tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post5330940185476158629..comments2024-03-27T03:46:07.097-07:00Comments on Raman's strategic analysis: FIGHT AGAINST PAK-SPONSORED TERRORISM: INDIA SHOULD NOT BANK ON OBAMAB.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-24986712158329398082009-01-18T20:22:00.000-08:002009-01-18T20:22:00.000-08:00A reasonable assessment of Obama, I'm afraid. Oba...A reasonable assessment of Obama, I'm afraid. Obama claims to be a change agent and in a sense he is. As an African American, his election marks an important change in US politics. On the other hand, his background also includes Harvard Law, not noted for producing radicals and his advisers are mostly "centrist". So there are limits to the amount of change to be expected from him.<BR/><BR/>Also, people overestimate the role of political leaders, and underestimate the role of events and structural factors. Even if Obama were inclined to support radical change, he has to work with the rest of the US power structure. The people in the US power structure mostly favor policies between those advocated by Clinton and Bush. Though a move back toward Clinton's policies might be taken as a move back toward sanity, it is likely to go only halfway back to sanity.<BR/><BR/>That said, one shouldn't complain too loudly about the double standard in the US toward terrorism directed at the US and terrorism directed against India. I assume Indians felt much more strongly about the attacks on the Indian Parliament {in 2002} and 11/26 than they did about 9/11. It is normal to be much more strongly opposed to threats to oneself than others. The error was to make the claim that the US is engaged in a "War on Terror" in the first place. We're interested in attacking the terrorists likely to attack the US or Israel, and are mostly indifferent to other terrorists. <BR/><BR/>But this is rambling a little. Those who want to read more from me can consult my blog at:<BR/><BR/>http://www.rememberjenkinsear.blogspot.com<BR/><BR/>For the rest of you, thank you for reading this.<BR/><BR/>Ray,Raymond Turneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14504778755031305246noreply@blogger.com