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| villageVoice |
Posted
on 31-May-02 04:58 PM
Wondering how will the nulcear Armageddon in South Asia affect Nepal? Should Pakistan, which has explicitly stated that it doesn't follow the no-first strike doctrine unlike India, strike New Delhi, how many will get killed.
There are thousands of Nepalis in the Indian capital too and in other major cities like Bombay and Calcutta. And what about the radioactive fallouts - Delhi is really not too far from Nepal border?
Pls read the following artilce from The Times of India.
WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Thursday he was prepared to share with leaders of India and Pakistan US intelligence on the consequences of a nuclear war.
"It's the millions and millions and millions of people who live in those two countries who would be damaged by a conflict," he said. In a signal of mounting US concern over the confrontation between the two nuclear armed rivals, the White House said it was sending Rumsfeld to the region next week for talks.
A subdued Rumsfeld would say little about his mission but acknowledged that a key US concern was to avoid miscalculations by ensuring that all sides have a common understanding of the situation.
"It is important that people work off the same set of facts, and the same sheet of music and having a relatively clear understanding about the implications of various things might be is a very useful thing," he said.
Rumsfeld said he would be "happy" to provide intelligence to both sides on the consequences of a nuclear war. "We've done a lot of thinking about that here, having had nuclear weapons for 55, 57, 58 years now," he said.
"So we've given a lot thought to their use, what the immediate effects are, what the lingering effects are, and what the secondary effects can be with respect to other problems," he said.
No dates have been set for Rumsfeld's visit to India and Pakistan, and Rumsfeld said details were still being worked out with their governments. But he said it would be part of a trip that also will include a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels June 6-7.
Rumsfeld acknowledged that evacuating Americans and other nationals from the region in the event of a war would be a huge problem. He said no decision has been taken to withdraw any of the estimated 1,100 US troops in Pakistan, and he said no plans have been announced to evacuate US nationals from either country.
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| villageVoice |
Posted
on 31-May-02 05:18 PM
Any idea what kind of instructions has US government given to its citizens in Nepal, diplomats including?
Nepal govenment, blissfully unware of the world beyond kathmanduko khaldo and now involved fulltime in the kangressi infighting, should make immediate move to at least ask the United States to share its nuclear intelligence (can't do anything more). And why is Prime Minister Deuba, the SAARC boss, all silent? Taking lessons from the Indian government? Which has been involved in a dangerous propoganda war, deliberately avoiding explaining to the people the dangers of nuclear war. And the mainstream media, never one to question officials on foreign-policy matters, have fallen into the official trap.
India's position is: we have more nuclear warheads than Pakistan and hence will inflict more damage to them. But what kind of victory would that be - when millions of your own people die and millions more will be maimed for generations? Given their proximity, nuclear fallouts from Pakistan will certainly affect India too.
Pakistan meanwhile will cease to exist. India - yes, whatever remains of India - will bulldoze the country (if that's at all possible during the nuclear fallout), and no country in the world will come for Pakistan's defence -- as the N-perpetrator.
Wonder if Nepal and B'desh will become South Asian powers, supplying food and water to bigger neighbours.
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| Well |
Posted
on 31-May-02 05:31 PM
Well I really dont think a nuclear war will happen ... the media is over playing this whole thing .... sure things are tense and we may at worst see a low intensity war but the idea of nuclear war is a little too far fetched I think.
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| mista |
Posted
on 31-May-02 05:48 PM
Well, I think it's time to settle this dumb issue once and for all. If they wanna use nukes, then let them. Nepalis have nothing to worry about. We got mountains to protect us from radiation. Only the Terai Bashis(and people from Western Nepal)will suffer. So, bombs away! j/k
In reality, nukes won't be used by either countries. Nukes are like ornaments. Everybody knows the fallout of using nukes these days.... I don't think Musharraf/Vajpayee are that dumb.
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| NK |
Posted
on 01-Jun-02 01:58 PM
As you mentioned, given their close proximity why would either of the country risk harming their own citizens by starting a nuclear war? I agree with mista that nuclear weapons are like ornaments, it is to show off. They have fought what - three wars (?), so let them fight one more or many more.l They don't want to heed any solution provieded like having a referendum and all that. I think both countries need this kashmiri problem to divert their gnawing internal problems. Look how they are all one voice, rallying after their leader, Vajpayee? Does anybody talk about Ayodyha anymore and all those victims burned to death in Ahemabad?
It may not be a Grand Design on India's part to create the Kashmi problem to divert the attention, but this war talk works in his favour for the time being, at least.
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