Rahul Bedi

The twin car-bomb blasts in Mumbai which claimed 51 lives and hurt 150 others are now causing fears of increased Hindu-Muslim tensions.

The tragic event a year ago paved the way for US, and its military, to gain a foothold in Asia. Despite assurances that the American presence is only for the short term, US support for the authoritarian regimes, economic and military largesse and construction of near-permanent bases in Central Asian states, seem to suggest otherwise.