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India has the Largest Muslim population in the World. Also India has strong British traditions.

The US since 911 has been working in the Belly of the Beast, something which the US tended to ignore for 50 plus years.

The Beast simply is the MORASS of affairs and interests in the ME and Central/Southern Asia. This is not pretty work nor is it nice and tidy.

With this agreement the Bush Admin has STRENGTHENED Indias hand as a World Power militarily and most importantly economically to the detriment of Iran and the Pakistani Religious Conservatives.

We have annoited the Secular Muslims of India, by making them the STRONGEST voice in the region. Iran is being further marginalized for its Religious fervor and extreme views. The Iranians have long wanted to be a major power in the region, like the East Germans before them looking at W Germany the Iranians are now going to have to look and see how successfull India is going to become while they stagnate.

It is also a good bet that India and Afganistan are going to have stronger ties...marginalizing the NW Pakistani influence. If Musareffa is overthrown Pakistan would most likely become a Conserative Theocracy and what better counterbalance to those forces in Pakistan than a thriving India..much like the relationship between Mexico and or Canada and the USA.