By
Sajjad Shaukat
International community
is so focused on the double standard of the United States in Syria that it has
ignored America’s similar policy in South Asia, which also needs appropriate
attention.
In this regard, the US
expressed concern on February 12, this year over the security of Pakistan’s
tactical nuclear weapons. The statement followed the US announcement about its
intention to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. At a State Department
news briefing, Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said, “Tensions between India and
Pakistan is equally worrying...we’re concerned both about the security of those
nuclear weapons, and that’s been a common refrain in our discussions with
Pakistan.”
Tone elaborated, “We
believe it’s in our vital national security interests to support Pakistan in
carrying out its efforts to destroy these terrorist networks, and we believe
it’s an important partner in the region in achieving a stable and secure
Afghanistan.”
Next day, India summoned
the US envoy in New Delhi, Richard Verma and recorded protest over the US
announcement to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.
On February 17, 2016,
rejecting Indian reaction to the F-16 deal with Pakistan, the Pentagon Press
Secretary Petro Cook stated, “We don’t think this deal should concern India in
any way. Pakistan is combating terrorism and its defence capability needs to be
enhanced accordingly.”
In this context, during
his briefing to the National Assembly, on January 19, last year, while
confirming anti-Pakistan lobbies in the US, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for
Defence Khawaja Asif had revealed, “Pakistan is trying to acquire eight F-16
fighter jets from the US on lease, but Husain
Haqqani, the former ambassador to the US is campaigning along
with India to malign Pakistan and to block delivery of F-16 fighter jets.”
On February 11, 2016, in a testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee,
US Defence Intelligence Agency Director, Lt-Gen.
Vincent Stewart (R) termed
Pakistan’s counter-insurgency operations along Pakistan’s western border
[Across Pak-Afghan border] and military operation Zarb-e-Azb and Karachi
operation as successful in reducing violence in Pakistan.
Lt-Gen.
Stewart explained,
“Pakistan is fast improving its nuclear security and is aware of the threats
posed by extremists to its nuclear arsenal.” But at the same time, he remarked
about the increasing risks of an incident associated with the growing nuclear
stockpile.
However, Lt. Lt-Gen. Vincent Stewart’s contradictory
statement is part of US double standard and ambivalent policy in South Asia.
Overtly and covertly, US-led India, Israel and some western countries keep on
conducting propaganda against Pakistan, because it is the lonely nuclear
country in the Islamic World.
When
terrorists had attacked on Pakistan’s Naval Airbase in Karachi on May 23, 2011,
US-led some western countries, including India and Israel exploited the
situation through disinformation about the security of Pak nukes. And another
terrorists’ assault on Kamra Base was successfully foiled by the personnel of
Pakistan Air Force, but, a baseless report, published in the New York Times had
indicated that suspected militants attacked a major Pakistani Air Force base
where some of the country’s nuclear weapons were considered to be stored in the
early hours of the militants’ attack. The ex-US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta
had also stated, “There is a danger of nuclear weapons of Pakistan, falling
into hands of terrorists.”
Particularly,
in 2009 when the heavily-armed Taliban entered Swat, Dir and Buner, US high
officials and their media had exaggerated the ‘Talibinisation’ of the whole
Pakistan, while showing concerns about Pakistan’s atomic arms. In that regard,
the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had warned that Pakistan’s
nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists. But, when Pakistan’s
armed forces ejected the Taliban insurgents out of these areas by breaking
their backbone, she started appreciating the capabilities of Pakistan’s armed
forces.
Undoubtedly,
Pakistan’s nuclear assets are in safe hands—well-protected and are under tight
security arrangements, having the best command and control system. This fact
has also been recognized by some top officials of the US and some western
countries.
It is
notable that Indian past record proves various kinds of unprotected incidents,
security lapses in relation to various nuclear plants and the related-sensitive
materials including events of nuclear theft and smuggling.
