Bahais and Zorarastrians of Iran are very disappointed by what happened to their country and its pre-Islamic cultures. Well, to be fair, sunni muslims are not too happy there either.

However, Orthodox Christianity in Kerala is very old. Even older than many of the later sects of “Hinduism” that sprouted up. I don’t think there were ever any issues between Orthodox Mallu Christians and Hindus though, were there?

no, no! i am agreeing with you. i am just saying that i am going to break down some temples and steal the idols. FOR LOVE!

exactly. it is stunning that there isn’t enough critical examination of this in the us media. or if obama’s statement is looked at, it is seen as a pragmatic choice given the overextended american troops.

It almost makes one wish for a new republican president in 2013.

he is going by petraeus’ advice – this is exactly the strategy, paying off sunni tribal leaders and supplying them with weapons provided they fought “terrorists” is one of his leading counterinsurgency strategies. so it would be naive to think that a different president would do anything different. karzai was a bad choice for pm given how corrupt he has been – but what’s the alternative. nation building is neither cheap nor of a short time duration. the q is given that things in af-pak are pretty far gone and given that the commitment in iraq is going to be significant, what realistic hope does the us have of nation building in afghanistan? (and let’s not mince words, nation building is what’s needed).

Bad or good, the later Mughals were definitely Indian: they were not draining the money to a different country (like the British) altogether. Their were also many Hindu rulers who were no good for their subjects, so this debate makes no sense. I think all that some people are trying to point out that it should be acknowledged that many of the Muslim rulers systematically plundered many of the temples and Hindu culture. Yes, that should be acknowledged, and also that many Hindus in Bangladesh have been ill-treated. But that should NOT be the excuse of the VHP to plunder any Islamic sight. That not only hurts and antagonizes the Muslim population and gives Pakistani terrorists an excuses (yes they were Pakistani), but also ultimately leads to the last laugh for the British…as we continue their pogrom of divide and rule even today very efficiently. Sad!

There is an interesting column on it in Dawn Damn Yankees

MR. OBAMA: I’m confident that we can make sure that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is secure, primarily, initially, because the Pakistani army, I think, recognizes the hazards of those weapons falling into the wrong hands.

Second, his refusal of the question is wise,

It may seem wise to a domestic audience in Washington, but who knows what a conpiracy laden Pak audience will make of it? The best option is to be clear and consistent over a period of time, but the Obama administration does not have a clear message as of now. For all the talk about no blank cheques, is’nt that just what the US is doing through the “Friends of Pakistan“

(Pakistanis see friends’ $5 billion pledge as political boon)

& it might be all the rage to bash the Pak govt on cutting a deal with the Taliban, but what heck was the Obama Adminstration thinking when it stated aloud that Talks with Taliban moderates were ‘worth exploring’. Did that not undercut the administration’s line vis a vis Pak’s own deals(taliban moderates?!),

Obama is going in a lot of goodwill in the subcontinent, and is squandering it left right and center, with a mixture of arrogance and incompetence. It almost makes one wish for a new republican president in 2013.

is that what advani and varun like you to call them, madam?

just as dr. william dembski has refuted darwin’s nonsensical claims about evolution

Looting an “idol” to install it in your own temple is not iconoclasm

ok i will go loot some temples now, it seems like it is the RIGHT thing to do. don’t worry, i am a hindu too, so it’s a-ok!

Babri Masjid was ONE incident only. Mosques are safe and sound in India, as long as no terrorist from you know where decides to do a suicide mission inside one.

there is no need to call advani and togadia terrorists!