World

Will Obama's decision affect his ratings in India?

Pakistan praises US President for saying he would visit next year, but Indian analysts see announcement as "myopic".

Express October 21, 2010

Pakistan has praised US President Barack Obama for saying he would visit the country next year, calling it a sign of commitment between the troubled war partners.

Obama, meeting with a senior Pakistani delegation, said he would not visit when he travels to neighboring India next month. But he committed to visiting Pakistan in 2011 and invited Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to Washington.

However, India may not take this move by the US president lightly, as Sumit Ganguly an Indian-American scholar of South Asia, as reported by The Christian Science Monitor, says “this is going to do some damage to the relationship.”

“Now you will hear the expression in New Delhi: re-hyphenation.”

The US has always had a ‘hyphenated’ relationship with the two sub-continent countries. However, in the recent past, there has been de-hyphenation on the part of the US which has started treating India as different from Pakistan, the latest example of which was seen when the US signed a civil-nuclear deal with India but not with its ally in the war on terror.

Ganguly calls the timing of Obama's announcement to visit Pakistan next year “myopic,” adding that “it sets a very poor tone just on the eve of the visit to India.”

According to a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Centre, Obama is regarded highly among the Indian population.

The poll shows that about two-thirds of Indians maintain favourable opinions of the US and are largely positive about the country’s economic situation. More than seven out of ten Indians said that they have confidence in the President Obama.

However, the same survey also revealed that the Indian population at large considers Pakistan and extremist groups in Pakistan as the biggest threat to their country. The Indian concern that the Pakistan will be consumed by extremism is widespread, with 78 per cent saying that they are worried that extremists groups will take over the Pakistani state.

In view of this, how Obama’s decision to visit Pakistan will change the opinion of Indians towards him is to seen.

Online report compiled by Ali Syed

COMMENTS (10)

Mom | 14 years ago | Reply Ashuthosh, "Missionaries" from Sri Lanka invaded Maldives?!!! You mean "mercenaries".. right?

Lalit | 14 years ago | Reply i think a few commentators were offended by the use of term ''black hole'' by Ashutosh.,as a reference to billion black holes by a commentator indicates.black hole is not literally a hole or something like that,it is actually a astronomical term indicating a heavenly body like star which upon shrinking under its own mass and gravity,developes very strong gravitational field which doesnt allow any thing to escape from its gravitational field,not even light.what i feel Ashutosh meant was the Aid money was being sucked by Pakistani authorities without any trace,just like a black hole does to its incoming bodies.

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Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply Well, Pakistan is not such great country to be hyphenated with, is it. It prominently figures in top ten failed states and is a basket case. India is a power on the rise, although it has one of the largest poor in the world. The general outlook towards India is positive and considered to overtake China as the fastest growing country in the world. Compare this with Pakistan, whose citizens are flagged for extra checking at the airports and whose leaders constantly come in front of the International community to shamelessly beg while being millionaires themselves. India is just to progressive a power to be treated on par with the world's only Nuclear Proliferator.

Ashutosh | 14 years ago | Reply Dear Friends, I know you people will take a long time to realize that the world is changing fast for India. To cover all the objections or comments I will answer them POINT BY POINT: 1. India produces MORE FOOD GAINS that it needs. Thanks to the active media who had been tracking our mismanagement at our granary and forcing the government to punish the guilty and ensure efficiency. The "right to Food" bill is likely to be tabled in the winter session will ensure the same. 2. With the exception of China, all the NEIGHBORS of India are small is size. This might cause insecurity in them. This is in spite of the fact that India never attacked or threatened any of them. Let’s take them one-by-one: a. In case of BANGLADESH, well India liberated it and the army was out of that country within 3 weeks. So no intend to capture. b. In case of NEPAL, well we have a Gurkha Battalion and citizen of Nepal (and Bhutan) don’t even need a passport to visit and work in India. Nepali people had immensely benefited from such arrangement. c. SRI LANKA had a Tamil. Some of the India politicians spend years in jail for their support to LTTE. Also don’t forget the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and many Indian soldiers lost their life protecting the integrity of Sri Lanka. d. MALDIVES about 15-20 years was raided by missionaries from Sri Lanka. Indian Forces landed there within hours and caught the missionaries and handed over to the Maldivian authorities and returned without any hitch. e. And Pakistan … uh! 3. We have the largest population of POOR IN INDIA. To completely eradicate poverty in 10 years, India needs to do the follows: a. Continuously maintain the GROWTH AT 9+ PERCENT for next 10 years. b. The POORS at the bottom of the pyramid are DIRECTLY BENEFITTED and not left-out, India had ensured guaranty of income, health cover, education and safety. For the purpose there are numerous programs which are run by the government and monitored by the panchayats, gram sabha and the NGOs. Media too had played its roll well by exposing any short comings. Rest assured the future of Indian poor is bright. 4. You mentioned the naxal problem. Our PM says that this is the GREATEST INTERNAL TREAD to India. But this not actual mean that India is at risk. Like a terror organization these may be thinly and widely spread and may have the capability to strike at will and also melt away whenever heat is mounted over them. However, our able home minister is on the job and you people will soon realize that with effective steps taken against these groups and with development making inroad in these tribal and forest area, these part will catch up with the rest of the country. 5. TAMIL PROBLEM (IN INDIA) was solved about 5 decades ago, KALISTAN was solved about 2 decade ago, with progressive and secular government in Bangladesh, we trust that the support for insurgent in the NORTH EAST had dried up. KASHMIR may take an election or two more to resolve itself. This will be achieved by inclusive growth for everyone and through democracy. 6. The demolition of BABRI MASQUE (legally a disputed structure) took place in 1992 and what followed was a Hindu-Muslim riots (and not an attack on the minorities as many bloggers will like to state). In 2002, the Gujarat riots succeeded the Godhra episode in which a mob touched several bogies of a train carrying kar-sevaks. Criminal cases are in process against all those who were involved in all the three incidents. THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO HINDU-MUSLIM RIOTS INDIA HAD IN LAST 2 DECADES. Remember there was not rioting even after the Mumbai carnage …. Besides India Muslims are integral and inseparateable part of India and they had equally contributed and benefited from India’s growth. We all know a democratic and progressive Pakistan; will have many thing to do for the benefit of their own people rather than bothering and nurturing terror. Whatever, your leadership says, we have no interest in Baluchistan. Though your army is using gunships, bombardment and artillery shelling of our own citizen in western Pakistan. In short, PAKISTAN HAS NOT LEARNED FROM ITS MISTAKE! I am sorry for writing such large blog.

