January 3, 2005 ☼ Foreign Affairs
This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.
Chaitanya Kalbag, writing for Reuters, advances a thesis that humanitarian assistance for Sri Lanka has become a ‘geopolitical game’. And this conclusion is based on the conspiracy theories of a little known Sri Lankan political science professor and headlines appearing in an LTTE newspaper.
The issue is not whether India is concerned about the presence of American military personnel in its immediate neighbourhood (it should be), but the insinuation that India suspects some sinister American designs. It also seems to suggest that Indian forces were sent to Sri Lanka carrying relief supplies in response to the United States sending its Marines, thereby strengthening the writer’s thesis of clashing geopolitical agendas. In an analysis based on a conspiracy theory, certain inconvenient facts are conveniently ignored.
“Both New Delhi and Kilinochchi (the LTTE stronghold) might view the U.S. presence uncomfortably,” (Colombo University professor) Uyangoda said.
But Uyangoda said the U.S. offer of assistance would certainly have “raised eyebrows” in New Delhi.
“Are the Marines going to stay in Sri Lanka? Is this part of the U.S. global design? Is this an opportunity for (U.S. President George W.) Bush to get a foothold in Sri Lanka?” he asked rhetorically, adding: “Humanitarian is not purely humanitarian.” [Reuters]The world is full of conspiracy theories, but even Reuters does not report all of them. Remember those 4000 Jews who did’nt turn up for work on 9/11?
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