American Indian Lobby Against Potential Bush Appointment
WASHINGTON (IslamOnline) - Indian newspapers and lobbyists are fuming with anger over the possibility that president-elect George W. Bush may appoint Shirin Taher-Kheli as assistant secretary of the South Asia Bureau within the U.S. State Department.
Taher-Kheli, a South Asian foreign policy expert and senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, is considered a leading contender for the position.
During the Ronald Reagan administration she served as Director of Near East and South Asian Affairs and director of Political-Military affairs at the National Security Council, and also did a stint as Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations.
Taher-Kheli is reported to have met with Indian embassy officials here, "presumably to push her case as an example of neutrality despite the alleged controversial statements," reports the Times of India referring to the daily briefing service Nelson Report which said that she once described the ruling BJP as a "band of Hindu fanatics".
This comment, combined with her Pakistani origins, has provided the Indian lobby in the U.S. the opportunity to intensively attempt to stop her from being nominated to the position. She is otherwise much respected and known for her impartial credentials.
Taher-Kheli has also authored several books including “Breaking with the Past,” and “The United States and Pakistan: The Evolution of an Influence Relationship”.