In this
respect, in the end of November, 2009, more than 90 Indian workers suffered
radiation due to contamination of drinking water at the Kaiga Atomic Power
Station in Karnataka. On July 27, 1991, a similar event took place at the heavy water plant
run by the Department of Atomic Energy at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan. Nuclear
radiation had affected and injured many labourers there.
In July
1998, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation seized eight kg. of nuclear
material from Arun, an engineer in Chennai, including two other engineers.
It was reported that the uranium was stolen from
an atomic research center. On November 7,
2000, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicated that Indian
police had seized 57 pounds of uranium and arrested two men for illicit
trafficking of radioactive material. IAEA
said that Indian civil nuclear facilities were vulnerable to thefts. On January 26, 2003, CNN disclosed that Indian
company, NEC Engineers Private Ltd. shipped
10 consignments to Iraq, containing highly sensitive equipment including
titanium vessels and centrifugal pumps. Indian
investigators acknowledged that the company falsified customs documents to get
its shipments out of India.
On June
12, 2004, Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation, an American company was fined US $
300,000 for exporting a nuclear component to the Bhaba Atomic Research Center
in India. In December 2005, United States imposed sanctions on two Indian firms
for selling missile goods and chemical arms material to a Muslim country in
violation of India’s commitment to prevent proliferation. In the same year, Indian scientists, Dr. Surendar and Y. S. R. Prasad had been blacklisted by
the US due to their involvement in nuclear theft. In December, 2006, a container packed with radioactive
material had been stolen from an Indian fortified research atomic facility near
Mumbai.
Nevertheless,
an alarming increase has been witnessed in the acquisition of arms and
ammunition on the part of India; and it is likely to spend around $250 bn. on
acquisition of weapons in next few years. The appetite is regional-specific
with Pakistan being the prime target including China. India has also developed
considerable nuclear weaponry and delivery systems.
It is
mentionable that in its report, the Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI) had disclosed on February 22, 2015 that India is the world’s largest recipient of arms—“India (14 percent of global arms imports), China
(4.7 per cent), Australia (3.6 per cent) and Pakistan (3.3 per cent).”
New
Delhi’s military is acquiring a slew of new equipments from combat aircraft to
submarines and artillery. It is currently finalising a deal with France’s
Dassault Aviation to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets in a contract worth an
estimated $12 billion.
Although
peace and brinksmanship cannot co-exist in the modern era, yet India seeks to
destabilize Asia through its aggressive designs.
While,
as part of the double standard, America brushed aside the Indian poor record
regarding the safety of nuclear weapons and materials. And despite, Indian
violations of various international agreements and its refusal to sign
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and
Additional Protocol with the IAEA, Washington signed a pact of nuclear civil
technology with New Delhi in 2008. During American President Barack Obama’s
visit to India, on January 25, 2016, the US and India announced a breakthrough
on the pact which would allow American companies to supply New Delhi with
civilian nuclear technology.
On
November 2, 2010, US agreed to sell India the most expensive—the new F-35
fighter jets including US F-16 and F-18 fighters, C-17 and C-130 aircraft,
radar systems, Harpoon weapons etc. Besides acquisition of arms and weapons
from other western countries—especially Israel, America is a potential military
supplier to India. US also pressurized IAEA and the Nuclear Suppliers Group to
grant a waiver to New Delhi for obtaining civil nuclear trade on larger
scale.
As a
matter of fact, US wants New Delhi to assume anti-China role. Beijing is
apprehensive about the emerging threat, as the intent of President Obama and
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quite clear, while mentioning about
free sea lanes and air passages in the South China Sea.
In this
connection, tension arose between India and China when Indian army erected a
military camp in Chumar Sector of Ladakh at the Line of Actual Control
(LAC)-disputed border, situated between the two countries. Similarly, Indian
soldiers crossed over the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir on January 6, 2012
and attacked a Pakistani check post, killing one Pakistani soldier. Afterwards,
Indian troops shot dead more Pakistani soldiers on the LoC.
