Noam Chomsky, one of the great thinkers of our times is an American citizen. Being a U.S citizen is not in anyway a handicap or obstacle for him to remain a scathing critic of U.S policies, both internal and external, take for instance his bitter attacks against the unwarranted U.S interventionist policies in Vietnam, Iraq, Latin American countries and several other nations, its overt and covert policies of toppling the Governments of certain nations which do not care to toe its line, by extending help to the army juntas and to those who are friendly and willing tools to implement its policies thereby paving the way in widening its support base for its policies of colonization and its imperialist designs still condemned widely across the world. Noam Chomsky takes every opportunity that comes in his way like its piling up of lethal weapons and nuclear warheads, posing a threat to an enemy country which opposes its hawkish policies. A bitter critic of capitalism and free-market policies Chomsky is respected by leftists and peace-loving people across the world.
But he is not deterred by any rulers in the corridors of power in the U.S. He can go on writing freely without fear or favour, he can deliver speeches anywhere in U.S vehemently criticizing the policies of the Government be it a Republican, or Democratic Party Govt, can give interviews to anybody without seeking prior permission from the Govt of the day, can undertake journeys abroad to deliver speeches even if it be against the aggressive hegemony of the Govt of his country without apprehending arrest or imprisonment in a U.S. jail upon his return from abroad.
We have leftist leaders in India, who miss no chance to launch bitter attacks on the policies followed by U.S. Govt remember not any kind of personal attacks, and it is not a secret but a naked truth widely known across the political spectrum, their near and dear ones residing in U.S, some undertaking jobs, some doing business, entrepreneurs, students in renowned universities like Harvard, Yale, Princeton to name a few, skilled and semi-skilled workers. In addition to these facts many Indians hold prestigious powerful positions in various departments. Being a sibling of an Indian Communist, doesn’t pose any threat or handicap in going on with his /her studies or jobs, thereby learning or earning a living in U.S.
Why? I need not answer it as it is popularly known to each and every citizen in India. America is democratic country like our India. While former is well-known as the greatest democracy, the latter the largest democracy in the world. In a democracy, people can move freely, express views without fear even if it be against the policies of the Govt of the day unlike the masses in a totalitarian country or military junta like the one in Myanmar. People always detest authoritarian rule as they feel a kind of suffocation or feel like their hands tied or mouths shut and all the liberation struggles in history were/are the expression of their anger, frustration and love of freedom. We can very well gauge the intensity or severity of the anger, frustration, love of freedom of the people of nation and the a majority of us experienced such bitter feelings during the emergency period albeit for a short span of 19 months.
Why U.S., the world’s greatest democracy and the lone super-power (whether such an entity still exists?) which values freedom and scathing criticism in its stride, nurses feelings of enmity and intolerance towards countries like Iran for going on with its nuclear enrichment programme? Previously it was Iraq which fell victim to its imperialist designs with cooked up allegations of piling up of WMDs. The super power along with its principal ally Britain and other NATO allies bombarded Iraq, massacred millions, destroyed properties and in the end wiped out an entire civilization. Later to its ‘horror’ it found its allegations hollow and baseless and now desperately trying to find an exit route by handing over the reins of power to a “so-called” democratic Government. The painful fact is that neither the then President George Walker Bush nor the then Prime Minister of Britain Tony Blair shows no signs of remorse for their unwarranted, deplorable, abhorrent intervention and killing of millions.
Why, a nation which always swears by and stands for highest democratic values displays an arrogant attitude towards other nations while maintaining a massive nuclear arsenal in its kitty? What logic it has to frighten Iran with “biting sanctions” (Thanks to Hilary) not willing to backtrack from its nuclear enrichment programme. A defiant president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmemadinejad is proceeding along with grit and determination notwithstanding. Gone are the days of a Uni-polarworld. A multi-polar world is fast emerging before our eyes and why can’t U.S. come to terms with changing times?
Equally amazing and embarrassing is the submissive attitude of India, World’s largest democracy towards US bowing to the diktats of U.S., India without any protest or remorse backtracked from its commitment to Iran for installing a gas-pipeline which if implemented would have helped India meet its mounting energy crisis. It is a matter of distress to the citizens of both India and Iran that to placate a fuming U.S. we were infact ditching a traditional friend. Prior to adopting this disgusting and deplorable decision, India, along with US and a few nuclear powers, India voted for sanctions against Iran for its nuclear enrichment programme in the IAEA meeting held in 27 Nov 2009..
And now, to meet the pressing need of passing that civil nuclear damage liability bill in order to operationalize the Civil-Nuclear deal our Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and his henchmen are busy trying to cobble up a majority in Parliament which if materialized would certainly invite unforeseen disastrous consequences, to the Indians, in the long run. And the U.S. nuclear firms who put up nuclear reactors in India in case of such an eventuality can escape with a pittance of U.S $ 500 M as compensation. Their responsibility ends there. Worthwhile here to remember that other nuclear nations, like Russia and France do not insist any obligation from India to enact a bill limiting the compensation up to US $ 500M. There was a report to that effect by Hindu’s Russian correspondent Vladimir Radyuhin on the occasion of Vladimir Putin’s recent one day visit to India and inking of strategic and defence ties. Then why oblige the U.S simply to satisfy its unjust demands?
Strange are the ways, of two prominent democracies… One for one-up-manship and the other always obliging even willing to crawl before it.
India proposes, US disposes.
US proposes, India obliges.
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