UNITED24 - Make a charitable donation in support of Ukraine!

Space


OUR NATION'S DEFENSE -- (BY JAMES H. HUGHES) (Extension of Remarks - June 22, 1998)

[Page: E1187]

---

HON. BOB SCHAFFER

in the House of Representatives

MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1998

  • Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the important topic of our nation's defense. One of America's leading experts in national security issues and U.S. defense strategy lives in my home state of Colorado. Mr. James H. Hughes of Englewood, Colorado, has written countless articles concerning this topic. I would like to submit Mr. Hughes, latest article entitled `Defense: America's Decision' for the Record.

(BY JAMES H. HUGHES)

President Clinton's blatant efforts aiding the proliferation of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons technology, selling U.S. satellite and ballistic missile technology and foreign policy in return for political campaign contributions from the Chinese army and other questionable parties, has manifested itself in the escalating tension and aggressive nuclear testing between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan's six nuclear tests were a response to India's five nuclear tests in May 1998, including India's test of a thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb). India's nuclear tests were in turn a response to Pakistan's flight test on April 6, 1998 of its new intermediate range ballistic missile called the Ghuari. The signifiance of Pakistan's flight test of its Ghuari intermediate range ballistic missile deserves our understanding.

The Ghuari ballistic missile increases Pakistan's ability to deliver nuclear warheads from a range of 186 miles (using Pakistan's Chinese-made and designed M-11 missiles) to 930 miles. In one step the Ghuari enables Pakistan to strike targets from along its border to targets deep inside India, threatening practically the entire Indian subcontinent. Pakistan's flight test of the Ghuari precipitated India's nuclear tests, especially as Pakistan belligerently claimed the Ghuari could strike many Indian cities.

India correctly perceives President Clinton could care less about the risks India faces from Pakistan's new ballistic missile. Indeed, President Clinton could care less about our own defense against long-range ballistic missiles. Since taking office in 1993, President Clinton has cut and stripped down our advanced ballistic missile efforts, and insists we remain undefended against intermediate and long-range ballistic missiles.

President Clinton, rather than even attempting to reassure India diplomatically against Pakistan's aggressive stance with its Ghuari ballistic missile, has played the role of a stooge for the proliferation of ballistic missile and nuclear weapons technology by China and Russia. India had little choice but to test its nuclear weapons to deter Pakistan.

China provided Pakistan with the ballistic missile technology and expertise to build the Ghuari and its nuclear weapons program, in violation of nonproliferation agreements with the U.S. President Clinton has not sought to enforce nonproliferation agreements with China, rather President Clinton has sought `inventive legal interpretation to avoid sanctions under U.S. proliferation laws' (Majority Report of the Senate Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services, January 1998, p. 10).

We should enforce our nonproliferation agreements with China and halt our transfers of advanced technology. If we deploy a ballistic missile defense in space where it could defend against ballistic missiles launched from anywhere including India or Pakistan, we would provide for our own defense and could defend other countries from ballistic missiles. A ballistic missile defense in space would increase our prospect for peace.

  • Mr. Speaker, I think Mr. Hughes has issued another thoughtful report and it is important that we take a good look at our current defense policy and focus on the safety of Americans now and in the future.

END



NEWSLETTER
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list