30 October - 5 November 2017-min

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2 30 October - 5 November, 2017 U Editorial NEW DELHI TIMES Haley spells out US policy on India ◆◆ By NDT Special Bureau @NewDelhiTimes info@newdelhitimes.com S Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, in her address to the US- India Friendship Council in Washington on 17th October, said the United States was ‘really going to need’ greater support from major South Asian power India in stabilising Afghanistan and resolving the Afghan conflict. She sought India’s help not only with infrastructure and the aid towards rebuilding Afghanistan, but also to keep an eye on Pakistan. Haley said that America’s overriding interest in Afghanistan and South Asia was to eliminate terrorist safe havens and keep nuclear weapons away from terrorists by using all its economic, diplomatic and military powers. After laying the groundwork for better US- Pakistan partnership the US intends to hold Pakistan accountable, hence needs India’s help to keep an eye on Pakistan. Recalling Trump’s ‘tougher approach’ to Pakistan for allegedly ‘harbouring terrorists’ Haley reiterated that Washington won’t tolerate any government offering safe havens on its soil to terrorists who target Americans. This new approach will require understanding and restraint from both Pakistan and India as the United States wanted to maintain separate relations with both nations. The United States recognises the important contributions India had made to the stability of Afghanistan and wanted New Delhi to continue doing so. Trump does not oppose the Indian nuclear programme as ‘India is a democracy that threatens no one’ but was determined to stop Iran from acquiring any nuclear weapon. Halley said the objection by five permanent members to the proposed reform of the UN Security Council was less about expansion per se but ‘much more about veto’ power that allows Russia, China, Britain, US and France to veto a resolution. None of them want to give up veto power. Haley revealed how two of the five permanent members, Russia and China, opposed any changes in the current structure of the Security Council and could also keep India out if it sought veto powers. She advised India ‘not to touch’ the present veto arrangement at the UN Security Council if it wanted to join the world body as a permanent member. So, the key to getting India on the Security Council is not to touch the veto, Haley implored. While addressing think tank on policy statement Haley also spoke about close India- US cooperation to check China and Pakistan. Islamabad deprecates the US South Asia policy that makes India the new surrogate and China the clear target. There’s been a tilt in US policy towards India since Photo Credit : Shutterstock Bush era. Moreover, international relations are transactional and ever-changing. India is a democracy that values non-violence and don’t threaten any western country or interests, hence inspires Washington’s confidence. Pak still harbours the illusion of being sovereign equal to India and the guardian of Indus. Indians have kept an eye on Pakistan since independence with the other riveted on China. Pakistan and China eye India and America. The US wanted Pakistan to watch Afghanistan, and now desires India to keep an eye on Pakistan. India cannot rely on China which is out to contain India, so cannot but side with the US. Pakistan cannot fully align with China and at the same time expect proximity to Washington. Pakistan wanted both US and China to contain India. On growth trajectory now, India has neither time nor interest to keep eye on anyone, let alone interfere with other’s internal matters. China’s neighbours are too wary of its expansionist intentions. China and Russia’s involvement in Afghanistan is a major issue as both allow Taliban free movement in their countries. Afghanistan offers a good opportunity for India and Pakistan to fix bilateral relations by addressing common regional challenges. Good faith and trust can pre-empt efforts of weapon states to create instability to sell their weapons. USA doing dual diplomacy; Vice President appreciating Pakistan’s efforts while Haley balancing by encouraging India. India is chosen as new emerging power but must learn from history not to take the bait. Pakistan’s experience proves that playing surrogate for US has short shelf life. India should honestly try to solve problems with neighbours Pakistan and China by developing business like USA-Canada-Europe. India must pursue its own interests regardless of what USA or Pakistan wants. After all war in Afghanistan is not against terrorism but for resources - trillion dollars of lithium that could be the future source of energy! Trump’s one statement ‘India do more in Afghanistan’ proved to be the Trump card producing more action from Pakistan than any other threat over the last 30 years! Burkas, niqabs pose public safety risk T ◆◆ By Tarek Fatah Author & Columnist, Canada @TarekFatah tarek.fatah@gmail.com he slur of “racism” has been hurled at Muslims who support Quebec’s Bill 62 — the new law banning face coverings, for example the burka and niqab, when giving or receiving government services. Photo Credit : Shutterstock From Ontario Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne to Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown, many white politicians and liberal media commentators have been quick to label any support of Bill 62 racist. Since I, a Muslim, support Bill 62, I