03-17-2005, 20:43 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Defense Professional
Join Date: 12-10-04
Location: Seattle, WA
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This is a little old, but it's relevant to the discussion. Sorry if it's been posted here before...
Quote:
India in US military bloc by 2008
24 November 2004: India will be part of an US-led Asia-Pacific peacekeeping force and security bloc to be established by 2008.
Conceived by US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld three years ago but approved after the recent elections by the Congressional Research Service, it fits into his aim to modernise American forces by cutting costs and increasing effectiveness.
The idea of the peacekeeping force and encompassing bloc was conveyed to most Asian countries including India during the opening ceremony of the UN General-Assembly session in New York in September.
Diplomatic sources said prime minister Manmohan Singh was quite responsive, and the Indian armed forces believe it will bring new technology and tactics to their modernisation programme.
Nineteen countries will be initial members, and the leading ones are India, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgistan, South Korea, the Philippines, and New Zealand, followed by smaller states, which are yet to be accommodated, but have given their consent.
US armed forces will undergo a technology revolution by year 2020, and Europe sees the bloc as a “smart move” by America to preserve its hyperpower status, cutting down its own military strength, and having sway over forces from other allies.
China was shown the plan on a visit by the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, but it remained unresponsive, and diplomats said India has expressed no reservation about being deployed in a possible peacekeeping role alongwith Pakistan, because the US is said to have taken guarantees for its “good behaviour”.
http://www.indiareacts.com/nati2.asp...51&ctg=Defence
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__________________
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