by Sukla Sen
 
The US president George W. Bush is slated to visit India. He would reportedly be landing in Delhi on March 1, and departing on the 3rd after making a trip to Hyderabad on 2nd.

While red carpets would be rolled out by the government of India to welcome this 'distinguished' dignitary, large sections of people would be out on the streets asking this guest of honour to "Go Back!"

It's not the usual privilege of a visiting dignitary to face such open public wrath. But then Bush is no ordinary dignitary either. He is the head of the most powerful state of today's world – the only 'superpower', so to say. That's precisely why the Indian government is so excited. And, rather paradoxically, it's precisely the crass display of gross, and awesome, military 'power' that makes Bush perhaps the greatest hate figure in the contemporary world. In the eyes of too many, he is the nastiest criminal around.  

Under his presidency, the neo-con ruling coterie of the US is out to execute their spine-chilling project for establishing unilateral and unfettered dominance over the globe. The document, the 'Project for the New American Century', gives out the broad contours of this demonic project. It urges that the US must make use of the 'unilateralist moment of History', caused by the inglorious collapse of the rival Soviet block. It further goes on to suggest that the US must not shy away from further developing its huge war machine, the nuclear weapons systems being its central piece, and put it to liberal and explicit use as never before to compensate for the inadequacies of its, otherwise pretty considerable, economic and political might.

The cruel ongoing war against, and occupation of Iraq, and also Afghanistan, is just the first major step to ensure US stranglehold over the world's most vital industrial fuel and thereby the world itself. The ongoing shenanigans against Iran, currently under radical Islamic rule, in the name of scuttling its alleged efforts to develop nuclear weapon-making capabilities is also a part of the same game plan. The duplicity of the US, in this regard, becomes all too evident when we take note of the way they have opted to wink at India and Pakistan going nuclear, and colluded outright in case of Israel. Not only that, it is now out to accord quasi-recognition to India as a 'legitimate' nuclear power through a 'deal', which is being still worked out, blatantly flouting the relevant provisions of the (Nuclear) Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which 187 out of the total 191 members of the UN are signatories. (Only India, Pakistan and Israel are the non-signatories and N. Korea opted out in early 2003.) By virtually undoing the lynchpin of the current non-proliferation regime and the only international commitment to move towards global disarmament, the 'deal', if it comes through, will make the world even more dangerous. This is being done understandably to entice India to join this demonic project as an important, but nevertheless sub-junior, partner. Despite continuing oppositions both within the US and India, and also at the international levels – both governmental and popular, further progress on this reprehensible 'deal' would undoubtedly be one of the major agenda points during the forthcoming visit. The Indian elite, as it appears, can't just stop salivating at the prospects of India becoming a mini-hegemon in the South Asia / Asia region through the munificence of the global hyperpower. The peace-loving people of India, and the world, must stand up to give a fitting reply.