Wednesday, March 01, 2006

George Bush in India

BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | George Bush in India - what is success?: "Unlike other world figures, George Bush will not be lunging into crowds of Rajasthani villagers or addressing the parliament of the world's largest democracy. Nor will he assume a wistful gaze at the Taj Mahal or climb on the back of an elephant. George Bush is flying half way around the world... to have lunch.

How, one journalist asked at a briefing, was the trip going to be sold as a success to the world with no real deal, and no big memorable event?

At the heart of the latest review is a commitment to build strategic partnerships with other countries to counter possible risks to American interests around the world, 20-30 years from now. At the same time it seeks to ensure that no other country, or collection of countries, comes close to the US in terms of military or economic power.

In the 20th century, Europe was at the heart US foreign policy. It tried to manage Europe via its "special relationship" with the UK.

With talk of this being an Asian century it would seem sensible for the US to find a similar "special relationship" there. For most of the post-cold war period the Asia Pacific region dominated the US Asian agenda. America was the region's biggest trading partner, economic growth was also fuelled by US involvement in wars in Korea and Vietnam.

India with its hostile neighbours, global ambitions and huge aspirant middle-class would seem a perfect choice."

1 comment:

Otpreka Singh said...

i posted my opinion on bush's trip to india on my blog

feel free to view it

http://thepanthicotpreka.blogspot.com/2006/03/george-bushs-trip-to-india.html