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US likely to push for Indian troops
EFLThe US is likely to renew its request to New Delhi to send troops to Iraq during Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard B Myersâ two-day visit to India beginning Monday. With a fresh UN resolution on Iraq to give a broader mandate to enable more countries to participate in stablisation force on the cards, Myers is likely to broach the subject. Bring your checkbook! The first top US official to visit India weeks after it turned down a proposal to send troops to Iraq, Myers will hold intensive negotiations with National Security advisor Brajesh Mishra and top defence officials, including Chairman of the Chief of Staffs Committee Admiral Madhvendera Singh. During his two-day visit, Myers will also hold talks with the Army Chief Gen N C Vij and the new Defence secretary Ajay Prasad who is also the co-chairman of the Indo-US Defence Policy Group (DPG). As part of moves to pressure India, the US has so far withheld its go ahead on Israeli proposal to sell Arrow anti-missile system to India. The system is manufactured by a joint US-Israeli collaboration project and its sale would figure prominently in the DPG meeting. The Indian press always amuses me. Itâs always all about India. Never any consideration of technology transfer issues, effect on US-Pakistani relationship, or Chinese reaction. It reminds me of the time I drove through Iowa, listening to the radio the whole time. There was a longshoremans strike -- might affect corn prices. Poor harvest in the (then) Soviet Union -- might affect corn prices. Lot of rain expected -- might affect corn prices. They really need to get out more. See the world, ya know. Posted by: 11A5S 2003-07-26 |
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