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| India-Pakistan | |
| India financed problems for Pak in Afghanistan, says US defence secretary Chuck Hagel | |
| 2013-02-27 | |
| In a sharp contrast to US view on India's role in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama's defence secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has alleged that India has over the years "financed problems" for Pakistan in the war-torn country. A video containing these remarks from an unreleased speech of Hagel at Oklahoma's Cameron University in 2011 was uploaded by Washington Free Beacon, sparking a strong reaction from India which said such comments are "contrary to the reality" of its unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghans. Hagel, during the speech said, "India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a second front, and India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border". "And you can carry that into many dimensions, the point being [that] the tense, fragmented relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been there for many, many years," Hagel said. Reacting to this, the Indian embassy here said,"Such comments attributed to Senator Hagel, who has been a long-standing friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations are contrary to the reality of India's unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghan people".
"Our opposition to terrorism and its safe havens in our neighbourhood is firm and unshakable. "India's development assistance has been deeply appreciated by the people and the government of Afghanistan, and by our friends around the world including the US. "We do not view our engagement with Afghanistan as a zero sum game," the embassy said. Hagel's remarks are in sharp contrast to viewpoint of Obama Administration that has always been in praise of India's developmental role in Afghanistan and in fact has been pressing New Delhi to do more in Afghanistan. | |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #8 Glad to see he's getting right to work. Attaboy, Chuckie! |
| Posted by: Nero 2013-02-27 22:51 |
| #7 We still have allies ? Texas. Maybe. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-02-27 17:08 |
| #6 Of course we have allies, the UN says we do! /sarcasm |
| Posted by: Charles 2013-02-27 16:17 |
| #5 We still have allies ? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-02-27 15:39 |
| #4 Can you name an ally this guy won't piss off? I saw this article and my head nearly did the exorcist thing. Dang. |
| Posted by: Bill Clinton 2013-02-27 15:00 |
| #3 please note mr hagel india is on our side not pakistan. |
| Posted by: Snomomp Schwarzeneggar3438 2013-02-27 14:55 |
| #2 Not mentioned is the financing by Pak of problems for India in war-torn Kashmir over the years. That's where Jihad Johnny spent his first tour before moving on to Afghanistan. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-02-27 09:45 |
| #1 Is there any Muslim country that Hagel has criticized? Anyone remotely pro-US seems to be anathema to Hagel and his keepers. This turd should be flushed along with the PoTUS that laid him. |
| Posted by: Alanc 2013-02-27 09:34 |