Farm Suicides in America and India

In a very touching gesture, the US Department of Agriculture Secretary, Mike Johanns, took note of the large scale farmer suicides in India, as also the ongoing national campaign to draw attention to the indifference of Indian Central government, to address the fundamental causes behind large scale farm suicides.
In India, the statistics are chilling - 150,000 farmer suicides in a decade. Considering that one farmer on an Indian farm supports and feeds a family of about 6-10 members, the calamity that the Indian countryside is facing becomes very obvious. But Americans have an easy explanation on how to swallow this bitter pill with a cheerful smile.
The Secretary was taking note of this fact during a visit to New Delhi in November 2006, and described the situation as "a complex issue". Complex it is all right, we all know that ! Thanks for telling us this Mr Secretary.
But the most bewildering part of the Secretary's observations about Indian farmer suicides, was when he opened his mouth on the issue of subsidies to farmers in US versus the subsidies to farmers in Europe.
Not to be side tracked, by the issue of large scale, Indian farmer suicides, the Secretary came up with the most insensitive, and callous of comparisons, that can possibly be made by some one who operates routinely in the political and foreign relations realm.
The Secretary made light of the "complex issue of farmer financial distress" by coming up with a formula, of comparing the Indian farm suicides with the farmer suicides in US. The sugar coated pill he tried to force down Indian politicians, and food policy analysts, was that - quote ".. in per capita terms, the number of suicides in both countries is the same"..unquote.
One can draw the obvious conclusion - an Indian farmer's life is equivalent to just 5% of an American farmers life. Three cheers to free world and new global order.
I would certainly not like to believe that the Secretary actually meant what he said. Because if he did, then one realizes the very insidious nature of the attitude of American politicians to farm issues in the developing countries and their total disregard for human life, when it comes to agricultural trade issues, and finding global markets for American farm produce.
This does remind me, of the observation of the Indian science historian, Dharampal, that - "The tendency of the western nations is that they will try to eliminate those that do not live up to the standard which they define as civilisation, this is the rule and it is considered correct. Darwin's theory comes much later, the main thing is that this is the way in which the west thinks. Survival of the fittest, and others have to either be fit or let to wither away - if not helped in the process. They will not be bothered if few lakh rural Indians die of natural calamity. This is not a problem for them, those people are any way not fit to live, so let them die will be the attitude."
Says quite a bit about free trade in agriculture, lobbyists and arm twisters, and the American and European friends of Indian farmers.