Comments on: No Great Changes http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/11/13/no-great-changes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=no-great-changes n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:25:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Daniel Larison http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/11/13/no-great-changes/comment-page-1/#comment-18214 Daniel Larison Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:07:54 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=7590#comment-18214 If he had that much knowledge about the issue, he wouldn't talk about it publicly, because he would know that the Indians don't want to hear outsiders talk about mediating the dispute. The annoyed Indian reaction is to be and should have been expected, and therefore it should have been avoided. If this is Obama being skillful, what do his mistakes look like? "Unless Obama can demonstrate that Bush’s efforts with India were fruitless or misguided, he has not given any major reason why American policy should change." No, he hasn't, but according to what he has said he wants to change it anyway. If he had that much knowledge about the issue, he wouldn’t talk about it publicly, because he would know that the Indians don’t want to hear outsiders talk about mediating the dispute. The annoyed Indian reaction is to be and should have been expected, and therefore it should have been avoided. If this is Obama being skillful, what do his mistakes look like?

“Unless Obama can demonstrate that Bush’s efforts with India were fruitless or misguided, he has not given any major reason why American policy should change.”

No, he hasn’t, but according to what he has said he wants to change it anyway.

]]> By: KXB http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/11/13/no-great-changes/comment-page-1/#comment-18198 KXB Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:08:05 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/?p=7590#comment-18198 Again - I see no real evidence that what is going on here is nothing more than blowing smoke, by both Obama and those Indians who resent Obama's statements. Obama seems to be demonstrating his knowledge of the issue and the main players with a good deal of skill, something Bush was not able to do. But Bush was effective in promoting U.S.-Indian relations beyond mere rhetoric, the tired old "two largest democracies" slogans and such. Unless Obama can demonstrate that Bush's efforts with India were fruitless or misguided, he has not given any major reason why American policy should change. But Mr. Sibal does an exemplary job of once again demonstrating Indian prickiliness in such matters. Again – I see no real evidence that what is going on here is nothing more than blowing smoke, by both Obama and those Indians who resent Obama’s statements. Obama seems to be demonstrating his knowledge of the issue and the main players with a good deal of skill, something Bush was not able to do. But Bush was effective in promoting U.S.-Indian relations beyond mere rhetoric, the tired old “two largest democracies” slogans and such. Unless Obama can demonstrate that Bush’s efforts with India were fruitless or misguided, he has not given any major reason why American policy should change. But Mr. Sibal does an exemplary job of once again demonstrating Indian prickiliness in such matters.

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