guess that makes me a racist. Indeed, it’s not uncommon to hear whispers suggesting Muslims like me who support the burka and niqab ban are “sell-outs” within the Muslim community. And that white politicians who oppose Bill 62 are trying to salvage the reputation of our community, despite our supposed betrayal. After all, what do these politicians have to lose? The political race to the bottom to curry favour with the so-called “Muslim vote bank” in Canada, as they see it, has worked well for both Conservatives and Liberals. Charmed as they are by many secondgeneration radical Muslims who were born in Canada, some of whom hate western civilization more than their parents do. But none of the attacks on Quebec’s burka/ niqab ban was more disingenuous than one told by a well-coiffed hijabi on Canadian television recently, dismissing the public safety aspect of people wearing facemasks. This young Muslim woman claimed there has not been a single incident where someone wearing a burka committed a crime. To set the record straight, here are just a few examples of criminal activities committed by men and women wearing burkas and other face coverings in Canada: Two months ago, on Aug. 17, 2017, an armed robbery took place at a Scotia Bank branch in Milton, Ontario. Police said one of the two suspects was wearing a balaclava. On Sept. 9, 2015, two burka-wearing male teens charged into a Toronto bank in the Yonge Street and Highway 401 area. Both were later arrested in Ajax. On Oct. 14, 2014, two men wearing burkas robbed a Toronto jewellery store in the York Mills and Leslie Street area, and walked away with $500,000 worth of gold and precious stones. On Aug. 18, 2010 an armed robbery by two masked men took place at a Scotiabank branch in Vaughan, north of Toronto. Ottawa police have in the past cited a handful of robberies in that city involving male suspects using Muslim women’s religious garments as disguises. Some of us will never forget how a young Toronto Muslim woman, Bano Shahdady, threw off her burka as she was divorcing her husband, only to be stalked by him disguised in a burka. He entered her apartment building and killed her in July, 2011. It was a story few media were willing to delve into, but because I knew the family, one journalist did report about this burkarelated murder that almost went unreported. Around the world, numerous criminals have fled arrest wearing burkas, everywhere from London’s Heathrow airport to the infamous Lal Masjid armed revolt by jihadis in Islamabad. My plea to vote-grabbing Canadian politicians of all political stripes in English-speaking Canada is, for once, be honest. Put the racist card aside and recognize burkas and niqabs pose a serious public safety risk. www.NewDelhiTimes.com
30 October - 5 November, 2017 3 T Editorial W ◆◆ By Dr. Ankit Srivastava Editor - in - Chief @AnkitNDT ankits@newdelhitimes.com ◆◆ By NDT Mexico Bureau @NewDelhiTimes info@newdelhitimes.com NEW DELHI TIMES US hails India ‘partnership’ to counter China he United States delineated its policy recently to work with India over the next century in preference to China and to promote a ‘free and open’ Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies. The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivered his unexpectedly sharp message to Beijing in his speech to Washington think-tank -- the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Tillerson’s speech set the stage nicely for his recent visit to China’s main Asian rival India to lay out a vision for a 100-year ‘strategic partnership’ between Washington and New Delhi. He utilised the opportunity to compare the United States and India — the world’s ‘two greatest democracies’ — with China, that was undermining the ‘rules-based international order.’ The remark, apart from being a warning or rebuke to China, is designed for multiple audiences in the Indo- Pacific region. Washington and Delhi have been building stronger ties for some time now, but Tillerson made one of the clearest cases that the ‘shared values’ underpinning the relationship make India and the United States ideal partners. It was also an indication to great power rival China that Washington will build regional alliances to counter its evergrowing power, while promoting free trade and open sea lanes. “The United States and India are increasingly global partners with hile Mexico has been in the news lately because of U.S President Trump’s plan to build a border wall, it was again in the news for a different reason, because a 20% fuel hike has the people fuming, leading to multiple protests. Mexico is in the throes of an uprising by their citizens who are deeply affected by the hike in fuel prices. The protests and vandalism led to 4 deaths and hundreds have been injured. Over 300 stores were vandalized leading to almost 1500 arrests. According to the country’s business chamber, with highways, ports and terminals being blocked many stores and businesses are closed threatening the supply of basic goods and fuel. The hike makes the average price for a liter of premium gasoline to 17.79 pesos, which puts a gallon at nearly 80 pesos or $4. The domestic price hike led to annual consumer price inflation peaking in August at 6.7 percent. Now one could wonder, as to why a fuel hike threatens to completely stop a country. To get more context, one should know that the minimum wage in Mexico is just $4 a day, growing strategic convergence. Indians and Americans don’t just share an affinity for democracy. We share