Mr. Akhilesh K. Verma is a citizen of India and a Senior Advocate, practicing for over 15 years in New Delhi, India. Black and White talks to him about the current happenings, U.S.-India relations, and issues of global concern.

How would you judge the Bush presidency?
VERMA: I personally feel that although the U.S. has waged a war on terrorism– especially after 9/11– it has been acting completely arbitrarily towards Iraq. Not only has it violated the human rights of the citizens, but it has adversely affected the American economy. Also, the U.S. favors Pakistan to quite an extent and that has continued under the Bush presidency.

Can you explain why you think that the U.S favors Pakistan? What has happened or what has it done to make you feel that way?
VERMA: I personally feel that developed countries need to appropriate their excess resources in the form of arms or other goods, and under-developed and developing countries are the best places for shedding such excesses. The availability of U.S. produced arms, ammunition, military vehicles, etc. with Pakistan is well known. The U.S. has aided Pakistan with funds and other resources in the garb of enabling Pakistan to strengthen its own security. Pakistan, however, has used such resources in aiding terrorism. During the last few years of seeking Pakistan’s support to nab Osama Bin Laden from the Frontier Province of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, the U.S. had fueled the race between India and Pakistan in defense arsenal. The more it pumps Pakistan full of sophisticated aircraft and weapons, the more it creates India’s desire to balance its defense capabilities. The U.S. maintains animosities between neighboring countries in order to keep a market for its products. This imbalance takes away money and other resources from India that could be better spent on Indian economic development.

Do you think India’s relationship with the U.S. will vary based on which current U.S. Presidential candidate came to power?
VERMA: Democrats have had a good relationship with the Indian political ethos. Although Obama’s concentration is likely to be on the internal economy of U.S., it is hoped that he will have a sound foreign policy, and will recognize the power of developing India, thus benefiting Indo-U.S. relationship and commerce.

The U.S. has been a world leader in many areas, but it has been written that its influence has declined, and it has lost the respect of other countries. Would you agree with that?
VERMA: It is true to quite an extent that the U.S. has a sound impact on global economy, but in recent years it has been more in the news for war in Iraq, human right infringement, and possible monitoring of world affairs. Who likes his country to be guided by a foreign power? I don’t think the people in Iraq must be happy with the devastations and economic instability that the war has brought them. It does reflect badly on the image of the U.S.

With consideration to world economy, human rights, democracy-building, technological development, and financial markets, do other countries believe the capabilities of the U.S. is less significant than it was before, and if so why?
VERMA: Yes, earlier there was more respect for the U.S. There has been a significant decline in the amount of respect that America receives. Earlier, there was a delay in the news filtering from America to the rest of the world and it was controlled. With the advent of satellite and internet communication what happens in the U.S. or what the U.S. enacts in other countries is immediately shared with the rest of the world. Although it was a power to deal with in the past, today the U.S. is in shambles economically. Technologically it is still superior internationally– as it spends considerably on research– but manufactures most consumer durables in other countries. It has a lead in mega machines, but for many years Japan has been eating away at that lead. Japanese plants have mushroomed in U.S. and now Indian industrialists have started establishing strongholds in U.S. industry. The total show of power by the U.S. in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan has cast the U.S. in a negative light. I personally think that the U.S. domestic anti-Bush and anti-war campaigns are a sign of growing distrust of its own citizens about its government policies.

What does the U.S. have to do to re-build its standing amongst other countries?
VERMA: In my opinion, the U.S. should stop interfering in the personal affairs of the other countries. Although its fight against terrorism is being appreciated, the results have not been significant. Apart from building its stand amongst other countries, it should work to build its standing among its own people first. The U.S. should start acknowledging other countries which are emerging as strong contenders on the global forefront, and abstain from making shows of power. It is about other humans getting a feel for the total human face of the U.S., in its deeds and not its effort of imposing it as a ‘mighty nation’. That should help rebuild its standing amongst other countries.

What do you think India wants from the U.S.?
VERMA: India looks up to the U.S. as being fair to developing nations and supporting them. We also want the U.S. to control terrorist activities in India. The U.S. only realized the impact of terrorism after the bloodshed and killing of its own citizens on 9/11, but terrorism in Indian has roots for over 20 years now. Is it not time that the U.S. worked towards stopping global terrorism on a larger scale?

What do you think of the U.S. and its stance on human rights and issues of global interest?
VERMA: The deplorable condition of the common Iraqi today is the best example of what the U.S. does. The U.S. has violated all human rights in the worst manner during the war with Iraq and had done similarly in Vietnam decades ago.