What will be fascinating will be to watch Pakistan's reaction over time.
My own hope is that Pakistan slowly becomes more and more democratic over time. I see signs of it--the fact that we more or less forced them to take a side between us and the religious lunatics (Al Qaeda, Taliban, et. al.) seems to have made them unhappy but seems also to be paying off.
I hope so anyway. It would be nice to think that one day India and Pakistan will be like the U.S. and Canada.
India also has a diplomatic deal going with China. If the US bugs out on Iraq, India will drop its US connection faster than anyone can say "Italy 1943".
All things considered, diplomacy is sort of like collecting and trading the little yellow cards in "Monopoly" that enable you to get out of jail free. But that's about all.
I hope so anyway. It would be nice to think that one day India and Pakistan will be like the U.S. and Canada
Well, actually, I was hoping they'd get along :-)
India is with the good guys as far as the war on terror is concerned, they're a democracy, they're pro-capitalist and they know, maybe better than we do, how to deal with Pakistan. China is the most populous nation, but India is #2 and we're #3.
The last time I checked, they were also making friendly overtures to Israel. Our diplomats appear to be doing something right.
I'm pleased with this. Should have been done long ago. One of the biggest blunders we ever made in foreign policy was throwing away India to the Soviets and then siding with Pakistan and Communist China against India. For one thing, India, with her teeming population, could obviously field a big army for us should we need it.
SMA, if you are a lover of good DVD/videotape films, go rent "Mission Kashmir". It will give you a look at the Indian army in the struggles against islamic extremism in Kashmire.
Warning: Like a lot of "Bollywood" productions, it is much a musicalized love story as it is a drama and action film. But the story, the filmography and all other elements present a setting of exotic beauty seen by few American eyes.
We are siding with a genuine democracy too, and one that will have a larger population than China in twenty years.
I say, bravo.
My own hope is that Pakistan slowly becomes more and more democratic over time. I see signs of it--the fact that we more or less forced them to take a side between us and the religious lunatics (Al Qaeda, Taliban, et. al.) seems to have made them unhappy but seems also to be paying off.
I hope so anyway. It would be nice to think that one day India and Pakistan will be like the U.S. and Canada.
All things considered, diplomacy is sort of like collecting and trading the little yellow cards in "Monopoly" that enable you to get out of jail free. But that's about all.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
Well, actually, I was hoping they'd get along :-)
India is with the good guys as far as the war on terror is concerned, they're a democracy, they're pro-capitalist and they know, maybe better than we do, how to deal with Pakistan. China is the most populous nation, but India is #2 and we're #3.
The last time I checked, they were also making friendly overtures to Israel. Our diplomats appear to be doing something right.
Warning: Like a lot of "Bollywood" productions, it is much a musicalized love story as it is a drama and action film. But the story, the filmography and all other elements present a setting of exotic beauty seen by few American eyes.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI