On issues that matter to the the Administration, President Obama’s statements and positions have been nuanced, balanced and thoughtful. One may disagree or agree with the attitude towards gays in the military, toward the closing of Guantanomo prisons, the handling of TARP funds, but few would dispute that the White House takes time to consider the shades of gray before making stark or insensitive statements.
In this light. I am irked by the statement on India’s recent elections, which seems to have been written by someone with little knowledge of India and certainly none towards Indian sensibilities. Why do I say that.
“President obama congratulates India in its historic national elections”. Historic? Surely they are not talking about the historic use of all-electronic polling (India does not worry about hanging chads anymore). I don’t think so. The American elections of 2000 and 2008 were historic for problems in counting and for electing an African American. But history won’t find the 2009 India elections as particularly notable. The election process in India is quite routine after 60 years of democracy (which include universal suffrage for all citizens regardless of color or gender, from Day One).
The statement goes on to say “the elections have strengthened India’s vibrant democracy”. Well may be by 0.00001 per cent, Mr. President. Most Americans would be irked if anyone talked about “strengthening” the democracy of the United States or of the UK, France or Germany. Democracy is a given in today’s India. I suspect the write of this press release simply did a Ctrl-V paste from earlier news about Pakistan, Iraq or Afghanistan, where American dollars are being spent to “strengthen” the government or the electoral process.
I am sure that the write of this press release meant well. As “The India Expert” I must point out how so many well intentioned Americans embarrass themselves, their companies and their people by remarks that are not fully thought out from the Indian perspective.
The key problem is that India is suffering from “benign neglect” by the Obama administration. There is no US Ambassador to India, five months into the Presidency. The civil nuclear treaty between the US and India has not benefitted American companies or created American jobs yet, in part due to red-tape on the American side.
The Obama administration has big domestic problems. But surely they can find a few competent people to address India, the world’s largest democracy, a key buyer of American goods, the home of Asia’s oldest stock market, an outpost of freedom in a rough neighborhood and a provide of 70,000 foreign students to American school.
