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URGENT! Plz Counter Pentagon's Move to Sale F-16 to P'stan
You are probably aware of Pentagon's recent proposal to sale
F-16 to P'stan. Please do the needful to stop this deal and send
protest letters/faxes/calls to the lawmakers deciding the fate of
the deal.
Points that could be highlighted in letters/messages/faxes could be as
under:
1. The proposed one time exception and the resumption of supplies of
F-16s would mean effective repeal of the Pressler amendment.
2. The move to make exception is contrary to assurances given by Sec.
of State Warren Christopher, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott,
Under Sec. for international Security Affairs Lynn Davis and other
officials at all levels and in congressional testimonies affirming that
Pressler amendment would not be removed and that no change in US
policy with respect to Pressler amendment and Pakistani nuclear
programme is envisaged.
3. Supply of F-16s which are capable of delivering nuclear warheads
will in fact mean endorsement of Pakistan's nuclear
programme and encourage its nuclear ambitions with all its
consequences for US interests.
4. The move will encourage arms race in the South Asian region leading
to increase in defence expenditure at the cost of social and economic
development.
5. Indian public opinion will be outraged and this supply which
aggravates India's security situation. This will be seen as hostile
tactics by US against India. This will in turn damage bilateral
relations seriously.
6. US has become India's largest trading partner and largest investor.
US exports to India are growing rapidly. US Commerce Department has
recently identified as one of the 10th biggest emerging markets for the
United States (the same article appeared in MNS sometime back). Vast
potential that is being created for growth of Indo-US business and
economic relations would be seriously jeopardized by move to resumption
of supplies of arms to Pakistan.
In addition, you can also send your signatures for the camapign
by Prakash (an Indo-American lobbying group). Plz send your
signature to prakash@netcom.com to be included in their list.
From: prakash@netcom.com ('Prakash')
Message-Id: <199403152106.NAA24386@netcom10.netcom.com>
Subject: Copy of the draft letter
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 13:06:09 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To: <199403152046.OAA01948.39665@icaen.uiowa.edu> from "jit" at Mar 15, 94 02:46:08 pm
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23]
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Status: RO
March 13, 1994
Dear Friends:
You may have already heard from press and media reports
about a Pentagon proposal to make a one-time exception to
the Pressler amendment permitting the sale of US F-16
aircraft to Pakistan. 'Prakash' has learnt that this
proposal is to come up before the House/Senate Conference
Committee within the next 7 to 10 days.
As you know, the F-16 aircraft, capable of delivering
nuclear weapons, will definitely alter the conventional
military advantage in favor of Pakistan. India, will end-up
diverting billions of dollars to acquire weapons to counter
this threat. This money could otherwise be used for
development programs. Sensing the seriousness of this
issue, Sen. Larry Pressler himself has urged the Indian-
American community to voice their opposition to this move.
The danger of the anti-India Pakistani lobby seriously
affecting Indo-US relations is real; unless we act on this
quickly and immediately. I urge you to do all or one of the
following:
--Support the enclosed draft letter by sending in an e-mail
with the subject "F-16" to prakash@netcom.com. The body
of your letter should have the following:
your full name
mailing address
telephone number
e-mail address
occupation
--Call the senators listed in the document "Pentagon.F16-
Senators" available through anonymous ftp at netcom.com
in "pub/prakash," to express your opposition to this
proposal. If you do not have ftp access, please send us
a mail with the subject F16 -- Senators and we will
send you the information.
--Send a fax of the enclosed letter to the senators
(details available in the aforementioned document).
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of your support in
defeating this proposal. Please feel free to distribute
this information to all your friends, relatives, and peers.
Regards,
Aravind Sitaraman
for Prakash
****************************************************************
BEGIN DRAFT LETTER
****************************************************************
March 13, 1994
Dear Senator:
Prakash is a non-governmental and non-profit organization on
India and of Indians seeking to influence India policy in
Washington and policy in New Delhi. Our several thousand
participants include scientists, academics, engineers,
professionals, and students. We are concerned about
Pentagons new proposal for a one-time exception to the
Pressler amendment permitting the sale of US F-16 aircraft,
capable of delivering nuclear weapons, to Pakistan.
Such an exception would effectively repeal the Pressler
amendment and rescind any accrued long-term benefits. It
would irreversibly change US India policy and Indian policy
with respect to Pakistans nuclear weapons program.
Further, this move is contrary to public assurances given by
senior administration officials including the Secretary of
State, his Deputy, and the Under-Secretary for International
Security Affairs.
The Pentagons proposal comes at a time when four out of 10
companies investing in India are American. In the last one
year, Indo-US trade has grown sharply -- US exports are
increasing rapidly and the US is now Indias largest trading
partner. As indicated by the Department of Commerce,
identifying India as one of the ten big emerging markets for
US products, bilateral trade opportunities are abundant
This proposal, if passed, will be viewed by India and Indian-
Americans as a US endorsement of Pakistans nuclear weapons
program and thereby prove disastrous to Indo-US relations.
Additionally, it will trigger an arms-race in South Asia,
thus diverting billions of dollars from essential
development programs, to a tense situation reminiscent of
the cold-war era. It will also inadvertently alienate the
one million Indian-Americans, already seriously concerned
about the recent anti-India trend in US foreign policy.
In the interest of economic opportunities, peace, and
stability, we urge you to firmly oppose efforts to
compromise the ideals of the Pressler amendment.
Sincerely,
Aravind Sitaraman
for Prakash
****************************************************************
END DRAFT LETTER
****************************************************************
LIST OF SENATORS DEALING WITH THE PENTAGON PROPOSAL ON A ONE-TIME EXCEPTION
PERMITTING THE SALE OF F-16 AIRCRAFT TO PAKISTAN
Name Address Phone Fax
Frank H. Murkowski 706 Hart Senate Bldg (202)224-6685 224-5301
Washington, DC 20510
Hank H. Brown 706 Hart Senate Bldg (202)224-5941 224-6471
Washington, DC 20510
Nancy Landon Kassebaum 302 Russell Senate Off Bldg (202)224-4774 224-3514
Washington, DC 20510
Richard G. Lugar 306 Hart Senate Bldg (202)224-4814 224-7877
Washington, DC 20510
John F. Kerry 42 Russell Senate Off Bldg (202)224-2742 224-8525
Washington, DC 20510
Clairborne Pell 335 Russell Senate Off Bldg (202)224-4642 224-4680
Washington, DC 20510
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. 221 Russell Senate Off Bldg (202)224-5042 224-0139
Washington, DC 20510
Paul Sarbanes 309 Hart Senate Bldg (202)224-4524 224-1651
Washington, DC 20510
Christopher J. Dodd 444 Russell Senate Off Bldg (202)224-2923 N/A
Washington, DC 20510
Paul Simon 462 Dirksen Senate Bldg (202)224-2152 224-0868
Washington, DC 20510
Daniel P. Moynihan 464 Russell Senate Off Bldg (202)224-4451 228-3815
Washington, DC 20510
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