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Defiant Pakistan threatens to use nuke
Yahoo News India ^ | 05.30.02 | Press Trust of India

Posted on 05/30/2002 5:50:13 AM PDT by callisto

United Nations, May 30 (PTI) Pakistan has threatened to use nuclear weapons even if India stuck to conventional arms in any conflict, asserting that it has never subscribed to "no-first-use" of atomic weapons and that ruling out their use would give New Delhi a "license to kill."

"India should not have the license to kill with conventional weapons while Pakistan's hands are tied regarding other means to defend itself," said its new ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram.

The highly bellicose and provocative statements by Akram on the second day on the job yesterday surprised diplomats and officials at the United Nations who declined to make an immediate comment.

Pakistan, he said, has to rely on the "means it possessed to deter Indian aggression" and would not "neutralise" that deterrence by any doctrine of "no-first-use."

To a question at his first news conference after taking over the job, Akram said any action by India across the border, any aerial attack on Pakistani territory and its assets, and any action to economically strangle it would be "viewed" as aggression and would be "responded to by Pakistan."

Noting that both India and Pakistan possessed nuclear weapons, he said while that should instill restraint on both sides, "it does not seem to do so on the Indian side."

The launching of a sharp attack less than 48 hours after taking over, some diplomats believe, could mean that Pakistan plans to use the United Nations for anti-Indian propaganda.

Akram, who had been his country's ambassador to the UN at Geneva, is known for his rhetoric against India and in previous years had also made highly provocative statements on Kashmir during debates whether the occasion demanded or not.

Pakistan, Akram claimed, believed in "no-first-use of force." That was the reason, he said, that Islamabad had offered non-aggression pact to New Delhi but India had rejected it.

"If India reserved the right to use conventional weapons, how could Pakistan - a weaker power-be expected to rule out all means of deterrence."

The United Nations Charter, the Pakistani ambassador said, prohibited the use of force and India should be committed to "non-use-of-force".

Akarm said the Security Council should address the issues of tensions between India and Pakistan which "constituted a threat to international peace and security."

"Whenever there is a threat of use of force against a member state and a threat to international peace and security, there is an obligation for the Council to address that situation," he told the news conference


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: india; nukes; pakistan; southasialist; un
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To: Poohbah
You sure about that Poobah? My Mom died of brain cancer, my Dad had stomach cancer. hmmm.....

Are you willing to gamble the lives of your children on it? I'm sure the islamic fascists will keep on pushing India, Israel, or even us one day to the the use of WMD, those countries will do what they have to do but it won't be a "good thing" and it will have consequences for innocent people all over this world.

61 posted on 05/30/2002 9:24:35 AM PDT by Walkin Man
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Comment #62 Removed by Moderator

To: Walkin Man
You sure about that Poobah? My Mom died of brain cancer, my Dad had stomach cancer. hmmm.....

Let me guess: your family was immediately downwind of the Nevada Test Site. Look at a globe. Measure the distance between the Nevada Test Site and your home. Then measure the distance between India and your home. The latter distance will be much further, and will serve to massively dilute the fallout delivered to your hometown.

Are you willing to gamble the lives of your children on it?

Well, the non-Islamic COULD just surrender to the jihadists if that will make you feel better.

63 posted on 05/30/2002 9:29:38 AM PDT by Poohbah
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To: Cicero5
I don't think fallout is an issue. We've tested nukes many many times larger than both of their arsenals combined at the Bikini Islands, and we're all still here. What scares me is that once someone actually uses nukes it will just make it that much easier for them to be used the next time and we'll see nuclear proliferation every where. Once that genie is out of the bottle it's going to be impossible to get it back in.
64 posted on 05/30/2002 9:37:10 AM PDT by pgkdan
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To: Poohbah
What would happen? Pakistan destroys a few Indian cities.

I assume that the sub-continent has the same western drifting winds of the rest of the world, so Pakistan doesn't have the same problem with fallout that India has.

If Paki attacks the Indian cities, that could cause lots of radiation problems, making it difficult for India to conduct conventional war. But if India nuke retaliates, the wind systems would give them a secondary dose of rads.

65 posted on 05/30/2002 9:37:37 AM PDT by aShepard
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To: aShepard
If Paki attacks the Indian cities, that could cause lots of radiation problems, making it difficult for India to conduct conventional war.

"More difficult" is a relative term. India would STILL beat the Pakistanis as if they were the red-headed stepchild.

66 posted on 05/30/2002 9:39:46 AM PDT by Poohbah
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To: Mortin Sult
I don't think Musharraf is smart enough to play brinksmanship. I think he's serious, and that we'll see mushroom clouds before June is out - if we don't, that'll only be because India has decided to wait out the monsoon season.
67 posted on 05/30/2002 9:40:25 AM PDT by mhking
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To: Poohbah
Well, the non-Islamic COULD just surrender to the jihadists if that will make you feel better.

Uh, ya got me all wrong Poohbah, do a search on my screen name and you will see how I feel about islamofascists. But at the same time a nuclear war is not something to be entered into lightly with joy, IMHO.

68 posted on 05/30/2002 9:43:16 AM PDT by Walkin Man
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To: Walkin Man
I apologize for giving that impression.

However, it DOES rather permanently settle the issue...

69 posted on 05/30/2002 9:45:14 AM PDT by Poohbah
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To: callisto
Time to bring back and update 1950s stuff. Atomic Fireball candy. A "Bombay" or "Islamabadbad" bikini. Mutant movies.
70 posted on 05/30/2002 9:46:39 AM PDT by LarryLied
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To: Poohbah
I apologize for giving that impression.

No problem, thanks.

However, it DOES rather permanently settle the issue...

I gotta agree with ya on that point!

71 posted on 05/30/2002 9:50:34 AM PDT by Walkin Man
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To: Cicero5
please explain about the fallout will it effect us?
72 posted on 05/30/2002 9:54:35 AM PDT by angcat
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To: *southasia_list
Index
73 posted on 05/30/2002 9:57:33 AM PDT by Free the USA
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To: pgkdan
...get that genie out of the bottle, it is impossible to put it back in...

I keep getting this picture in mind of Musharraf as Daffy Duck screaming, "DOWN DOWN DOWN!!! GO GO GO!!! MINE MINE MINE!!!!"

74 posted on 05/30/2002 10:16:37 AM PDT by mhking
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To: DonQ
The Pakis are playing us for fools and laughing all the way to the bank.
75 posted on 05/30/2002 10:57:47 AM PDT by Aaron_A
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Comment #76 Removed by Moderator

To: All
I know what question I would really like answered, first and foremost :

Are the Pakistanis STUPID enough to attempt a preemptive nuclear strike?

77 posted on 05/30/2002 11:27:13 AM PDT by cake_crumb
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To: angcat
"please explain about the fallout will it effect us?"

The RADIATION fallout?? Not much, if at all.

The NEWS MEDIA fallout?? Now THAT'S another story...

78 posted on 05/30/2002 11:32:02 AM PDT by cake_crumb
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To: All
I'm sure many will enjoy this one...its an oldie but goodie. Hard to find this Hitchens article...so grab your own copy.

On the Frontier of Apocalypse

79 posted on 05/30/2002 11:33:21 AM PDT by Aaron_A
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To: The Duke
This is starting to shape up as the perfect test bed for the concept of nuclear deterrance.

Here's the nuclear deterrant that the U.S. should use:

"Dear Pakistan,
If you use nuclear weapons against India, the whole world will suffer the consequences of fallout and we shall have no choice but to turn your country into a cinder."

80 posted on 05/30/2002 11:37:14 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts
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