Ask India to Stop Iran's Bomb
New Delhi: Amidst pressure from the US on India to cut its oil imports from Teheran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has spoken to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek further expansion of bilateral ties and to extend an invitation for the scheduled Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit meeting later this year.
In the Israeli newspaper Haaretz today, Kapil Komireddi argues that mining the historically respectful relationship between India and Iran may be the best way to talk Iran out of a nuclear weapon:
Israel and its supporters in the West are agitated by India’s engagement with Iran, a country they regard as an irredeemable rogue state. Washington's decision to exempt India from financial sanctions on Iranian oil imports, just over a week ago, means that New Delhi continues to have a significant trading relationship with Tehran. But far from being an obstacle to peace, India’s friendship with Tehran can benefit Israel—and avert a war.
In the current staring contest in which U.S.-Iranian talks can't do enough and an invasion is far too costly, India's position as a trusted Israeli/American and Iranian partner could be key in forging a deal:
The spectrum of ideas in dealing with Iran cannot be stuck between sanctions and strikes. The results of Israel relying wholly on its traditional Western allies in its effort to stem Iran’s march are plain to see, and disappointing to say the least. Israel must now start conscripting new friends to take its cause forward. At the very least, India can be a more effective peace broker than the EU. Israelis display an almost inexplicable reluctance to push India to do anything. But it’s time they realised that, as India’s reliable friends, they have earned the right to demand assistance.
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About the Author
David Frum
David Frum is a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast and a CNN contributor. He is the author of eight books, including most recently the e-book WHY ROMNEY LOST and his first novel Patriots, published in April 2012.
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