John Foster Dulless, a stupid American

by Rishi Mon Dec 23, 2013 11:21 am

Dulles was very keen to bring Pakistan into yet another of his regional alliances against Communists. This one was SEATO: the South East Asia of this bloc stretched, on the Dulles drawing board, from Iraq and Iran to Indonesia. Having given up on Pakistan's fractious civilian politicians, Dulles wooed the new nation's generals with a gift they could not refuse: weapons, with a finesse through civilian government, a legacy that has contributed to ambitions in the barracks and consequent coups.

Dulles explained to the journalist Walter Lippman in an interview. "I've got to get some real fighting men into the south of Asia. The only Asians who can really fight are the Pakistanis. That's why we need them in the alliance. We could never get along without the Gurkhas."

A puzzled Lippman pointed out: "But Foster, the Gurkhas aren't Pakistanis."

"Well," said the sanguine Dulles, "they may not be Pakistanis, but they're Moslems."

"No, I'm afraid they're not Moslems either."

"No matter!" exclaimed Dulles imperiously, and carried on for another half an hour with a suitable sermon on how to stop reds from menacing our beds.

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/analysis/america-is-unilateralist-not-isolationist

by Merlot Daruwala Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:18 am

It's funny that the columnist should talk so much about America's unilateralism and rail about its double standards and then conclude with this: "In the case of Devyani Khobragade, the Indian diplomat who was treated harshly by a pompous American law enforcement officer, tensions will cluster around popular opinion long after they have eroded in government. Washington and Delhi need to recognise this, quickly. A ship cannot be lost for half-penny of tar."

Excuse me, it may look like a ship from an Indian PoV but why should a unilateralist Washington bother?

John Foster Dulless, a stupid American

John Foster Dulless, a stupid American

Re: John Foster Dulless, a stupid American