The Iran conundrum

by Idéfix Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:50 pm

This has the potential to hurt India-US relations, and it will be a big test of India's independence in foreign policy matters. Indian national interests are not aligned with those of the US when it comes to Iran, but the US will try to bully India to fall in line. Given election-year politics, the Obama administration's inclination may be try to hold the line. But India cannot possibly cut off all Iranian oil imports. India needs to maintain its strategic independence.

huffingtonpost.com/stanley-weiss/iran-is-to-india-as-pakistan_b_1456383.html

In many ways, Iran is to India as Pakistan is to the United States: an uneasy marriage with an unstable partner that is borne of necessity more than affection, which New Delhi -- like Washington -- would give up in a heartbeat if there was any real alternative. Legend has it that Lord Shiva was never more powerful than when he was dancing. Time will tell if the same may be said of India.

PS: Why won't admin allow new members to post links for the first seven days?

by chameli Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:05 pm

the comparison is wrong

Pakistan has taken advantage of USA . the US has no choice . without Paki assistance they cannot carry out the Afghan war even they know the ISI has been double crossing them .

No such thing with Iran and India . It's been a business relationship

India needs their oil and pays for it

Iran is a Muslim country and Indian govt is partial to muslims anyway .

When has Iran ever stabbed India in the back?

PS could the equivalent of this be "Physician heal thyself " ? Smile

by Idéfix Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:56 pm

Wow, did KV delete a post here? I thought (s)he posted something saying the US should bomb Indian nuclear facilities. I am sure I am not hallucinating!

by Idéfix Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:01 pm

chameli wrote:the comparison is wrong

Pakistan has taken advantage of USA . the US has no choice . without Paki assistance they cannot carry out the Afghan war even they know the ISI has been double crossing them .

No such thing with Iran and India . It's been a business relationship

When has Iran ever stabbed India in the back?

This is a good point. We haven't given billions of dollars of aid to Iran which it then diverts to the killing of our soldiers -- that's a big difference from the US-Pakistan equation.

chameli wrote:Iran is a Muslim country and Indian govt is partial to muslims anyway .

I don't think so. We don't have a strong relationship with Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan -- the three most prominent powers of the Muslim world. India is doing business with Iran because it makes sense to business with them, that's all.

chameli wrote:PS could the equivalent of this be "Physician heal thyself " ?

If the physician is the US, yes. The prescription of the writer of the article is on point.

by Kris Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:26 am

In many ways, Iran is to India as Pakistan is to the United States: an uneasy marriage with an unstable partner that is borne of necessity more than affection, which New Delhi -- like Washington -- would give up in a heartbeat if there was any real alternative.

>>>> If there is a *better* alternative, yes, India would take it, but the parallel is flawed. India and Iran are in a business relationship. The US and Pakistan are in a marriage and a difficult one at that.There is no dimension in the former other than the business supply and demand aspect. The latter involves one partner (the US) getting repeatedly duped by the other and yet doesn't know how to get out, much like an abused spouse hoping the abuser would change. On a broader note, this is one of the flaws in how the US frames foreign relationships i.e. the need to see all relationships thru the US' experiential prism. 'Either you are with us or against us' may work to force the issue on situation-specific scenarios, but does not work in long term, dynamic relationships. The latter calls for more nuanced approaches, based on an understanding of the needs of various countries.

by MulaiAzhagi Sat Apr 28, 2012 7:28 am

PS: Why won't admin allow new members to post links for the first seven days?

===> I thought you are the admin.

Since you were engaging in a war with Rashmun, I thought you are Carvaka using yet another handle panini_press.

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