Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and India

Re “Cold War Has Ended, Why Is Nuclear Arms Race Still Here?” Opinion, July 7:

I am appalled by some few choice words used about India in Robert A. Manning’s column, such as “fetish,” “obduracy” and “skunk.”

Even today, the Congress and executive branch of the U.S. government bend to accommodate China. I think Manning believes that by writing these words he will be able to sway India to his liking. I am not for nuclear proliferation, but some other arguments may be better than berating India in public.

I don’t understand how he can assume that there is no perceived or real threat from China and Pakistan to India. The United States has always stood by Pakistan regardless of what it has done. China attacked India in 1962 and still Manning believes that there is no threat from China to India. And I think Manning knows that India has fought three wars with Pakistan since independence. India has a right to defend its borders.

I feel it is high time that policymakers in this country think clearly before condemning India. We have been supporting the regimes of generals, dictators and kings who rule by force for too long. We love democracy and should support democratic principles. In my opinion, India becomes a “whipping country” whenever it has to defend its own interest.

GOPI JINDAL

Buena Park

* I thank Manning for pointing out that even though the Cold War is over, the nuclear arms race goes on.

Couldn’t the hard line that India is taking in refusing to sign the test ban treaty be a window of opportunity? A rapid reduction of nuclear weapons stockpiles of the five nuclear haves, which is what India wants, would make us all more secure.

Shouldn’t the U.S. take the initiative and negotiate for a rapid reduction of the stockpiles to get India’s support and make the world safer for all of us now?

RALPH E. CRAMER

Los Angeles