Prevent an Arms Race Between Pakistan and India

[Flabbergasted]

(Here's a thought: Lets not work for one of our allies against its rival. BTW if you haven't kept up both India and Pakistan are about to give us the boot. How many allies are we going to lose over this?)

Prevent an Arms Race Between Pakistan and India


Dennis Kucinich speaking from the Floor of the House


Speaking in support of the Sherman Amendment to H.R. 5682, United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006, Congressman Kucinich said:

"Mr. Chairman, as Congressman Markey just said, as this proposal now stands, there is nothing stopping India from using more and more of its domestic uranium for weapons program. Without the safeguards provided by the Sherman amendment, India could produce dozens more nuclear weapons per year under the US–India deal, which would surely lead to an arms race with neighboring rival, Pakistan.

"Mr. Chairman, I am a great supporter of India and of stronger US–India relations. India is the world's largest democracy. It has contributed measurably to the legacy of peace of the great leader, Mahatma Ghandi. India's long-standing goal of universal nuclear disarmament has not been acknowledged enough in this debate.

"This proposal will be harmful to security in India, in the region, and the world. And this proposal will be harmful to the people of India, in that it could escalate an arms race between India and Pakistan.

"I support Representative Sherman's amendment, which requires the President to certify annually that India is not dedicating more domestic uranium to its weapons program, as a condition for the US to cooperate with India on nuclear technology.

"Pakistan wants a deal with the US on nuclear technology, but the US has refused. Instead, Pakistan has turned to China for this technology. To add fuel to the fire, it was just reported that Pakistan has begun building a powerful new reactor for producing plutonium, signaling a major expansion of the country's nuclear weapons capabilities.

"Instead of giving India more uranium to develop nuclear weapons, the United States should take leadership in preventing an arms race in the region. A good first step would be to pass the Sherman amendment."


http://kucinich.us/node/375