[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E283-E284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              EDITORIAL OF PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO INDIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 7, 2006

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 2, 
2006, The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina, published the 
following editorial regarding President Bush's historic visit to India 
and the nuclear agreement between the United States and India.

                   Historic Reconciliation With India

       President George W. Bush's whirlwind, five-day visit to 
     South Asia is almost certain to have lasting significance. By 
     visiting India, the world's largest democracy, and also 
     making a previously unannounced stop in Afghanistan, one of 
     the world's youngest developing democracies, the president 
     continues to demonstrate his commitment to political freedom.
       The embrace of India, after decades of strained relations, 
     follows a five-year personal courtship by President Bush. It 
     ranks as one of the president's most important diplomatic 
     achievements. Its lasting success depends on maintaining the 
     right balance in America's relationship with Pakistan, a 
     vital strategic ally in the war against al-Qaida-led 
     terrorism, and also with China. After three days in India, 
     Mr. Bush flies on to Pakistan, the subcontinent's rival 
     nuclear power and India's foe in three wars.
       United States and Indian interests intersect in many areas: 
     in the fight against Muslim terrorism; in promoting democracy 
     through a joint Global Democracy Initiative and a new United 
     Nations Democracy Fund; in combating threats to public health 
     such as AIDS and pandemic flu; in developing new energy 
     technologies, including nuclear energy; and in trade. 
     Economic ties are strong. United States exports to India rose 
     30 percent in 2005, and despite the controversial outsourcing 
     of American service jobs to India, the United States trade 
     surplus with India was $1.8 billion last year.
       United States friendship with India also helps 
     counterbalance China's rising economic and military power in 
     the Asia region and keep the pressure on Pakistan's President 
     Pervez Musharraf to suppress Islamic fundamentalist 
     movements. The administration's most controversial initiative 
     towards India--a proposal to share peaceful nuclear 
     technology with a nation that has not joined the Nuclear Non-
     Proliferation Treaty--is moving forward. The president was 
     conducting negotiations up to the last minute by telephone 
     from Air Force One. If and when details are ironed out, and 
     India opens its peaceful nuclear activities to international 
     inspection, New Delhi will take its responsible place in the 
     rank of the world's nuclear powers. That will place great 
     pressure on Pakistan to follow suit.
       The street demonstrations held to protest, peacefully, the 
     president's visit, were mostly by Muslims. They served not 
     only to underscore India's commitment to democracy, but also 
     to emphasize by contrast the warm reception the president and 
     first lady were given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,

[[Page E284]]

     who broke with protocol to meet them at the airport.
       Polls show that the vast majority of the Indian people 
     welcome what Prime Minister Singh described as ``an act of 
     historic reconciliation.'' This visit is already being 
     compared to Richard Nixon's breakthrough journey to Communist 
     China. By forging a new era in United States relations with 
     South Asia, the president continues to build a foreign policy 
     legacy.

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