Thursday, March 22, 2007
NEW DELHI, MAR 22: Left parties on Thursday said America’s opposition to the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline was an “outrageous interference” in New Delhi’s affairs and asked the UPA government to resist such pressures and go ahead with the project. Maintaining that the gas pipeline project was of vital interest to India’s energy security, CPI(M) politburo said the government “must proceed with it and ensure the completion of the negotiations with Pakistan on the transit fee and other charges”. The American opposition was motivated by its “partisan interests and its targeting of Iran,” it said and described as “disturbing” reports that US energy secretary Samuel Bodman had conveyed to the Indian government Washington’s objections to the project.
Similarly, CPI Central Secretariat said, “This is nothing but outrageous interference in the affairs of India. As a sovereign country, India has every right to strengthen its energy security through economic cooperation with Iran.”
To be clear here, what the US is proposing is weakening Iran economically, and also making Pakistan and India suffer in solidarity with Iran. Sanctions against Cuba are working out really well too. I think it's great actually that Pakistan and India are co-operating here. It is a healthy sign of progress. Therefore the Bush administration wants no part of it, and are pressuring India hard to kill the deal.
On NPR today I heard a report about how Iran is actually propping up Iraq's economy in several cities, actually flooding the market with goods and keeping things going. No Iran's motives are not pure. They are far from ideal. The Bush administration though is functionally mentally retarded however. This deal with Iran, Pakistan, and India might help the region grown more serene. They really don't know, but their gut reflex to punish Iran no matter who may else suffer is childish, counterproductive, and typical of their behavior.
Sticking our fingers in our ears and shouting LA LA LA at the top of our voices is not diplomacy. John Bolton isn't working for us anymore right?
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