Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Congressman Ro Khanna, who is Bernie Sanders for President Co-Chair, is pushing for what he describes as a NATO-like alliance between the US and India. Tulsi Gabbard is also supporting this alliance. More than anything, this bill would allow India, which is a nuclear state that has never signed the non-proliferation treaty, to more easily access and steal more US military technology – endangering America’s future defense.

This does not serve the interests of the United States, apart from the military-industrial complex that Bernie and Tulsi pretend to abhor. It appears to only benefit the US military industrial complex in the near-term, until India finishes stealing the technology.

If it becomes a true NATO-like pact, it is a bad deal for the poor undercastes in India, who could end up as cannon fodder soldiers, alongside American soldiers, in India’s wars against China and Pakistan. The US isn’t the UK. India is and was Russia’s ally. India’s problems should not be our problem. Is Ro Khanna Bernie Sanders co-chair by design or by stupidity? Neither is acceptable for a future US President.

The bill, to which he refers, appears to be “H. R. 2123 To provide for United States actions to advance the United States-India strategic relationship“. It was introduced on April 8, 2019, not long after India’s February 24, 2019 military attack against Pakistan. This was the first military strike since India went to war with Pakistan in 1971: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Balakot_airstrike See the text of HR 2123 further below.

Do Ro Khanna and Tulsi Gabbard want the US out of the Middle East, so that we can get bogged down in war with China and/or Pakistan on behalf of India? This would kill and maim many, increase the debt so that the US will again be “structurally adjusted”, because of the debt, and the remaining social welfare net, social security and medicare totally gutted. This sniffs of a ploy to destroy the United States. How this fits in with Bernie Sanders’ Pakistani-American campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, we haven’t figured out yet. We have been unable to find out why the parents of Faiz Shakir left Pakistan. Faiz Shakir is a former aide to both Pelosi and Harry Reid.

Not so “outrageous”, the only question is which country or countries: “Bernie Sanders defends Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Outrageous’ to suggest she is a foreign asset” By Chandelis Duster, CNN, October 22, 2019 https://archive.li/lTc7U Tulsi met with Bernie before announcing her candidacy: https://archive.li/XKkNt

These days we have to depend upon the media in India to know what’s going on in the United States.

Ro Khanna serves on the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, as does Tulsi Gabbard. Ro Khanna told reporter(s) from India: “I am working with Elliot Engel, Chair of the (House) Foreign Relations Committee, to give India the equivalent of NATO status in our defence relationship. I have introduced a bill in the House Armed Services committee and am working to build a coalition to get it passed”. He also met with Randy Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs and said that he “had an ‘in depth conversation’ about the strategic importance of the US-India relationship“. They discussed strengthening economic and defense ties. PTI adds that Congress and the Trump Administration see Ro Khanna as a key player in strengthening ties between the US and India. (As reported by Press Trust of India-Hindustan Times: “Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna seeks NATO equivalent defence ties with India” Sep 21, 2019 Press Trust of India – Hindustan Times: https://archive.li/6QmMD (NB: Ro Khanna ran as a Democrat, but his father-in-law, Monte Ahuja, is a large Republican donor. This may be why both sides see him as a “key player”).

“Pakistan vs India allies and enemies: What countries support India? Who supports Pakistan? India admitted to launching air strikes against militants in Pakistani territory this week, but Pakistan quickly retaliated the following day. Here is which countries are on India and Pakistan’s side as tensions between the two countries escalate“. By Rachel Russel, Mar 4, 2019, UK Express https://archive.li/yciNp The article explains that Pakistan is allied with China (India’s historic enemy).

Ro Khanna’s grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, was serving in the the Parliament of India, when India signed a mutual military assistance pact with the USSR: “in August 1971 when Delhi signed a treaty with the Soviet Union that included mutual military assistance in case of war.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4633263.stm And, when India set off its first nuclear bomb in 1974: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smiling_Buddha. In 1962, “with the approval of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and guidance from Labor Minister Gulzari Lal Nanda, Vidyalankar organized the Congress Forum for Socialist Action… when Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister, the Socialist Forum support Mrs. Gandhi’s progressive policies and played a significant role in the election of President V.V. Giri.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarnath_Vidyalankar India remains close to Russia.

One excerpt from the bill (See bill below):
“On July 30, 2018, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that India, because of its status as a major defense partner, would be moved to the Department of Commerce’s Strategic Trade Authorization Tier 1 license designation list which enables greater availability for exports and reexports and transfers within, India for articles under the Export Administration Regulations. In its final rule issued on August 3, 2018, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security stated that the rule, which enabled India to be moved to the Tier 1 list, “befits India’s status as a Major Defense Partner”.

Tulsi is a Hindu who loves Modi, although she is not Asian-Indian. Ami Bera, who is an Asian-Indian born in LA serves on the House Foreign Affairs committee, and is an original sponsor. Co-sponsors include Asian-Indian Congressman Raj Krishnamoorthi, born in New Delhi India. Ro Khanna was born in Philadelphia, PA.