anonymous | 14 years ago | Reply @ Ronit.. I see the garbage dumped by your cheap anchors and newspapers, right into your statement. We, here in Pakistan, know your kind and culture more than anybody in the world. Khalistan, Kashmir, Tamil, Maoists, Babri Masjid, and Gujarat...all are the scars on your 'so-called secular face' which you should remove before even writing a single sentence against those who know your breed. As far as strategy is concerned, Pakistan has survived through different tactics and strategic marvels to remain equivalent to a hostile enemy who is thrice as bigger in terms of area, and almost 7 times bigger than the total population of Pakistan. You still doubt our progress?

Ronit | 14 years ago | Reply Ali Pakistan is the one who cannot see its neighbours living peacefully, it has promoted terrorism not just in India but also in Afghanistan, to keep Afghanistan under it. Pakistan doesnt want Taliban in its own country but want it in Afghanistan...have you ever wondered why? To keep Afghanistan poor and weak and under the influence of Pakistan. Lets not forget what Pakistan did in Indian Punjab...khalistan movment was pakistan's idea.

Ali Imran | 14 years ago | Reply Ashutosh, We as Pakistani don't think it necessary to reply in respone to such rubbish. The thing which is necessary to mention here that the neighbours like India can never see their neighbours living peacefully. If you people stope intervene (funding to the terrorists and their training as well) the affairs of your neighbours and a nonserious attitude, I assure you every thing will be on right track.

Asmat Jamal | 14 years ago | Reply @Ashutosh ---- India has more than a billion black holes. The pigmentation of these holes increases and becomes darker as one moves towards east and south. That is as far as holes are concerned. By the way, India cannot feed its own people and above all we reject Indians assistance in any matter what so ever. India is spreading terrorism in the area. They supported Tamils in Sri Lanka, however it had to close the terror cells after USA refused to sign Civil Nuclear deal. The world saw that when these terror cells were closed by India, Sri Lanka was able to finish the insurgency in an year's time. The day India closes its terror cells being used against Pakistan, we may consider talking. As far as US aid is concerned, I am sure Indian advice is vain and zilch.

T. Ali | 14 years ago | Reply India is a large country with a small myopic mindset, which is the reason why it is viewd as a bully by all its neighbours including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangla Desh and Nepal. The country is dominated by Hindu Nationalists, who live in the past and are obsessed by their hatred of all who are not from their faith. Inspite of its size India views Pakistan as an enemy, which is very sad. Such extremist elements also exist in Pakistan. India needs to act as a big brother and start taking an initiative to resolve all outstanding issues with its neighbours and restrain from interference in their internal affairs.

Ashutosh | 14 years ago | Reply US now don't let its Dollar (aids) in the black hole of Pakistan. There is reduced possibility of siphoning off these aids, most of it to their own account and the remaining in propagation of terror in the world, the Pakistani army and the politicians will soon loose interest in the President's visit. If the Dollar lands up with the needy and/or is put to proper use, what objection India can have. India acknowledges the humanitarian aid and development needs of Pakistan. In medium term, when the hate India Psyche will subsides in Pakistan, you people will find a lot of fund and resources flowing in Pakistan from India for mutual benefit. Indians know Pakistanis as they know the back of their own hand. You know, Pakistan was India a while ago ...

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