USA keeping its options open on arms for Pakistan
New Delhi, July 9. —The U.S. Administration is keeping its options open regarding future arms supplies to Pakistan. This is the inference drawn here from Washington’s silence in response to queries regarding the quantities of military hardware still in the pipeline.
The letter from the U.S. President his aide, Dr. Henry Kissinger, brought for Mrs. Gandhi earlier this week skirted the issue, offering no indication whatsoever on the line the USA takes about arms sales or the resumption of economic aid. Apart from inforducing Dr. Kissinger, the letter dealt only with generalities like the common interests of India and the USA in peace and stability.
Not suprisingly, Mr. Nixon’s letter has made so contribution to the Indo-U.S. dialogue. The credibility gap stemming from arms supplies remains as wide as it was premiting qualified observers here to conclud that Washington is so committed to baling out Pakistan’s Generals that criticisms from liberals at home and abroad or from India hardly matter to it.
DOUBLE TALK
To confuse the issues, the US Administration is indulging in a great deal of double talk. It seems at time to be saying that the arms are still going to President because of a ‘bureaucratic muddle, but this does not wash. The embergo on supplies to India and Pakistan during the 1965 conflict came into immediate effect without any slippages anywhere, proving that it is within the Administration’s ability to halt the flow any time it chooses.
Another “explatation” now canvassed is that the Pentagon and the State Department are pulling in different directions and hence a ‘leakage” of arms to Pakistan. But this is what the Americans call possing the buck’; it is surly a rid to blur the responsibility for the decision to go the Pakistan junta’s rescue.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 10.07.1971