Former US Senator, Larry Pressler has urged India and the US to launch strikes on Pakistan’s nuclear sites. He also claimed that Donald Trump is the best US President for India as he has warned Pakistan for harboring terrorists.
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A denuclearized Pakistan, though an impossible scenario, is something the US and India would be delighted with. A campaign to discredit the country’s nuclear program or its safety cannot be ruled out
The 75-year old Pressler has been thrice Senator and twice a member of the House of Representatives. He said that Trump would have to deal with a Pentagon that is somewhat sympathetic to Pakistan. He even added that bolstered by the support and encouragement from the Pentagon, Pakistan was able to flay India at the UNGA when it termed it as the ‘mother of terrorism’ in the region.
Larry Pressler also urged the US President to follow up his warnings to Pakistan with solid actions. He stressed: “The US must declare Pakistan a terrorist state, cut off all aid and must not treat India and Pakistan as equals. India is a democracy, Pakistan isn’t. And Pakistan and especially the ISI have lied to us for decades.” Pressler also praised Indian prime minister Narendra Modi for talking tough with Pakistan.
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As repeatedly asserted, they are meant to fill the deterrence gap at the lower end of the conflict spectrum, which was developed after India unveiled its Proactive war strategy for Pakistan known as ‘Cold Start
At a time when the US is ostracizing Pakistan and courting India, such statements are heard every now and then. However, Pressler’s statement has a history attached to it.
The lawmaker from South Dakota contributed immensely to damage Pak-US ties in 1990 when he authored the infamously famous ‘Pressler Amendment’ in 1985, which required the US president to certify that the country was not developing nuclear weapons. In 1990, military aid was blocked to Pakistan when President H W Bush did not certify whether Pakistan was developing nuclear weapons or not and the F-16s that were due to be sent to Pakistan were halted.
This has made Pressler a hero in India and a pariah in Pakistan; in his own words he was called “a devil in Pakistan.” Islamabad felt cheated and abandoned. After a decade of being in an alliance with the US to evict Soviet forces from Afghanistan, Pakistanis were shocked that not only the US left it alone to handle post-war crisis in Afghanistan, but also disregarded the country’s security interests.
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Pakistan redoubled its efforts to go nuclear because of its security paranoia. When India, the very country which played an instrumental role in the separation of East Pakistan
Pakistan redoubled its efforts to go nuclear because of its security paranoia. When India, the country which played an instrumental role in the separation of East Pakistan, tested a nuclear device on 18th May 1974, Pakistan felt the need to have a deterrent of its own.
Much to the chagrin of the US, Pakistan responded to India’s overt nuclearization in 1998 with its own nuclear tests. As of today, it has warheads, delivery system, and a well-placed command and control mechanism.
However, Pakistan’s repeated assertions about the safety of its nuclear weapons, and also the need of its expansion have not satisfied the US. Despite being a matter strictly between India and Pakistan, the US has raised eyebrows on the country’s acquisition of the Tactical Nuclear Weapons (TNWs).
Larry Pressler also urged the US President to follow up his warnings to Pakistan with solid actions. He stressed: “The US must declare Pakistan a terrorist state, cut off all aid and must not treat India and Pakistan as equals
These battlefields nuclear weapons are not even a threat to the Indian cities of New Delhi, let alone the US. As repeatedly asserted, they are meant to fill the deterrence gap at the lower end of the conflict spectrum, which was developed after India unveiled its Proactive war strategy for Pakistan known as ‘Cold Start’.
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However, the growing Indo-US camaraderie and bolstering defense ties between the two countries means that pressure will further mount on Pakistan. India is often frustrated and believes that Pakistan gets away by crying wolf with ‘nuclear war’. It is this strategy that it aimed to counter through its alleged ‘surgical strikes’ in 2016. In doing so, it threatened Pakistan that it can bring war to its borders. In addition, India funds many campaigns across the world to discredit Pakistan’s nuclear program to promote stories about the lack of safety of nuclear weapons in the country and an Islamist takeover of them.
