Pot.

All free journalists to be put in jail as dissidents or concentration camps for “retraining” their mind to think “rightly.”

Vinodji. do you stand for all this. C’mon answer this…

With love

Vijay

[Reply]

Marxists are the number one appeasors . Bengla Deshi infiltartion si mainly due to their appeasement policies. They created the first “muslim district” in India to appease Muslims.

Karat is another gutless leader (?) in their illustrious (?) list.

High time India declare these socialists and psuedo liberals and secularists illegal!

Secularism and communism have done more to sepaarte people in this country.

[Reply]

Vinod is a stooge of communists and ‘mulsim loving secularists”. God bless him!

Time for him to retire. Viinod, pl think seriously about retirement.

Your Pakistan is splintering and atomizing. You could persuade India not to do anything against Pakistan. You are right. We did not have to do anything.

[Reply]

Dear Vinod ji

You must be feeling proud and flattered the way your blogs receive response from the readers of an esteemed paper HT. In any case, irrespective of the amount respect I may have for you, it is a hard fact that Chinese do certain acts very off and on that surely needles our country to the extent that every one in the country becomes uncomfortable. The latest is their issuing visas to some Indian citizens on a piece of paer for visiting China instead of stamping on the Indian passports.Well, Mr Prakash Karat and Sita Ram can be pardoned for their very ambigious but sympathetic comments for the Chinese govt. because of obvious reasons, but the amount of response you received from the readers about your blog should give you an impression about the pulse of our countrymen wrt China. Moreover, it did not behove of you to be ridiculing the faujis ,sepoys or policemen while replying to Akhilesh, especially when you have not been able to defend your view point on the topic of your blog. Over and above this, your insinuting Akhilesh as to be the arms agent of a foreign MNC was very impolite as no one has any right to question anyone’s intellect and also to comment on any one the way he lives or earns his living . You could have skirted the issue in a more subtle way rather than indulging in such a slanging match.
After all, no one can deny that the Chinese gave the biggest shock to our country and to late PM Pt. Nehru, a shock which ultimately took his life. If you recall, the Americans were the first to land in the country with the military supplies during 1962 war on the specific request from Pt. Nehru. That was so when Pt. Nehru had tried his best to introduce Chinese govt. to the world stage at Bandung conference and even sponsoring for a seat for that country in UN.
Our country has a historica problem with China and let no one belittle the contributions of our armed forces in fighting Chinese at the borders. Prakash Karat and Sita Ram yechury are in fact regional leaders as they have presence only in W. Bengal, Kerala. They do not have a national status and only some pseudo intellectuals follow their lines.
But after all said, it was an interestring discussion to follow.

Regards
(Dr.) B.N.Anand

[Reply]

well put, Sam

[Reply]

Dear Vinod,

You wondered why Mr. Karat and Indian communists attract so much ire, as witnessed in the comments on this blog. I will give you my views as follows,

1) Mr. Karat and his misplaced theories are put-off’s: Mr. Karat’s rabid anti-Americanism is often baseless and his writings on the Chinese incursions smell of conspiracy theory. How many times should he be proven wrong? For instance, after the passage of Indo-US nuke deal, ironically, the Russians and the French were the first to benefit. The Americans, who did most of the heavy lifting in taking it to the NSG, are still held up over the disagreements in the fine-print of the contract. This shows India has not given an easy passage to the US.

2) Communism in India is on life-support: The hard-headed commies in India, with Mr. Karat as their leader, are holding on to power by their nails; and we know it. Communism, elsewhere, is virtually dead because the Soviets and the Chinese have killed it. The downfall of Soviet Union and the success of Chinese capitalism are standing testimonies for all. If the political space allows, the commies in India could reform in to a genuine liberal or socialist party and rest Marx and Mao for good.

3) Mr. Karat finds himself in a strange company: Because of a slow decline of the communist idealogy, Mr. Karat now finds himself in the company of other communist leaders; notably Kim Jung il and Fidel Castro – perhaps few more inconspicuous others. Ironically, these are also the leaders of states where the citizens risk their lives to emigrate en masse with a hope of piecing their lives together.

[Reply]

Dear Vinod Jee,
That you would call Akhilesh’s comments childish, inane (inspired as well) etc. was quite obvious, even for morons and bigots of our category, if they had followed the exchange. But Akhilesh accusing you of deflection alone was probably the most charitable of the words that could have been employed.

In case it helps, let me just remind you the title of the article : War mongering a sales pitch for US weapon and your opening volley which in your words involved putting 2 and 2 together to conclude that Mr Karat’s theory has a ring of certainty. Sometime later, you suspected Akhilesh of being a proxy for US arms company and at one point you brought forth the clincher asking, “is it your case that US arms manufacturers aren’t looking for a market in Asia? To claim now that the central import of your article was Indian media’s bellicosity is hardly as innocent as “Deflection”

When asked about the conspiracy theories that leftists keep on exposing every now and then, all you could come up with was the value of ideological diversity! Deflection ? I don’t see why we should not improve the diversity index by also extending the same courtesy to terrorism, naxalism etc. and have some journos dedicated to promoting/defending those ideologies. I will watch the appointment section carefully as I know some excellent people who can do justice to the cause.

