US against single power dominating Asia: US expert

Chennai:
United States does not want any single power to dominate Asia and wants an alignment and not an alliance with India, according to a US foreign policy expert.
Addressing reporters here on Monday at the US consulate, Walter Russel Mead, who is the James Clark Chase professor of Foreign affairs and Humanities at Bard college and editor-at-large of The American Interest said that United States does not want any single country to dominate Asia.
“Japan tried to dominate Asia and it resulted in war. We were also against the British and erstwhile Soviet Union’s domination,” said Mead, who also served as a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations  from 1997-2010.
He said United States does not want China to dominate Asia. “We want to help Asia rise. If all of Asia is rising it will increase peace in the region,” he said.
Mead also said US does not want a north Atlantic Treaty Organisation sort of alliance with India. “We want an alignment not a treaty. Let India be India. Let it flourish and set an example of democracy,” he said.
On the challenges being faced by homegrown terrorism, he said India and US face the similar problems. “He don’t face the similar problem as you face with your neighbour who instigates terrorism. We have to walk carefully protecting the liberties as well as tackling the issue,” he said.
He also said the next presidential elections would be a close fight as United States economy is not growing and there is rise in unemployment. He said both President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney have 50-50 chances to win the elections.