Trump or Biden?

I had written a blog post on Trump-Biden’s first debate, where I had criticized Trump for his unbecoming presidential behaviour. I also posted later after the last and final debate that Trump performed better in the later debate.

Both of my posts resulted in an immediate spurt of reactions, from known local faces, die-hard American voters and PIOs. One Indian American even advised me that I should confine my writings to Indian politics and must not tread into the US affairs at all. Another queried if I live in the USA to gain a right to comment on US politics, of which I would know nothing.

I must humbly state to all of them, the domestic political issues of the USA matter little to me. I don’t see a difference between blue or red, and an elephant and a donkey. I am sure that the one who scores the highest would win the elections.

I cannot, however, discount the fact that I live flanked by Pakistan and China. The latter has strewn their armada all around India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Iran, Pakistan, Myanmar and even Bangladesh. India is provoked on the LAC constantly, in addition to the infiltration and terrorism by the Pakistan sponsored terrorists. India is forcibly dragged into a war, which it may not want to, but forced to fight. Ask every soldier on the border, the repeat of 1962 can never happen, and we will cause enough damage to the Chines and the Pakistani nexus once and for all.

On that score, I need to ask my Indian friends living in the US, between Trump and Biden, which of the two candidates have resolutely stood against the Chinese hegemony? Between Trump and Biden, who is person India could rely upon the event of an India-China war? Who if the American leader, who has readily agreed to share intelligence on the Chinese defence formations at the LAC? The answer is simple and clear. If you still claim that Biden could be as good or even better, what when it comes to choosing between India and China? Has Biden or his party shown an iota of such inclination towards India ever?

The days of the overwhelming support of the Indian diaspora to the democratic party may be history. There are as many Indians, several of them known to me, supporting Trump. The evolution is because of the chemistry that has developed between India and the US, particularly during Modi-Trump era. I have no inhibitions in admitting that I am purely driven by a selfish stand, the safety of my country. It is either Russia or America as a safety cover for India, but Russia has been leaning more towards China recently. For the US, the stakes are higher, the South China seas, the safety of its allies, Taiwan, S. Korea, Japan and Australia, all of whom are under the Chinese threat.

The additional trillions of dollars the Chinese are possessing is causing itching for the dragon. With their BRI, the Chinese are trying to create a new world order, debt-trapping countries. It must be stopped. India stands at a strategic position of heights, holding back the Chinese march into Kashmir and Arunachal, Nepal and Bhutan. We have shed our shame of 1962, and our troops are ready to face them boldly and take them on.

My friends, would you be ashamed, like a few political parties in India, and criticize the government for an appropriate military reply, as we did in Balakot? I will be joyfully dancing on the streets, with the tricolour, if India wins a battle, any battle, and against any aggressor. My heartburn is, I cannot vent my anger on those leaders who openly refuse to fly the Indian flag. I am waiting for the day to come to respond to these men as well!

Jai Hind!

Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix