France-Europe [Lettre OUI à l'EUROPE, par Francis Fontaine]

International Herald Tribune : War in Georgia exposes NATO's fault lines - By Judy Dempsey
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO's secretary general, has repeatedly said that democratic countries flanking Russia should be an asset, not a threat, to the Kremlin. But Russia does not trust NATO. In Moscow's view, NATO, and the EU, have become more anti-Russian since the former Communist countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states joined both organizations. It also sees the alliance as encroaching on regions Russia considers within its sphere of influence.
But inside NATO, despite the show of unity over the Russia-Georgia crisis, there is no consensus as to whether the alliance should expand deep into the Caucasus, or admit Ukraine, birthplace of Russian Orthodoxy. Indeed, Georgia is just the latest challenge to the alliance's identity: since the end of the Cold War, NATO has been trying to reinvent itself. [ ... ]
Poland and the Baltic states have their own reasons for supporting Georgia and Ukraine joining NATO. "They believe these countries would be more stable and secure if they were in NATO," said Tomas Valasek, a defense analyst at the Center for European Reform in London. "But it is also about creating a buffer zone between them and Russia. Russia is still seen as the threat."

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New York Times : Violence in India Is Fueled by Religious and Economic Divide - By Hari Kumar and Heather Timmons
Christian missionaries in India have focused on indigenous and lower-caste groups, including untouchables, or Dalits. Despite laws dating almost from Indian independence, Dalits are often discriminated against or worse. They are sometimes denied basic amenities, such as clean water; relegated to hazardous jobs; and raped or killed because of their social status. [ ... ]
Across India today, the disenfranchised and repressed peoples, the tribes and the low castes are exiting the caste system” that is entrenched in the Hindu religion, said Joseph D’souza,the president of the All Indian Christian Council and an advocate for Dalit rights. They are converting not only to Christianity, he said, but to Buddhism, Islam and Marxist atheism.“People are in revolt” after 60 years of their rights being trampled, he said, adding, “It has nothing to do with any particular religion.”
Pramod Pradhan, a young Hindu farmer in Tiangia village, views the conversions differently, and echoed the feelings of many of the state’s Hindus. “Christian missionaries lured Hindus to convert to Christianity. They bring a lot of money to do that.”The recent violence has reignited debate about a long-standing Orissa state law that bans some religious conversions. The law makes it illegal to use force, “allurement” or benefits to induce people to convert. Hindu activists say Christians often break the law, but Christians say conversions are voluntary.

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