India Notebook, No. 5: Inder Dan Ratnu on the U.S. Presidential Election 2000

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More by and about Inder Dan Ratnu:

Perspectives on India, Installment 1: "Charans and Churchill"

Installment 2: "Democrat's Pilgrimage," Heart Burning in Pakistan."

Installment 3: "Prevalence of a Poetic Position," "Clinton v. Churchill"

Installment 4: "Jaswant Singh, Extraordinary Statesman of India;""Churchill: Person of the Century"

Also:

President to Visit India

Preparations for President's Visit

Diplomatic Issues facing Clinton during visit

Clinton & Chelsea in Jaipur (w/photos)

The Afterglow

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See Inder's weekly column, Indian Ink, @ Tulevision.com

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"My Own Man" Kissing "My Own Wife"

What a scene it was: his own man kissing his own wife! Yet it remains to be seen whether the American electorate will kiss this man with the same spontaniety and enthusiasm. With his sharp nose and killer smile, Al Gore made history right there and then on stage following the conclusion of his nomination acceptance speech at the star-studded Democratic convention in Los Angeles. Gore became the first ever American Presidential nominee to kiss his wife so openly right on her lips (not on the cheek as most others do) with a closed mouth-to-mouth lock for what to the smarting eyes of so called "decent" people was "too long a time." Even the nominee/candidate Clinton, who later would prove such a renowned artist at the related skills, could not make it -- so openly, some would say brazenly. CONGRATULATIONS!

This bold step by Gore, whom most Democrats feel is the future President of the United States, has clearly violated the norms of those who in recent weeks (and, indeed, for the past two years or more) have been beating the drums of "decency" and "honor" with a louder rhythmic sound with each passing day . But it pleased the hearts of those who consider the Presidents and Presidential candidates nothing more than "humans" despite all the pomp and circumstance, despite the glamor of media hype. "He is a human being and he is a good human being" would be the response of these kinds of persons to this open, spontaneous, sudden burst of expression of happiness and love -- which is what it was . Yet no one had expected that this would serve to switch on his sluggish, sleeping popularity which was trailing behind that of his rival, as if he had poured oil into the dimming lamp of his image. It served not only to help Gore close the gap with his rival, but even helped him to get ahead of Bush. Clearly kisses win wishes.

This is evidence of the power of love: the love that Gore could bestow upon his wife; the love that he can bestow upon the American nation; and the love that he can possibly get from the American people in return. It is perhaps the nature of the American people . They love those who love others, which was why President Clinton's popularity among the American people never faded or even came down in spite of the sleeze campaign arising out of what essentially was nothing more than a "love" affair. And if Al Gore is to maintain momentum in this surge of popularity, he is well advised to display open love and KEEP KISSING HIS WIFE.

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Inder Dan Ratnu is a writer from Jaipur, India who has devoted years of study to the life and works of Sir Winston Churchill. He has written two books about the life of the great British Prime Minister: Layman's Questions About Churchill, available online from ebookstand.com and netboundbooks.com, and a novel, Alternative to Churchill: The Eternal Bondage, available in print from Churchillbooks.com.

Mr. Ratnu's second novel, The Ultimate Defence Against Impeachment, is based on the Clinton scandal. It is available online at ebookstand.com and netboundbooks.com. A print edition is forthcoming from Terraplane Publications.

An Indian's Advice to the American Electorate

I wish to caution Americans: make no mistake. In the event of the election of George W. Bush or to the Presidency of the United States, there is certainly going to be another round of the “Gulf War” unless as so fondly “wished” by the first Bush administration during the last conflict, Saddam dies, which is unlikely to happen since if wishes were horses any one would ride. Whatever "decisiveness" may reside in the character of the younger Bush, with Saddam still at the helm of Iraq with no change in his habit of making an anti- American outburst every quarter of a year, Geo. W.'s own father (Saddam’s rival in the last round) yet alive and active to guide, Dick Cheney the Defence Secretary of the last Gulf War as Junior's Vice President, and last but not least the stark reminder of Saddam’s foolishness in the form of the facial likeness of George Bush Sr. at the doorstep of a Baghdad inter-continental hotel to be trampled upon by the entrants and outgoers, are some of the strongest evidence and indications of events to come in the foreseeable future if Geo. W. is elected President of the United States. And in the event of a second round the elimination of the Iraqi dictator from the Arab scene is also certain. Geo. W., incensed by the constant insults to his father and his nation, is likely to see this war through to a definite end -- unlike his father, who contented himself by vacating the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and finishing off temporarily the Iraqi challenge to the United States. I sincerely believe that even if Saddam, in view of the potential danger to his existence, restrained himself and offered The younger Bush no provocation, Geo. W. in turn is likely to manoever Saddam into making one, thus clearing the road for a second round of armed conflict.

Added to the Saddam factor are the latest developments. The emphasis placed by Junior in the Presidential debates on making U.S. forces "stronger" and also strengthening relations with other US allies and friends (e.g., Israel). As if that were not enough, the latest flare-up in violence between the Palestinians and Israelis in the Middle East has broken loose -- yet another factor to enhance the possibility of upcoming war.

PROVIDED HE WINS THE PRESIDENCY, I can forsee it all happening loud and clear -- as in fact I foresaw in my book The Ultimate Defense (written right at the outbreak of the Lewinsky scandal) the Republican capacity to take the scandal through the whole process of impeachment, the rise in the popularity of President Clinton with the advance of the impeachment proceedings, and also the partisan division on the issue of the impeachment and partisan responses by the Members in a joint session to an address of the President.

With Dick Cheney -- the man who exhorted the American troops to “level” Baghdad -- at the Junior bush's side, it might be intolerable for the young lad to see Baghdad resurrected so soon after once again with full traffic as usual, and the worst of all, with a few rare additions to the list of well-carpeted palaces for Saddam right inside it including, the one the Americans had claimed to have “destroyed” during the last conflict. The restrictions inspired by the USA but imposed by the UNO served to hurt and bring starvation and death only for the Iraqi people, not for Saddam. He,on the contrary, has had an excellent time with his flourishing harem full of younger ladies. The knowledge of it all will almost certainly be very painful and provoking to this latest political pair in America – Bush & Cheney. For the outgoing Clinton- Gore pair, the size of the harem didn’t offer any botheration or provocation at all. On the contrary, many around the world suspect it offered them an opportunity to stimulate and stretch their imaginations.

I therefore trust that Saddam is a factor to be reckoned with for the American voter while choosing between the two contenders as to whether they want another serious round of the “Gulf War” or the present “war of words” and the occasional skirmish of missile firing to continue, which is likely to be the state under President Al Gore. In other words, George W. Bush as President means Gulf War II. Americans please be prepared for that. Make no mistake . It is not a casual prediction . It is a CERTAINTY which I can read by the bold writing on the wall .

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E-mail Mr. Ratnu at ratnuv@yahoo.com

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