[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H4030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            INDIA AND PAKISTAN'S RECENT NUCLEAR DETONATIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McKeon). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago India detonated five nuclear 
devices, a course of action that it has not followed for 24 years since 
its first nuclear test in 1974. A week ago Pakistan, too, detonated 
five devices. This was Pakistan's first testing ever. Through the 
irresponsible actions of both India and Pakistan, two more nations of 
the world have declared themselves nuclear weapons states. In the 
course of these critical 2 weeks, our planet has returned towards the 
days of nuclear peril, the likes of which have not been seen since the 
most tense days of the Cold War.
  To be fair, both nations gave what were seemingly plausible reasons 
for their nuclear arms program. For India, Prime Minister Vajpayee 
stated that its nuclear development was due to the fact that it was 
surrounded by two hostile neighbors. One, which has clashed with India 
in three wars this century, engaged in a subversive war in the Indian 
states of Jammu and Kashmir and has engaged in a provocative ballistic 
missile program, and the other neighbor, the PRC, a declared nuclear 
weapons state, has fought against India along its northern border.

                              {time}  1800

  Pakistan claims that India provoked it. Pakistan, a nation of 132 
million, has been in the shadow of its much larger neighbor since the 
partition that divided the subcontinent and created both nations in 
1947. Fearful of its larger neighbor's intentions, Pakistan began its 
nuclear program clandestinely after the Indian test of 1974.
  But, Mr. Speaker, the real issue here is not who did what to who. 
Both nations can point to a litany of reasons why they should be 
suspicious of each other. While the two nations are but 50 years old, 
their shared cultural history spans thousands of years, and we know 
that their grievances do as well.
  Today, South Asia is on the brink of a nuclear arms race. Yesterday, 
the New York Times reported that India's defense budget has been 
increased by 14 percent. In addition, the Indian Department of Space's 
budget was increased by 62 percent and the Indian Atomic Energy 
Commission by 68 percent. You can be sure that the military accounts on 
these two agencies received the lion's share of this increase. In all 
likelihood, Pakistan is sure to match these increases in their own 
nuclear and military programs.
  The tragedy in this spiraling arms race is that many millions of 
impoverished and illiterate men, women and children of Pakistan and 
India are being left out in the cold as scarce resources are being 
spent on ballistic weapons and nuclear missiles.
  Since its adoption, both India and Pakistan have never been party to 
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and, despite the fact that 149 
nations have endorsed it, both have refused recently to endorse its 
recent renewal. Their citing of the so-called inequity of the CTBT, 
which does not require the five declared nuclear states to abandon 
their nuclear programs, rings hollow in light of their recent actions. 
Indeed, India has long called for complete worldwide nuclear 
disarmament. Yet regardless of India's perceived security threats, it 
has never had to follow this course of action. Equally, Pakistan missed 
a golden opportunity to take the high road by not performing nuclear 
tests in response to India's. Despite efforts by the Clinton 
administration, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided to follow 
India on the path towards nuclear bliss and strategic uncertainty.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to strongly protest the actions of the 
governments of India and Pakistan. Nuclear weapons are not the answer. 
These tests were an act of extreme violence, and the testing of nuclear 
weapons have opened a Pandora's box in South Asia. Through this 
violence they show the world how meek they truly are, for it is the 
emboldened and brave who choose the path of peace.
  I ask all my colleagues to join me in sending India and Pakistan a 
strong message of disapproval and to support the President in his use 
of economic and military sanctions.
  Mahatma Gandhi once said: ``Nonviolence is the first article of my 
faith. It is the last article of my faith. But I had to make my choice. 
I believe nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness 
is more manly than punishment, strength does not come from physical 
capacity, it comes from indomitable will. We have better work to do, a 
better mission to deliver to the world.''
  I sincerely hope that both Pakistan and India remember the words of 
Gandhi. The prayers of humanity rest on the hope that the millions of 
India and Pakistan will find a way to live together peacefully in the 
next century. We know the horrors that nuclear weapons can bring, and 
that cannot be the road to peace.

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