India

We all remember president Obama’s early speech in Cairo directed to the Muslim world. He said:

“I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition.”

Well those words didn’t bring about any significant improvements in Western-Muslim relations. As a result, the Obama Administration has to some degree altered course and has taken the “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” approach. And rightly I think. I see President Obama’s recent overtures to India as a positive step in international relations.

Making nice with PAKISTAN isn’t working out for the West. All the billions of dollars that the US and others have poured into Pakistan may have SLOWED DOWN the process of radicalization, but it has not STOPPED it.

Islamic Fundamentalism in Pakistan is on the rise. Pakistan is to some degree we really aren’t being told to WHAT degree sheltering, and perhaps aiding and abetting Osama Bin Laden and his branch of Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda aside, Pakistan is currently recognized as a huge breeding ground for Islamic extremism - and a training ground for Islamic terrorism.

On the OTHER hand, India Pakistan’s arch-nemesis - is a NON-Islamic, democratic state, which has had serious border disputes with both Pakistan and China. Economically, India is one of the world’s premier “emerging nations” with an ever-growing middle class and expanding economy.

In 2008 the US Congress approved an agreement ending a three decade freeze on nuclear cooperation and trade between the US and India. Clearly, the US is smart to be strengthening its political, economic and nuclear ties with India, as both have common interests, like strengthening the spread of genuine democracy in Asia, fighting terrorism and standing up to China the powerhouse in the region.

As we’ve said here before, the US government needs to get tough on China and its monetary, trade and human rights policies. Closer economic and political ties with India will help in this very serious matter.

Of course, only time will tell whether the Obama administration is finally recognizing the value of India in world affairs, or whether this is just a temporary blip on US radar that will soon fade back into relative obscurity.