a vision of the future,” Tillerson said, projecting the relationship into the next 100 years. He promised greater prosperity and security in a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific,’ and pushed India to open up borders to more regional and US trade. Tillerson further said “China, while rising alongside India, has done so less responsibly, at times undermining the international, rules-based order.” He was also critical of Chinese actions in the South China Sea and termed such actions as a clear violation of international law and norms. During the Doklam border stand-off China tested India’s limits when its spokespersons used words unimaginable to wear India down in a psychological war that neither Indian public nor military establishment has taken lightly to. Of course Tillerson did not directly address August stand-off on the Doklam plateau but vowed that Washington ‘won’t shrink from China’s challenges to the rules-based order, or where China subverts the sovereignty of neighbouring countries.’ Tillerson noted the Indian navy now flies the American P-8 surveillance aircraft alongside US forces, and promised to help India in developing a carrier-born strike force. He concurred with Defense Secretary Mattis’ declaration ‘that the world’s two greatest democracies should have the two greatest militaries.’ Trump is due to visit Asia in November with Beijing stop over to refurbish rapport with Xi and to push for action to contain North Korea’s nuclear threat. Tillerson’s call for US and India working together is boosted by Japan and Israel supporting the friendship. The idea of a ‘New Pacific’ is a priority for both Trump and Tillerson; the leading democracies like US, Europe, India and Japan have come to same page. Now the four-way arrangement of Australia, India, Japan and the United States could ‘anchor’ the sprawling Indo Pacific region and set standards for trade and security Mexico’s Fuel Crisis Explained that is the same price for a gallon of petrol, which makes it extremely difficult for those who are dependent on petrol for their jobs. So, even a 20% hike affects the country very badly in multiple ways. Mexicans took to the streets to drive the point home, in Monterrey in northern Mexico, at least six protest marches convened on the state government’s palace in the centre of town. Gunfire erupted and some of the 10,000 protesters threw stones and broke stained glass windows. In Veracruz, one of the hardest-hit states by the looting, some neighborhood groups had begun to form patrols of residents armed with staves or machetes to ward off looters. In the centre of all of this is the man, Mexican President, Pena Nieto. He has repeatedly defended his decisions saying it was all in the best interest of the country. President Enrique Pena Nieto, who took office in 2012, said that this was a “responsible” measure that the government took in line with the international oil price. In a televised speech he asked people to remain calm and he said, “When the price of gasoline goes up, the prices of a basic goods basket, as well as other products, also goes up,” he said. He added “They’ve been raising the prices for a long time, but after a while you get sick of it and you need to go out and demonstrate your inconformity.” “I know that allowing gasoline to rise to its international price is a difficult change, but as president, my job is to precisely make difficult decisions now, in order to avoid worse consequences in the future,” Photo Credit : Shutterstock He concluded by saying “Keeping gas prices artificially low would mean taking money away from the poorest Mexicans, and giving it to those who have the most.” excluding China. India on the long march to emerge as a powerful, economy has cultivated cautious relations with both Washington and Beijing. While China is an upcoming great power, USA is still the ‘Only’ super power in the world right now. As a realist, it will take all these wooing with a pinch of salt. Trump is simply paraphrasing what Kautilya said 3000 years ago about the eternal truth of real politik. A stronger India anchored in human values will naturally attract many friends. US-India increasinng partnership will be a win-win affair for both the countries. To understand the violence, we have to analyze all the factors, which have led to this massive fuel hike. The major reason behind the violence is the energy reformation in Mexico. Oil was privatized in the country in 2015, removing a 75-year-old monopoly the state had. It opened up Mexico to global oil prices and the government aimed at bringing in line with global crude oil prices by 2018. However, the government began the process in 2016 itself, they created a pricing scheme based on the U.S gulf Coast prices. In addition they implemented two taxes on fuel sales from January 1st 2017 this is the preceding move before the 2018 scheme to liberalize fuel prices. The final reason was the drastic fall in fuel prices, in 2012 Mexico earned 852 billion pesos from oil and in 2015 the number dropped to 408 billion pesos, the huge revenue downfall led to increase in oil prices. So the new pricing scheme, the taxes and the huge losses Mexico suffered are the reason behind the monumental price hike leading to all that violence. Reiterating these points Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has called for calm, saying the price hike is necessary after a rise in global oil prices. www.NewDelhiTimes.com
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