Sponsors and co-sponsors. Among the original sponsors we have bipartisan Republicons and Dem-Wits.
“Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-30]*
04/08/2019
Rep. Holding, George [R-NC-2]*
04/08/2019
Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2]*
04/08/2019
Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3]*
04/08/2019
Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-7]*
04/08/2019
Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22]
05/15/2019
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
06/20/2019
Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2]
06/21/2019
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
07/09/2019
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
07/09/2019
Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]

Text: H.R.2123 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Introduced in House (04/08/2019)
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2123 To provide for United States actions to advance the United States-India strategic relationship.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 8, 2019
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Holding, Ms. Gabbard, Mr. Yoho, and Mr. Bera) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL
To provide for United States actions to advance the United States-India strategic relationship.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “United States-India Enhanced Cooperation Act of 2019”.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The turmoil in the world poses a serious threat to United States national security interests and requires cooperation with allies and friendly nations that are willing to work with the United States in pursuit of shared objectives.
(2) The June 7, 2016, paragraph 17 of the India-United States Joint Statement entitled “The United States and India: Enduring Global Partners in the 21st Century”, notes that the United States-India defense relationship can be an anchor of stability, and given the increasingly strengthened cooperation in defense, the United States recognized India as a Major Defense Partner.
(3) As such, the United States committed to continue to work toward facilitating technology sharing with and transfer of advanced strategic military capability to India on a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners. The leaders of the two countries reached an understanding under which India would receive license-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies in conjunction with steps that India has committed to take to advance its export control objectives.
(4) As such, in support of India’s initiative to develop a domestic defense industrial capability and to support integration into the global supply chain, the United States committed to continuing to facilitate the export of goods and technologies, consistent with United States law, for projects, programs and joint ventures in support of official United States-India defense and security cooperation.
(5) Section 1292 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (22 U.S.C. 2751 note), relating to enhancing defense and security cooperation with India, requests that the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State jointly take such actions as may be necessary to recognize India’s status as a major defense partner of the United States, consistent with the June 7, 2016, India-United States Joint Statement.
(6) On July 30, 2018, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that India, because of its status as a major defense partner, would be moved to the Department of Commerce’s Strategic Trade Authorization Tier 1 license designation list which enables greater availability for exports and reexports to, and transfers within, India for articles under the Export Administration Regulations. In its final rule issued on August 3, 2018, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security stated that the rule, which enabled India to be moved to the Tier 1 list, “befits India’s status as a Major Defense Partner”.
(7) The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–409) recognizes the “vital role of the strategic partnership between the United States and India”, and finds that the designation of India as a major defense partner “elevates defense trade and technology cooperation between the United States and India to a level commensurate with the closest allies and partners of the United States”.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to—
(1) approve and facilitate the transfer of advanced technology and strategic capability, consistent with United States conventional arms transfer policy, to support combined military planning with India for missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter piracy, freedom of navigation, and maritime domain awareness missions, and to promote weapons systems interoperability;
(2) reassure India that the United States recognizes the importance of security of supply for major defense capabilities acquired from the United States and its industries, and as such will endeavor, consistent with United States law, to not disrupt such supply;
(3) collaborate with the Government of India in developing mutually agreeable mechanisms to verify the security of defense articles, defense services, and related technology, such as appropriate cyber security and end-use monitoring arrangements, consistent with United States export control laws and policy;
(4) promote policies that will encourage the efficient review and authorization of defense sales and export to India; and
(5) continue to enhance defense and security cooperation with India in order to advance United States interests in the South Asia and greater Indo-Asia-Pacific regions.

SEC. 4. UNITED STATES ACTIONS TO ADVANCE THE UNITED STATES-INDIA STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP.

(a) Sense Of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that the United States should take the following actions to advance the United States-India strategic relationship:
(1) Seek to enhance the capabilities of the United States and India to address emerging common threats, increase security cooperation, and expand joint military exercises.
(2) Encourage and facilitate the role as priority partners in the South Asia and greater Indo-Asia-Pacific regions.
(3) Support the mutual interest in maritime security and maritime domain awareness, as well as enhanced military cooperation in joint exercises, training, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
(4) Conduct a joint assessment, led by the Secretary of State in partnership with the Secretary of Defense, of the extent to which India possesses capabilities to support and carry out military operations of mutual interest to the United States and India, including an assessment of the defense export control regulations and policies that need appropriate modification, in recognition of India’s capabilities and its status as a major defense partner.
(b) Report.—Subparagraph (B) of section 1292(a)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2559; 22 U.S.C. 2751 note) is amended—
(1) in clause (iv), by striking “and” after the semicolon at the end;
(2) in clause (v), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new clause:

“(vi) a description in the progress made in implementing existing agreements between the United States and India, including the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) signed at the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in September 2018, the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), and the Memorandum of Intent between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Indian Defence Innovation Organization—Innovation for Defence Excellence (DIO–iDEX).”.
(c) Foreign Military Sales And Export Status Under Arms Export Control Act.—The Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 3(b)(2), by inserting “the Government of India,” before “or the Government of New Zealand”;
(2) in sections 3(d)(2)(B), 3(d)(3)(A)(i), 3(d)(5), 21(e)(2)(A), 36(b)(1), 36(b)(2), 36(b)(6), 36(c)(2)(A), 36(c)(5), 36(d)(2)(A), 62(c)(1), and 63(a)(2), by inserting “India,” before “or New Zealand” each place it appears; and
(3) in sections 21(h)(1)(A) and 21(h)(2), by inserting “India,” before “or Israel” each place it appears. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2123/text

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, born in Chennai, India and H1B immigrant, sponsored a briefing on caste discrimination amongst Asian-Indians within the United States. However, she couldn’t be bothered with attendance and just had her chief of staff attend.

The Hindu was told by sources that [upper caste] Congressman Ro Khanna “was also supposed to be a co-sponsor but withdrew due to pressure from Hindu American groups“. They apparently got no response from Khanna’s office. See: “Activists hold Congressional briefing on caste discrimination in US” By Sriram Lakshman WASHINGTON, MAY 23, 2019 07:08 IST UPDATED: MAY 23, 2019 07:08 IST, The Hindu https://archive.li/hmKtZ

Why would anyone believe that a multimillionaire upper caste Hindu-American like Ro Khanna, who doesn’t even care about the under-caste Dalit-untouchables of India would care about poor Americans?