Comments on: Madeleine’s book, Bill’s foreword and the Big Mistake

By: The Acorn » Nailing a canard

The Acorn » Nailing a canard — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 03:30:51 +0000

[...] So much so that six years on, while India’s slow—but nevertheless wonderful—process of public accountability is getting to the bottom of the Army’s conduct in the killing of the five suspected terrorists, it is being used to continue to obfuscate and amplify Mishra’s dubious conclusions (via email from Patrix). Lies not only take a life of their own, but they also breed mutant offspring. What were Indian intelligence agencies for Mishra became Hindu militants for Bill Clinton. Never mind that the New York Times interviewed a jihadi in Sialkot, Pakistan, who confessed to having participated in the massacre. Or that it would have been patently stupid for the army to carry out the massacre wearing their uniforms and insignia if the intention was to pin it on jihadis. [...]

By: Sepia Mutiny

Sepia Mutiny — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 18:46:03 +0000

Clinton’s thoughts on the Chittisinghpura Massacre…

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright has a new book titled “The Mighty and the Almighty : Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs.” Any book by a former Secretary of State is sure to contain interesting new insights but t…

By: Pickled Politics » Murdered by the Indian army?

Pickled Politics » Murdered by the Indian army? — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:36:12 +0000

[...] Added: The book was later edited out after an Indian blog pointed out that actually Lashkar-e-Taiyba was behind the massacre. [...]

By: Bramh Mishra

Bramh Mishra — Sat, 20 May 2006 02:58:18 +0000

I think that it is very important to note that the US legislators including the President make out that they can find an acceptable solution to almost any political problem in the world. Heres absolute proof that they know very little and what they know they are plain careless about unless American interest are involved.

I believe that President Clintin shoud find an answer acceptable to Indians in US and also to the Indian administration in Delhi to pardon such a gross error.

By: Kartikeya

Kartikeya — Sat, 20 May 2006 01:33:56 +0000

Id call it a typographical error and let it go. Clintons larger point about the damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-dont nature of a politicians job is well made.

By: The Acorn » HarperCollins corrects itself. Does Clinton?

The Acorn » HarperCollins corrects itself. Does Clinton? — Fri, 19 May 2006 08:13:27 +0000

[...] Today’s edition of Times of India carries a report filed by Chidanand Rajghatta, its Washington correspondent, on that matter of Clinton’s foreword to Albright’s new book (via Swami Iyer and Gaurav Sabnis). Chidanand went about seeking comment from Clinton, Albright and HarperCollins, the book’s publisher. Clintonâ€™s office did not return calls seeking comment or clarification, but the bookâ€™s publishers Harper Collins routed a correction through Albrightâ€™s office acknowledging the error, which was first highlighted on the blog The Acorn (http://acorn.nationalinterest.in/). [...]

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Fri, 19 May 2006 05:14:26 +0000

Today's TOI credits you with having spotted the mistake first.

By: RS

RS — Sun, 14 May 2006 09:06:00 +0000

oops a lot of typos above.
I meant taliban commander claimed that ISI ordered the killing. the link takes to my blog.

By: RS

RS — Sun, 14 May 2006 09:01:49 +0000

It seems a Taliban commnder has claine dthe Suryanarayan was killed on ISI's orders.

By: Chandra

Chandra — Sun, 14 May 2006 07:45:52 +0000

Abhishek,

I am not so sure about that. As you say Clinton is an intelligent man and friend of India – which I agree with by and large. But it is perception that religious Hindu right is more dangerous to India than Islamic radicals is fairly held in the establishments I mentioned. I won’t be surprised at all if Clinton believes the same and actually thinks the Sikhs (being religious minority) were killed by right wing Hindus. As a person who grew in India you may think that Sikhs are as much Indian as another religious groups in India. But for a non-Indian outsider the incident could easily translate to another example of radical religious majority attacking religious minority.

To me, itâ€™s a hard case to make that this presentation of fact in an introduction, that is probably few pages long, by Clinton, was an oversight. Unless Clinton did not actually write the introduction himself, which is entirely possible, I think he believe the incident to be true.

By: Prasanna

Prasanna — Sat, 13 May 2006 21:22:18 +0000

Coming as it does from an ex-President, it is inexcusable. And he states about people being either “with” or “against” America – apparently Clinton and Dubya agree on that – and by stating that right after the huge blunder, he equates Hindus/Indians as having anti-US feelings.

His referring to only Abrahamic faiths is curious. Is it either because he believes only the (people of) Abrahamic faiths are at war with each other?

By: abhishek

abhishek — Sat, 13 May 2006 18:59:05 +0000

Chandra,
would disagree with you…IMO Clinton is intelligent/knowledgeable enuf to realise the ground situation in re Kashmir. As Nitin said callous, but an editorial oversight nonetheless. However the GoI should arise from its slumber and do smthg about it. Shouldn’t be too difficult especially as Clinton claims to be a “Friend of India” and all that.

By: Chandra

Chandra — Sat, 13 May 2006 17:01:12 +0000

I have no doubt that Clinton actually believes that Hindus terroristed and killed Sikhs in J&K. It fits a pattern of thought promoted by some Indians and Indian establishments (like the likes of Pankaj Mishra, Ms. Roy, and The Hindu) and some in western establishment (like the likes of New York Times & Gaurdian) that religious Hindus (apparently called the Hindu-nazis) are more dangerous than Islamic terrorists. I am wondering how many concentration camps were run by BJP – those Hindu-nazis – ran during the five-year term in power.

I don’t think one can dismiss Clinton’s introduction to a book as an editoral oversight.

By: Prashanth

Prashanth — Sat, 13 May 2006 10:08:16 +0000

I think that this issue should be raised at the Highest levels of the Government since this Book can cause real damage to the Indian Interests in Kashmir.

By: Apollo

Apollo — Sat, 13 May 2006 04:58:07 +0000

no wonder clinton is a leftist. am i correct?

looks like the leftists and islamic fundamentalists have made a tacit agreement to outflank their “enemies”.

it was Allama iqbal. who said socialism is islam without “God”. very apt.