It is
noteworthy that under the Pak-China pretext, Indian ex-Army Chief, General
Deepak Kapoor disclosed on December 29, 2010 that the Indian army “is now
revising its five-year old doctrine” and is preparing for a “possible two-front
war with China and Pakistan.”
It is
worth-mentioning that that after 9/11, both India and Israel which had openly
jumped on Bush’s anti-terrorism enterprise are acting upon a secret diplomacy,
targeting Pakistan China and Iran. It could be assessed from the interview of
Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer, published in the Indian weekly
Outlook on February 18, 2008. Regarding India’s defense arrangements with Tel
Aviv, Sofer had surprisingly revealed, “We do have a defense relationship with
India, and “with all due respect, the secret part will remain a secret.” In
fact, with the support of Israel, New Delhi has been acquiring an element of
strategic depth by setting up logistical bases in the Indian Ocean for its
navy.
Particularly,
fast growing economic power of China coupled with her rising strategic
relationship with the Third World, and especially Pakistan—after signing of
agreement, “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” which is, though for the benefit
of South Asia, but, has irked the eyes of Americans and Indians. Owing to
jealousy, America desires to make India a major power to counterbalance China
in Asia—while, New Delhi has continued violations at the LoC and cross-border
terrorism in Pakistan.
For the purpose, by
availing the phenomenon of lawlessness in Afghanistan, secret agencies like
American CIA, Israeli Mossad and Indian RAW have well-established their covert
network in that country, and as part of the double game, they are using the
terrorists of the Islamic State group (ISIS) and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) for conducting various terror attacks in Pakistan. These secret agencies
are also making efforts to weaken Tibetan regions of China, Pakistan’s province
of Balochistan and Sistan-Balochistan of Iran by promoting acrimonious sense of
dissent and political volatility.
Notably,
on July 20, 2011, while hinting towards Pak-China ties, the then US Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton urged India to be more assertive in Asia, saying that
as American ally, the country should play more of a leadership role. She
explained, “India has the potential to positively shape the future of the
Asia-Pacific.”
It is
owing to the US dual policy that New Delhi openly follows threatening diplomacy
in South Asia. In this context, in May 1998 when India detonated five nuclear
tests, it also compelled Pakistan to follow the suit. The then Defense Minister
George Fernandes had also declared publicly that “China is India’s potential
threat No. 1.” New Delhi which successfully tested missile, Agni-111in May
2007, has extended its range to target all Chinese cities. Now, by setting
aside peace-offers of Beijing and Islamabad, New Delhi has entangled the latter
in a deadly arms race.
While,
international community has been making strenuous efforts for world peace in
wake of global financial crisis and war against terrorism, but India has
particularly initiated deadly nuclear arms race in South Asia where people are
already facing multiple problems of grave nature. Majority of South Asian
people are living below the poverty level, lacking basic facilities like fresh
food and clean water. Yielding to acute poverty, every day, some persons commit
suicide.
Even,
Indian civil society organizations, while complaining of excessive defense
spending, recently, pointed out that the government spends very little amount
for the betterment of people. Indian defense analyst Ravinder Pal Singh,
while indicating New Delhi’s unending defense expenditures at the cost of
poverty-alleviation, calls it guns-versus-butter question.
Nonetheless,
by ignoring regional problems and especially resolution of Indo-Pak issues,
particularly the Kashmir dispute which remains a nuclear flashpoint, Indian
rulers state that they do not have any belligerent policy. But, it becomes a
big joke of the 21st century, reminding a maxim, “armed to the teeth, but no
enemy”, if we take cognizance of India’s increasing defense purchases in wake
of her aggressive designs. In fact, it is the fault of the US which openly displays double standard of arms
supply in South Asia
Sajjad Shaukat writes on
international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic_pak@hotmail.com
Courtesy Veterans Today
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