An
official
of
the
United
States
administration
has
stated
that
the
US
will
continue
to
consult
India
on
its
preparations
for
war
against
Iraq.
Richard
Haass
of
the
US
state
department
has
further
said
that
the
US
would
also
ask
India
for
cooperation
for
its
military
aggression
on
Iraq.
He
has
justified
this
approach
by
stating
that
India
is
a
natural
partner
and
ally.
The
US
official
has
also
met
the
external
affairs
minister,
Yashwant
Sinha.
There
has
been
no
official
disavowal
of
these
remarks.
The
external
affairs
minister
had
earlier
stated
in
parliament
that
India
is
for
a
peaceful
resolution
of
the
problem
through
the
forum
of
the
United
Nations.
In
the
absence
of
a
categorical
assertion
that
India
is
opposed
to
any
military
action
against
Iraq,
there
are
sufficient
grounds
to
believe
that
the
Vajpayee
government
is
tacitly
adopting
a
posture
of
cooperation
with
the
illegal
and
aggressive
acts
of
the
United
States
against
Iraq.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Vajpayee government come out with a clear statement opposing the preparations for war being made by the United States and Britain against Iraq.