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Reply With QuoteYou bet it and I am from the Communist ruled state of Bengal!
Indians warmest towards the US: survey - MSN India - NewsIndians warmest towards the US: survey
Washington: Indians have the warmest feelings towards the United States, followed by the Japanese, with Pakistanis at the other end of the spectrum, according to a survey conducted by Pennsylvania University.
Even in Kerala and West Bengal, states ruled by the Communist parties who are the most vociferous opponents of closer ties with the US, respondents clearly prefer the relationship with the US to the relationship with China, the survey suggests.
However, the results of the survey by the Centre for the Advanced Study of India do not imply that the public is in favour of a strategic alliance or supports specific actions by the US, says centre director Devesh Kapur.
The survey of foreign policy attitudes of Indians did not explicitly address the India-US civil nuclear deal. But it found no empirical evidence that the Indian public opposes closer ties with the US.
Indians see the US as worthy of emulation but are wary of American power. Sensible people anywhere ought to be bothered by the accumulation of power, said Kapur, who is also a professor of the study of contemporary India at the university.
The empirical evidence indicates that not only the average Indian voter, but even the poor as well as elite voters prefer the US to other countries. This is contrary to the argument of the opponents of the nuclear deal that Indian elites are using it to drive the country closer to the US against the "people's wishes".
At the same time, Indians are not naive about their views of the US government. Thus, the vehemence with which the leadership of the Communist parties has attacked the nuclear deal has little to do with the wishes of "the people" and in that sense could well be regarded as anti-democratic.
The respondents were asked to express their opinion about the degree of warmth or positive feelings towards the US, Japan, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
The evidence from other questions in the survey indicates that the Indian public is not naive and indeed demonstrates a streak of hard realism in its judgements about the US.
The largest ever random, nationally representative survey of foreign policy attitudes of Indians was conducted in 2005-06, covering 212,563 households.
While no data was obtained on the religious beliefs at the individual level, there was no statistical difference in states with higher Muslim population from those with low concentration of Muslims. The widely believed view that Muslims are anti-US did not find support
You bet it and I am from the Communist ruled state of Bengal!
"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."
I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.
HAKUNA MATATA
I wonder if Indians have more positive feelings for the US then Californians or New Yorkers.
Probably.
"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."
- Thomas Jefferson
Indians do admire and stand for the ideals of USA,
But I do have some reservations of their Foriegn Policy, But then again it is geo-politics
Stole the words from my mouthOriginally Posted by Adux
I for one support the U.S. foreign policy of kicking jehadi arse in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and else where. I wish our politicians were as committed in protecting Indians and Indian interests.
I rant, therefore I am.
All of this means squat. Today's opinion can change into tomorrow's opinion.
I agree that the average Indians has always been close to the US ideals, but have baulked at the US foreign policy!
That maybe a reality of life, but as far as what the US ideals stand for, do Indians not have the same values?All of this means squat. Today's opinion can change into tomorrow's opinion.
"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."
I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.
HAKUNA MATATA
Sir,
When Indians talk about Foriegn policy its not about the middle east, but will be rather about 7th fleet sailing into the bay of bengal.
Most Indians support the WoT, as they should.
And we do have the same ideals, but we dont follow them with the same zeal as the Americans do. We are too much of *****'s in my opinion, or maybe India is just being born into real politik and geo-strategic equations, hopefully would have killed its spineless NAM years.
LOL! The Pakistani lawyers & judges and opposition leaders have those values but they don't like the US.
Hell many countries in Europe have the same values as US but sure don't like US. 10 years ago, they liked the US very much. Take a look at the US-French relations right now. 5 years ago, US hated the guts of French people and would gloat gleefully whenever France suffers a mishap. Now look at today, you would think they were best pals for their entire lives.
Iraq Iraq, arrrgh
Whatever mask they may choose to hide behind, a Frenchman is still a Frenchman...Now look at today, you would think they were best pals for their entire lives.
"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."
- Thomas Jefferson
I heard it from a very senior executive of an MNC having a large presence in India "Our two coutries are separated by the maximum distance possible but culturally I find them very close". I think by culture he meant the hard working nature of Indians, the religious and cultural tolerance that is a halmark of both countries, the belief that every citizen should get the opportunity to get ahead in life irrespective of their origin or religious beliefs.
Now whether it is a practical reality in India (or even in the USA) is besides the point, but both the countries do stand for that ideal and that makes the Indians feel warmth towards USA as that is where they would like to see India of tomorrow in many respects.
I for one have travelled to USA many times and really like the country. But do I agree with all their policies? Of course not, especially arming dangerous and unstable countries in India's neighbourhood with weapons of aggression when it is known what those weapons would be used for or winking at the nuclear proliferation in our neighbourhood for short term gains.
But I believe overall USA is a force for good and as long as that holds true they have my support.
By far.
Most Californians and New Yorkers believe our nation is on the wrong track and a negative force in the world. They believe Bush is a bigger threat to the world than Bin Laden.
I bet most Indians believe otherwise.
"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.
Is that a bad thing?
Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.
- John Stuart Mill.
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