In response to the Mumbai attacks, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went to India to express the Bush administration's support for the the Indian people after the attacks that killed nearly 200 people, including six Americans.

She also had advice for Pakistan and a warning for India. She told Pakistan it must help India in investigating the attacks, which the Indian government believes originated in Pakistan. She told India not to retaliate against Pakistan, which would cause greater tensions in the already volatile region.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also in India. He urged Pakistan to "investigate aggressively any and all possible ties to groups in Pakistan" and "take more, and more concerted, action against militant extremists elsewhere in the country."

These actions are typical of U.S. foreign policy initiatives. Rather than treat other countries as sovereign nations and equals, since World War II the U.S. has developed an attitude of superiority that annoys and often angers leaders of other countries. Rather than this parent/child approach to diplomacy, a policy of equality and openness would be much more effective. Offer support but don't tell other leaders what to do.

Mumbai, formerly called Bombay, is the financial capital of India and the home of its film and television industry, called Bollywood. Over 19 million people live in metropolitan Mumbai, making it the fifth largest city in the world.

 

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HA

December 25, 2008

70.23.68.218

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Congoleeza has zero credibility. Originally a realist protege of Brent Scowcroft, she's been an apologist for the neocon war on Israel's enemies for the last 8 years.

Ernest

December 29, 2008

76.92.145.251

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our insulting other nations with unsolicited advice.

For the want of a nail, a kingdom was lost. If we are going to go to war to protect American interests for prosperity or even peace, why wait until the barbarians are at the gate? Why wait until the terrorists hit a skyscraper? Replace the nail and save the kingdom. I would rather insult all other nations than to have to send our boys into a war that could have been averted with a little contemptible nosiness.

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