That you hold fauzis/police and spooks in such disdain as to not even attempt a refutation is hardly surprising given your Peace activist credentials. However, you do achieve newer peaks when you justify questioning Akhilesh’s vocation because SOMEONE on this blog asked you whether your mother was Muslim. In any case what offended you is not clear, was it this question alone or the fact that having a muslim mother was being treated as being anti-India? Frankly even for my kind of hindu bigot the offensive part was not the question about your mother’s religion but the fact that belonging to this religion by itself was raising questions of national loyalty. So offensive? Yes but not to you but to Muslims. In any case, to expect peace activists to be too enamored with the concept of nationalism is rather unfair.

Of course, it is entirely possible that the commentators on this blog have simply failed to understand your central theme because of their poor comprehension, in which I case, I withdraw all my comments and hope the others will also realize their mistake.

[Reply]

Dear Vinod Ji,
Here is a pointed reponse to all the issues raised by you.
I am 32 years old. Does that make me mature enough to understand the world? I leave it to your judgement.

1. Sure Arunanchal is historically disputed. That’s what we are all saying. That it is disputed territory. Disputed by China ( And not disputed by US). It is China which has the gumption to tell Indian PM not to visit parts of his own country, lest it creates disturbances? It is China, which has the gumption to advise Indina PM on how to conduct himself in his own country. By the way, not even Pakistan questions Indian leaders visting Kashmir, and surely you would agree that Kashmir is a greater dispute than Arunanchal.

And surely US arms vendors have had no role in propping up this dispute between China and India.

2. The central theme of your blog, Sir, is not Indian media’s bellicosity. I disagree with you, if you try and impart that colour, now to your blog. Many commentators have written on that topic. But not you. You choose to write on that fact that this is whipped up controversy by US arms vendors. This is qualitatively different treatment than, say, some other writer accusing Indian media of being churlish.

I choose to highlight Karat, beacuse it is you who brought in his name first, to back up your thesis. And I did not take on Karat and his ideology. I merely pointed out, that Karat and his party have a history of conjuring up absurd theories to defend the Chinese and villanise the US. I pointed out to the theory of Sitaram Yechury on the nuclear deal.

Is it not astounding that in almost 10+ replies, you have written on everything excpet reply on the theory of Yechury. It is that kind of mindset I was talking about. And are we wrong in questioning theories, that come up from that kind of history and mindset?

Karat and company would have had some credibilty had they denounced the Chinese yesterday for questioning the Indian PM. Every other party did. But did you hear the CPM do it? the Indian PM being abused is not worthy of comment?

3. I am not upset that you asked me about my vocation. Because I realised, you were not disparaging me, but were just trying desparately to clutch to any straw that you could latch on.That straw could have been my spook or fauzi background, or my US arms vendors links. However, neither was the case. It was just a deflection tactic from you. So I am not upset.

4. I agree with you that statecraft is about defending our national interests. But one of the principals of statecraft is that one can only find solutions to conflicts only if both parties are willing. Even if all of India is willing to settle with China, but China is not interested, as is obvious, then what do we do?

And why should China be interested, in any case? Because it sees that, influential people in India, like you, think that we cannot afford a conflict with China. What incentive does it have then in settling? Is it not obvious then, that it will try and maximise it’s leverages and gains.

The day it is aware, that India is up for conflict too, if needed, it would realise that it has reached the maximum it can hope to bargain. And that would set the chains in motion for settlement.That has been the history of all settlements in mankind. Two parties settle only when they realise that any conflict would be between equals. As long as it is between unequals, the dominating party would continue to spar in hope of getting a better deal.

5. I will not the name of the company I work for. Because it’s not germane to the issue. These are my personal views here, not of the company. It is unfair to name them or to make them a party in any which way.

I mentioned about the company only to satiate your query that I don’t work for a US arms vendors.

I realise, that living almost daily with politicians, one becomes cynical. One refuses to beleive that a person could devote so much time, writing on your blog page, without having some vested financial interest.

I don’t blame you. I can undersand why you think the way you do.

But still there are people in India, who are interested in politics and political issues, and who want to contribute in whatever way they can. And they have no ulterior motive to cater to.

If it interests you, you might notice that I have been commenting on blogs of various writers on HT. And none of those topics have naything to do with US arms vendors.

All your readers would be delighted, if you actually answered the questions raised.

Regards,

[Reply]

My dear Vinod,

Kindly see yu reply to my positng on 12th oct. you conveniantly ran away when you got cornered in your support to the blundering buffoon Prakash Karat.

Now that the Chinese are diverting all waters from the Brahamputra and the North East of India would face huge water scarcity whiel Bangladesh would become drought prone, what excuse will will you and Mr buffoon Karat find for justifying the Chinese actions.

Er is it because of American arms merchants that the Chinese will divert water or you believe that Isreal, India and America have forced the benevelent Chinese to become angry. Dear innocent Vinodji, who is trying to please India’s neighbours by bending down, have some self respect and let me know whether you want us Indians to stand up to bullying??

[Reply]

Hi, just needed you to know I have added your site to my Google bookmarks because of your special blog layout. But in earnest, I think your site has one of the cleanest theme I’ve came across. It really helps make reading your blog a lot simpler.

[Reply]

Aaa Replica…

War mongering a sales pitch for US weapons? : Separated At Birth…