Definitely, the USA could not foresee the Taliban but what created it was they left Afghanistan in shambles after the mujahideens defeated the Soviets. USA should have economically built Afghanistan which they failed to do which has now created the Taliban.
Very valid and correct point. I blame the short sighted US policies at that time and we have paid the price with 9/11.
It is not my assessment of Iraq but the experts' assessment. The premise on which Iraq was invaded (presence of WMD) was absolutely false which was proved later. I read an article which says that Depleted Uranium which is used extensively by the US and Israeli army in its arms would qualify more as a WMD. So now who will invade USA and Israel? You hit the nail on the head when you say to "promote American self-interest". Dubya would feel proud of you, KRSji.
As I said, every country should take care of their self interests in the international arena. I would never aplogize as a citizen of the US for pursuing a policy that promotes my country's self interest.
Everyone agrees that almost all major powers around the world, including Russia thought that Sadaam had some nuclear material. They were worried about a 'dirty' bomb. Does it make sense that the USA made such a huge case with Powell in the UN, talking about the existence of WMD? They would have known, if they went in with false pretenses, there would be a huge price to pay - which exactly what happened. So, your logic here about them having a prior knowledge is absolutely groundless.
In addition, they had two or three other reasons to go in to Iraq, which they could have easily used to go in.
Look, what 'China is my brother' slogan by Pandit Ji, got India?
Who gives only the Western bloc nations the right to develop and own a nuclear arsenal? So far Iran has said that it is only for peaceful purposes and they should be given a chance to prove that. Just because Iran makes Israel jittery with its nuclear arsenal is no reason to say that Iran is a rogue nation that is dangerous to the world. What did USA do when Pakistan developed its nuclear weapons? They did not bother because there was no country like Israel near to Pakistan which felt threatened. Iran is going nuclear because it feels threatened by Israel. 40% of the world oil shipments pass through the Straits of Hormuz bordering Iran. They are not foolish to start a war all by themselves unless a nervous USA and Israel start it.
Again, you start with very wrong assumptions. Firstly, Iran did not need to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation treaty in the first place. But they did, unlike India. This is why they are governed by it's provisions. It is the world community that is implementing the provisions of this treaty, not USA alone.
Yes, if I am a tiny country like Israel, where as recently as last year, Iran's Lebanon proxy, Hizbulla was indiscriminately tossing rockets in to Israel, the fear of survival is real. USA's strategic interests are intertwined with Israel's. Only some leftist loonies like Norm Chomsky would propose that Israel is conducting a genocidal policy against the Palestinian Arabs. I guess when a bomb strapped suicidal palestinian blows up hundreds of jews within Istael, it is viewed as Israel driving these psychos in to self annihilating martyrs!
Pakistan was made a pariah in terms of bans on nuclear supplies etc. by the US congress after their tests. So, your contention that USA did not do anything is plain wrong.
Israel once being hounded by all the countries like Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon is history. There is nothing of that sort now. These countries are now keen to develop themselves and not go to war. The point of contention is only Palestine and what Israel is doing there is a gross violation of human rights. You say this region is not pro-western which is not true. All the GCC countries like UAE, Saudi, Bahrain etc depend on Western technology to run their countries. A huge number of its nationals get educated in the West. Same is true for the Levant countries like Lebanon, Syria, Jordan etc. A good number of Arabs from these countries are Christian and American popular culture is widely prevalent. What people here hate is the US government's policies and its willingness to act like a puppet of Israel.
Sir, it is not valid when you say that all the countries you have mentioned in the mid-east (not the gulf countries) are pro western. The populations of these countries remain anti USA and anti west, mainly fuelled by mis information about Israle's policies.
Isreal was attempted to be wiped out as early as 50 years ago by the concerted actions of these arab countries. Arafat was making money and had no interest in settling with Israel. If your first principle is that you do not recognize Israel as a state, how can there be an accommodation? Arafat was the author of intifadas, where the suicide bombers were martyred. Other Arab states were complicit in this because, they are receiving enormous UN money to upkeep the so called Palestenian refugee camps on their soils. This is why even today they refuse to make those people their citizens even after 60 years!
Any country threatened with extinction at any time has the right to be protected by a super power. If people do not understand this, they are living in a naive world.
I think you have to make the distinction between the ability of commandos and the state's willingness to fight terrorism tooth and nail. Unfortunately the UPA government's track record on this front is quite poor. I personally felt the commandos did quite a good job. Where we failed miserably was on the intelligence gathering front and the resources provided to the commandos to reach the site. We cannot be simply compared to the Mossad. Israel is a small country and because of the constant war-mongering is in a virtual state of preparedness and the entire country speaks in a single voice when threatened.
One can not wish away the disastrous policies of the successive Indian governments in preventing terrorism. Even when the parliament was attacked deliberately with the possible elimination of the entire top level political heads, India did not do anything.
By the way, that person responsible is still in jail and I think will not be executed.
From Pandit Nehru Ji's time, I am afraid the Indian foreign policy is based on some amorphic 'international morality' and not on India's self interest. Such a stance gives way to a weak position in rthe world of power politics, where China, Pakistan and the Arabs use India for their own purposes. And out of frustration and the castrated mentality, we blame the USA. We always have. And we always will.
