Alternative US Policy for Asia

Bikash Choudhury



Former US President, Jorge Bush Jr. at the end of his consecutive two terms demitted office; a very sad man. Having ruined the electoral prospects of his republican party in the Presidential race. And, thus giving a hope in the form of a new, young and for the first time an US President from African origin; answering the calls of Thomas Jefferson and bringing curtains to his famous speech “I have a dream”. Truly, it was a celebration time for peace loving young people across the world cutting across race, religion and demography. After over a year to the inauguration of the 44th President of United States of America things have not moved as fast as it could have on the shadows of “Audacity of Hope” and strange, even after US President earned an endorsement in the form of Nobel Peace prize. Make no mistake, Barak Obama is as sincere and committed as he was year a go; but, apparently and perhaps, he is being hemmed and hawed by internal politics of US and, he being new to the terrains of majority politics at Capitol Hill, practiced for years. The very same forces led former US President to an avoidable war in Iraq which actually burned over a trillion, precious US dollars of tax payer’s money. Bush said with great regret “I was misled by my advisors”. It is common knowledge who were his advisors and what were their vested interest in a war. God for bid US policy makers do not make the same mistake again and again; now, with Pakistan. The failed attempt to bomb the ‘Times Square’ by Pakistan trained US citizen of Pakistani origin is indication enough that Pakistan would not mind biting the hand that feeds her with billions of dollars in aid. It is about time, US policy makers to be prudent enough to get off from the shoulders of fatal horse-Pakistan, in their Geo Strategic Policy for Asia.

American policy for Asia can be redesigned through the prism of a stable, peaceful and democratic South Asia, if need be minus Pakistan. There is a possibility of Pakistan being courted by China; it would be in US long term strategic interest to concede the problem child to a new parent and save billions of US tax payer’s money; at the same time protecting a toehold of control over the policies of Pakistan through the spoiled brat of Pakistan-the ISI, which may not be a too difficult objective to achieve. Now, US policy makers can encourage India to gain control over South Asian countries through suitable initiative on Economy and Development with a tacit funding arrangement with US. South Asia holds over 200 million impoverished Muslim population who can be brought back to the mainstream economy speedily by liberal doses of aid for education and capacity building which will create a very positive public opinion in favor of US in the rest of the Muslim countries and also, across the globe. Further, China’s haughtiness can be suitably addressed by attempting to engage the China sensitive issues like Tibet’s self determination and unification of Taiwan. Chinese are shrewd enough not to pick a fight with two powerful forces at the same time, that is South Asian regional power India and global power US.

India and US share many common grounds being two large democracies having citizens from much dispersed back ground and still espouse a near fascist nationalistic fervor among its people. That apart, in next two decades the two countries are going to share complementary demographic challenges and could help each other through near free movement of labor to enrich both the economy. Further, in social context US President is worried about failing American marriages and broken family; therefore, with a close and intensive cultural exchange program India could export its strong cultural values that have with stood the test and taste of time and over civilizations to help Americans to strengthen their family values. And, again marriage as an institution for a progressive, stable and economically strong society. At the same time, US can also export its entrepreneurial culture to India at a profit. Therefore, US policy makers must think hard and quick to support India as regional power in South Asia just as they had done in Europe before. The cost of paradigm shift in American policy for Asia would be the least in terms of hard dollars and policy makers’ time. Any takers?