Three Colours of US

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THESE days are the most happening in terms of international events but here I intend to be US-centric. We are witnessing the US in its true colours

THE first relates to Tri Valley fiasco. More than two thousand students, a large number from India were duped by an unscrupulous university in the US and the students have been declared persona non grata their stay in US declared illegal and about a score of them radio tagged more than three weeks ago. The attitude and role of Indian authorities, including foreign minister SM Krishna, is highly deplorable. They did nothing to comfort our student. The US authorities claim that the students knew the antecedents of the university and yet they joined it. The students have suffered in tree ways : duped by agents of the university, fooled by the university and coerced by the US laws. This raises several questions :

1. Had US authorities behaved with students in the same manner if any of them were related to any minister of UPA or a Congress leader?
2. Had the behaviour of authorities been the same as is the case?
3. Would the US res ponce be the same if there had been a single student from China?
4. Why universities with dubious background are allowed to function in the US?
5. Why the US embassy issued visa to the students, because issuing visa itself is the proof that the student entered the US in a legal genuine manner?
6. Why the applicants to the university were not told about the character of the university when they applied for visa?

THE second is the killing of two Pakistanis by Davis Raymond, a US citizen a few days ago. The US claims him to be a US embassy staff enjoying diplomatic immunity and therefore should be sent back to US. However the documentary proof shows that he is a defence contractor who has been a frequent visitor to Pakistan in recent months. Besides, a severe crime as murder is not covered by diplomatic immunity. The court in Pakistan has sent him to judicial custody and the US is furious. It has demanded immediate release of Davis failing which it has threatened serious consequences, including snapping of diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

THE US, in the first case, wants India to respect its domestic laws but in the second, refuses to respect the domestic laws of Pakistan.

THE third and the most important event is the crisis in Egypt (that in fact needs separate blog). As the public anger against Mubarak regime rose and the people refused to leave Tahrir Square till Mubarak resigned, the US advocated smooth transfer of power. But as it realised anti-US mood of public and that the future regime may not toe the US line, it has withdrawn into its own shell--looking silently to the peaceful demise of Americanism in the region.

THE events have a clear lesson for India, that India should decide on response to international relations with its own interests in mind irrespective of the thought about US reaction.

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