Page 270 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

Administration and the Congress are bogged down over efforts to rescue bankrupt
American banks’ financial crisis in the country.

September 26, 2008: PM Singh meets President Bush at the White House, but were not able
to sign the nuclear deal as the Congress did not approve it.

September 27, 2008: House of Representatives approves the Indo-US nuclear deal. 298
members voted for the Bill while 117 voted against.

October 1, 2008: Senate approves the Indo-US civil nuclear deal with 86 votes for and 13

against.

October 4, 2008: Secretary of State Rice visits Delhi. India and the US unable to ink the
nuclear agreement with New Delhi insisting that it would do so only after President Bush
signs it into a law, an occasion when it expects certain misgivings to be cleared.

October 4, 2008: White House announces that President Bush will sign the legislation on
the Indo-US nuclear deal into a law on October 8.

October 8, 2008: President Bush signs legislation to enact the landmark US-India civilian
nuclear agreement.

October 10, 2008: The 123 Agreement between India and US is finally operationalized
between the two countries after the deal is signed by External Affairs Minister Pranab

Mukherjee and his counterpart Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington DC.

HAMAS & HEZBULLA – ISRAEL, PALESTINE, LEBANON

Hamas & Hezbulla are two terrorist organizations fighting Israel on two different fronts. Hamas is
engaging Israel in Gaza Strip whereas Hezbulla is engaging in Lebanon. The kidnapping of one Israeli
soldier by Hamas and two Israeli soldiers by Hezbulla has triggered the fresh west Asia crisis. The
Israelis have responded with their full might to include air, tanks and ground offensive. Indians

trapped in Lebanon were evacuated by sea and air routes under Operation Sukoon. 4 SIKH, an Indian
Army Battalion is also stationed as part of the United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Hamas has been active in Palestine since 1985 along with other terrorist groups against Israel. It
has a social wing also which has been helping the Palestinians in their education, health and routine
problems. Hamas has contested the Palestinian election successfully and has won the majority on its
own. This has given a blow to other terrorist groups like PLO, AL FATEH etc. who fought the Israelis
for last 53 years. This has also surprised the world as a known terrorist organization has won the
elections. This resulted in Israel, USA, European Union and many more countries deciding to stop the

aid being given to Palestine. This is due to the fact that Hamas constitution states that the primary aim
of Hamas is “destruction of Israel". In spite of repeated requests from many countries Hamas has not
agreed to amend its constitution till Israel vacates its territories occupied in 1967 war.