Nixon Called Indira Gandhi an 'Old Witch'

[deminks]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050628/ap_on_go_pr_wh/nixon_india;_ylt=AvQn2KNItjhEhrSZvuhcksis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-

WASHINGTON - President Nixon referred privately to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as an "old witch" and national security adviser Henry Kissinger insulted Indians in general, according to transcripts of Oval Office tapes and newly declassified documents released Tuesday.

"We really slobbered over the old witch," Nixon told Kissinger, according to a transcript of their conversation released as part of a State Department compilation of significant documents involving American foreign policy.

"While she was a bitch, we got what we wanted too," Kissinger said. "She will not be able to go home and say that the United States didn't give her a warm reception and therefore in despair she's got to go to war."

The documents, many declassified only earlier this month, generally cover old ground, several Cold War scholars said. Still, the particulars are intriguing, including rosters of who was in various meetings and quotes from conversations among Nixon, his aides and foreign leaders.

(end snip)

I will never cease to be amazed.

:shrug:

[henslee]

1. Whether he ever realized it or not Nixon was, intentionally or

unintentionally the funniest president that has served in my lifetime.

[Rose Siding]

2. Kissinger is even worse!

Nanny, nanny, we were good hosts to a visiting dignitary?

How did we EVER avoid nuclear war?

[samsingh]

3. Kissinger and Nixon were against India from the beginning

this forced the partnership between India and the USSR.

the US has for many decades invested AGAINST India, supporting Pakistan especially

[nine30]

6. You got your facts backwards

She was the socialist daughter of her Marxist father Neru. Neru was a commie in the garb of a socialist. He idolized Russia and their (later to be proven) failed polices. That's what pushed Nixon away from India. In those days (50s / 60s ) India was in the midst of a Commie lovefest.

But Nixon was an asshole nonetheless.

[Bhaisahab]

8. however...

the soviet policies implemented by Nehru in India, especially the emphasis on technical education and heavy industries, has been a brilliant success. The industrial and educational base grafted by Nehru and his colleagues has been largely responsible for India's current emergence as a technical and knowledge power.

[nine30]

15. Factories indeed.

..and thats why they had famine after famine back in the day, 10s or 100s of thousands dying, until the US had to rush food grains to save them.

But why did they occur ? Because Neru wanted to set up Soviet style factories while totally downplaying agriculture, the very foundation of an economy. Who cares about feeding 1/2 a billion people as long there are steel plants and heavy machinery churning away. Marx of course never said a thing about agriculture, the factory worker was his quintessential citizen. Nothing wrong in that, but the Das Kapital was written with just the factory worker in mind.

Do you know why the US is the richest country in the world ? Because its built on a firm agricultural base. We can not only feed our own people ( ok some will debate), but we send food grains everytime there is a crisis in some third world country.

[despairing optimist]

4. I wonder what he called Golda Meir

[kurtyboy]

11. They won't declassify those tapes while

any of us are still alive.

[MrPrax]

5. Well all things being equal...

Ghandi did declare martial law, did rule by emergency powers, imprisoned, exiled and tortured political opponents who denounced her electoral fraud and enforced mass sterilization ... I think 'old witch' is a little mild compared to what I refer to her as...

oh what's that 'F' word, Nixon was one as well....on the tip of my tongue

[MadisonProgressive]

10. Is it Firetruck?

[KlatooBNikto]

7. In spite of her authoritarian nature, she came to the rescue of millions

of Bangladeshis who were being mercilessly slaughtered by the Pakistani Army. When the Indian Army defeated the Pakistanis, Bangladesh was born.

While the war was raging, Nixon sent the U.S.S. Enterprise off the coast of India setting off a reaction in India that made India a nuclear power.One might say that India's emergence as a major military power owes a lot to Nixon's enmity to Mrs.Gandhi.

[MrPrax]

13. Hey one better...

The US ambassador at the time let fleeing Bangladeshis into the compound for protection and asked for support of additional marines. Kissenger told him to kick them out and the guy watched them get slaughtered...

But 'her authoritarian nature' is hard to deny or apologize for...I never defend these types, just like I have never seen 'authoritarianism' ever benefit 'average people'...

[ArnoldLayne]

9. Arnold Layne says Nixon was a big Prick

and a lying asshole.

[daleo]

12. Reminiscent of the chimp, and his war on terror

"They see everything through a Cold War prism," said Bill Burr, a senior analyst at the National Security Archive at George Washington University. "It's a wholly distorted view."

Substitute "War on Terror" for "Cold War".

[saigon68]

14. kick