BJP's Bomb

Rakesh Bhandari bhandari at phoenix.Princeton.EDU
Wed May 13 17:15:16 PDT 1998


On some of the BJP heavy Indian chat lines, some have expressed appreciation for Gingrich's open-mindedness towards the BJP "defense" policy, as opposed to Clinton's anti Indian pro Chinese proclivities. But I haven't been able to determine what Gingrich has said. Here is some thinking out loud:

Yes, China has been isolated as *potentially* the greatest enemy but this is so, I suspect, due to the role China is thought to have played in recent Pakistani military advances. My guess is that India will sign one of the non-proliferation treaties, the BJP will consolidate its fascist rule through the use of Muslims in and out of India as a spearhead, the arms race will escalate, the US will make up with the BJP and then sell a shit load of arms to India, Pakistan will increase its orders from China; India will (at least) financially crush Pakistan, which will make Israel happy but, alas, will not solve the Kashmir crisis.

Given what has been publically reported of the better links between the US and Indian militaries since India allowed US planes to land during the Gulf War, I must also say that I don't believe that US intelligence has been taken by surprise (but then I don't believe anything uttered by CIA directors and generals). After this explosion, India can now sign relevant non-proliferation treaty with face, and after the treaty is signed and India proven its good will, the US can sell all kinds of weapons to India, including the most sophisticated and most expensive systems available. We are about witness one of the greatest series of arms sales ever...and this to a country with a greater percentage, not just absolute numbers, of its people in absolute poverty than sub-Saharan Africa. Best, Rakesh



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