Thu, Jul 24 01:40 AM
By staking his government on completing the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Manmohan Singh government has already earned India some points in Washington. Even if Singh had lost the vote of no confidence, says Teresita Schaffer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "the reaction in the US would have been: Singh gets credit for trying.
" As New Delhi sank into a political gridlock this past year, many in US foreign policy circles argued India was clearly "unready" for a global role. Three reasons are cited.
One, the nuclear deal was begun under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and finalised under Singh's reign. If India cannot complete what its own leadership wants, then its credibility in pursuing even its own national interest comes into question.
Two, New Delhi kept increasing its nuclear demands to accommodate the requirements of the department of atomic energy and the Left. As one former State Department advisor noted, "India kept moving the goalposts.
" The Bush Administration worked overtime to get the US establishment to accept these demands. The perception overseas, says Schaffer, is that "this is an incredible sweetheart deal for India.
" Three, the nuclear deal took off in the US not only because of Indophile George W. Bush. It had a strong run because many different domestic US interest groups came out in its favour.
This included the Pentagon, big business and the Indian-American community.
If you are young, have a hectic social life where you drink and party, and have applied for a job, chances are you will lose out to someone who is a teetotaler.
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