The Statement of U.S. Pacific Command Chief Admiral Willard’s statement in the first week of March before the House Armed Service Committee in response to the Republican Joe Wilson’s question on U.S. commitments to contain Lashkar-E-Taiba activities in the South Asia, that U.S. PACOM Special Forces are deployed in India besides in Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal had created a Left wing furore in the Indian Parliament and the subsequent denial of the same by the Indian Ministry of Defense and Externala Affiars as it is a factually incorrect information, did not pacify the suspicions on the minds of Indian opposition parties particularly for Leftists. Suspicions also exist in the minds of some politicians that weather the Indian governemnt itself is aware of the presence of such U.S.Special Forces in India, inspite of its formal denial.
The dispute regarding the U.S.Pacific Commander Willard statement is two folded. One, whether Willard had misguided the U.S.Congressional Members by his statement or the Indian governement made a offhanded statment to pacify the opposition hue and cry, saying, Willard statement is factually incorrect so far as India is concerned, that means India not denied U.S. Special Forces presence is in the neighbouring countries. In spite of Joint defense exercises by the Indo-U.S. teams, the Indian government’s stand is that U.S. Special Forces were never stationed on the Indian soil in past or at present with no statement of denial pertaining to future stationing of the U.S.Special troops.
In spite of Indian government’s stand on Willard’s statement as factually as incorrect, the U.S. Congress has not initiated any action on Willard, as U.S. Law makers did not consider Willard’s statements are misguiding or false before the Congressional hereing. So in-action against Willard clearly reveals that in view of U.S. Law makers, Indian government’s statement is only a face saving technique from the wrath of political opposition in India, and it is Willard’s statement that is correct, but not the denial stand taken by of Indian government. And the Indian government too never urged the U.S.government to amend the statements made by Willard. Probably Willard’s intention before the U.S. Congressional Committee, the Special Forces means Forces that may not be in Uniform but forces could be in another form working for USPACOM, which may not be known to outside world, as usually done in the U.S.strategies abroad. In fact it is a serious matter, but Indian governemnt never wanted to streatch the dispute further, keeping the growing Indo-U.S. starategic ties and the impending dangers at Indo-Chinese boarders, in view.
In fact there is another dimension to this controversial national issue, as the right wing opposition of India did not view it as a much serious issue. For them too the presense of U.S. Special Forces in or around the Indian vicinity or territorial waters, is not an unwelcome issue. Since one and half decade the attitudes of Indians have considerably changed towards United States. Because, almost 95% of the India’s top political leaders, politicians, pundits, acadamecians and other intellectual strata, Business groups, including many Leftists’ and many more categories of persons’ family members and relatives are staying in the United States with Green Cards, Permanent Citizenships, for studies, business purposes, Investments, employment and other activities. This amount to, almost three and half million Indians are living in United States and their intention is India should always be friendly with United States for their saftey and for all other strategic purposes, and no Indian policies or stands should hurt United States.
More over, it is United States itself knows very well, rather than any others, whethere U.S.special forces are there in India or not. They also know it very well that majority of Indian educated people’s choice is United States, for better employment or education or medical care or for temporary or permanent living, or travel or tourism, training purposes. The Indian craze and statistics for American F-1 and H-1B and other American visas shows this. Studying, getting employment, having a Green Card, living in United States is pride for majority Indians. Today in the Indian society the respect is for those studying or doing job or doing business in United States, in the ken of people in power. Today, the people in power in India invite American investments to India, and giving for lease large acres of lands for American companies to deploy their business establishments, to provide employment to Indians by their investments and their involvements. So can anyone deny that U.S. involvement is not their in the daily lives of Indians when it is very much present in Home Land Security training for Indian police, Military, Arms, Bureaucratic training to administer the public policies, education, training and other scientific R & D activities?
So, when the majority educated minds of Indians have become Americanized including for Indian Leftists, along with those who are in power, is Willard’s statement still unbelievable? So, politically speaking, Indian governemt’s denial of U.S. troop presence in India and Willard’s statements of U.S.Special Forces presence in India, both are correct!!!!!!!!!! By dchaitanya