The world as a see-saw

In his article America?s martial arts (Jan. 28), Brahma Chellaney rightly suggests that India should seek to befriend the US without losing sight of its own interests. George Bush?s decision to visit India and Pakistan indicates that far from wanting to make India a major international power, the US is still playing its old balancing game.

In his article America’s martial arts (Jan. 28), Brahma Chellaney rightly suggests that India should seek to befriend the US without losing sight of its own interests. George Bush’s decision to visit India and Pakistan indicates that far from wanting to make India a major international power, the US is still playing its old balancing game. The nuclear deal of last July has come handy to the US to influence Indian foreign policy and to try and cap our nuclear programme. India should resist such pressures.

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Harsh Ray, Mumbai

It's normal

Prem Shankar Jha in his article More than mullahs (January 27) stated correctly that Iran should be treated as a ‘normal’ nation. Washington’s fear that Iran may supply bombs to al-Qaeda is nothing but a giveaway that it has ulterior motives and wishes to exert its authority on other nations. There is nothing wrong in being concerned about one’s own security provided it is not violating international norms. India should be careful to cast its vote on the Iran issue.

Sonali Chowdhury, via e-mail

Short message service

What Rahul Gandhi said at the recent AICC plenary is a clear message not only to Congress netas but to youngsters craving for power without doing the groundwork (No thanks, says Rahul, Jan. 24). Gandhi gave a fitting reply to those who play the politics of caste and religion.

Delhi-Riyadh bhai bhai

The outcome of the visiting Saudi monarch has been nothing short of a diplomatic coup for India. Both Manmohan Singh and King Abdullah ignored protocol. The monarch’s assurances to fight terrorism and energy supplies to India, besides suggesting that Pakistan sponsor our membership to the OIC as an observer, were landmark achievements in India-Saudi Arabia ties.

Navneet Dhawan, Delhi

Remember UP

The BJP has been keen to set its foot in the South and hence engineered a split in the JD(S) in Karnataka. Let us hope the new alliance will complete its term, and not repeating the fate of the BJP in UP, when it found the rug of power pulled from under its feet by the BSP.

S.R. Murdeshwar, Pune