Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bilow who wrote (30960)	5/28/2002 7:29:54 AM
From: LTK007	Respond to of 281500

THE HARRIS POLL PAST POLLS Americans Think Both Israelis And Palestinians Are at Fault An overwhelming majority of Americans believe the U.S. supports Israel more than the Palestinians, but more people blame both Mideast neighbors for the ongoing violence wracking the region. According to the latest Harris Poll of 892 adults, conducted from May 15 to May 21, 40% of Americans blame both sides for the conflict. But when choosing between the two, more people think the Palestinians are at fault. Neither Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat nor Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon generated high marks: 82% disapprove of Mr. Arafat's handling of the situation, while 63% disapprove of Mr. Sharon's approach. More people approve of U.S. leadership in the crisis. Confidence in President Bush ticked up one point to 51%, but support in Secretary of State Colin Powell -- who in April finished a trip to the region that yielded little progress in easing tensions -- dropped seven points to 58%. As the conflict drags on, the percentage of Americans who support a peace plan proposed by Arab states increased three points to 54%. And while most people believe the U.S. shows more support for Israel than the Palestinians, a majority think the balance is just right. Here are some highlights from the poll: "Who do you think is mainly to blame for the violence, the Israelis or the Palestinians?" Base: All adults May 2002 April 2002 Israelis 13% 11% Palestinians 34 36 Neither/Both 40 39 Not sure/Refused 13 14 * * * "How would you rate the job Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon/Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority is doing to work for a reasonable solution to the future relations between Israel and the Palestinians -- excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" "How would you rate the job President Bush/Secretary of State Colin Powell is/are doing in handling relations between Israel and the Palestinians -- excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" Base: All adults Positive Negative Not Sure / Refused President Bush May 51% 44% 5% April 50 44 6 Secretary Colin Powell May 58 34 8 April 65 25 10 Prime Minister Sharon May 25 63 12 April 23 66 10 Chairman Arafat May 9 82 8 April 6 85 9 * * * "A recent proposal is that all the Arab states would recognize, and make peace with, Israel in return for an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza with its capital in East Jerusalem. Do you favor this or not?" Base: All adults May April Favor 54% 51% Do not favor 23 22 Not sure/Refused 23 26 * * * "Do you think that United States policy in the Middle East is more supportive of Israel or more supportive of the Palestinians or equally supportive of both?" Base: All adults May April More supportive of Israel 54% 51% More supportive of the Palestinians 2 3 Equally supportive of both 32 33 Not sure/Refused 13 14 * * * "Do you think that United States policy in the Middle East is too supportive of Israel, too supportive of the Palestinians, or has the balance just right?" Base: All adults May April Too supportive of Israel 34% 31% Too supportive of Palestinians 7 6 Has the balance just center 39 41 Not sure/Refused 19 21 * * * Methodology: This poll was conducted by telephone within the U.S. between May 15 and 21, among a nationwide cross-section of 892 adults. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults and number of voice/telephone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus three-percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy.

To: Bilow who wrote (30960)	5/28/2002 12:20:45 PM
From: arun gera	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

>Nuclear Nonproliferation Pakistan: Reacted to Indian explosion with their own. India: Introduced nuclear weapons to south asia despite being much larger and more powerful than Pakistan.> Carl: China had nuclear weapons. China had attacked India. China has taken over a part of Kashmir. I don't think they looked for UN permission. And China has provided Pakistan with nuclear and weapon launch technology. China has taken over Tibet. Tibet did not accede to China like the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir did. Could Pakistan have reacted so quickly to India's explosion unless they had an active program for a long time? India's explosion only brought that fact in the open. Arun

To: Bilow who wrote (30960)	5/28/2002 3:26:38 PM
From: frankw1900	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

In the final analysis, India is stuck with Russia as a strategic partner and Pakistan is stuck with the US. This has been the pattern through many changes of the forms of the various governments. I hope this has made it clear why it is that no matter how much individual US citizens (such as yourself) hate Pakistan and love India, the US is not going to abandon Pakistan. Not clear at all. That was then and this is now. Pakistan is becoming more kleptocratic, socialist, undemocratic, and anti american even as India reluctantly becomes less so. Pakistan supported the Afghan regime that harboured al Qaeda; significant parts of the Pakistan military establishment still support al Qaeda and its ilk.. The US, I repeat, will not [refuses to] sell to Pakistan the weapons it does sell to India. The raised temperature you mention between India and Pakistan was caused by an attack on the Indian parliament by folk based in Pakistan. It's as unreasonable to expect India to let that slide as it would be to expect the US to let slide an attack on the US Congress and Senate. The Indians asked the Pakistanis to deliver up the people reponsible for supporting the attack and Pakistan has refused - could you imagine Mexico or Canada taking such a position against the US in like circumstance? Do you think an attack on a nation's parliament is not a large provocation, or did you just forget about it? I didn't say the US would support India against Pakistan but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it manages not to support either side in a shooting war. I did say Pakistan is an extremely ambiguous ally: Given Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorist activity in Kashmir and the overlap of that activity with al Qaeda activities it may also be argued that a Pakistan defeat by India is in US interests as even more terrorists will be killed and the war would drain anti-US Pakistan operatives from Afghanistan to Indian border. You're making assumptions about who I am and what I love and hate. Always a bad idea to make assumptions.

To: Bilow who wrote (30960)	5/31/2002 8:17:48 AM
From: arun gera	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

>Those guerillas are undoubtedly loved by the Moslem majority who live in Kashmir,> 90% Kashmiris feel infiltration must be stopped instantly: Poll ndtv.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NDTV Correspondent Friday, May 31, 2002 (Srinagar): A survey conducted in Jammu and Kashmir by a leading UK based market research company, MORI, has indicated that India's position on Kashmir and particularly cross border terrorism has received strong support from the people in the state. The poll says: “Most Kashmiris, 65 per cent of them feel that the presence of foreign militants has damaged their cause.” The poll goes on to say, “Nearly 90 per cent of the Kashmiris say that cross border infiltration must end.” On the issue of citizenship, “61 per cent of the people surveyed say they will be better off with India, only 6 per cent favour being with Pakistan, while 33 per cent were undecided. However, the survey has not touched upon the question of independence and how many people favour that as an option. The survey indicates that “55 per cent want more autonomy” for the state. The people in the Valley are more in favour of this option than those in the Jammu region. According to the survey most people, 86 per cent feel that free and fair elections will help bring peace to the region.