As the United States and a few of her remaining NATO allies continue to conduct costly military operations in Afghanistan and Western Pakistan, the biggest democracy in the world, India, has remained on the sidelines.   Although India is  surrounded on three sides by enemies, and potential enemies, it has concentrated its efforts and its  wealth on building commercial enterprises, and not in participating in efforts to fight back the spreading influence of terrorist organizations in the region, or to take a more active role in Central and East Asia policies.  …

North Korean people continue to starve, the South Koreans continue to tolerate acts of aggression, and the world continues to watch as Kim Jong Il develops ever more powerful weapons of mass destruction.

Once again, a line seems to be drawn in the sand between Congressional Democrats and Republicans.  This time the issue is what to do about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, and when to do it.  Things were certainly not made any better by former Vice-President Cheney’s accusation that Obama was “dithering” in making a decision.  To their credit, Republican leaders Orrin Hatch and John McCain were quick to distance themselves from Cheney’s remarks.  Most foreign policy experts within the Obama Administration and outside of government generally agree that the ongoing conflict in …