effects of the crisis. This year the refugees will cost India much more than its total net foreign aid; the loss must be made up by additional foreign aid on the order of at least $500 million shared internationally. For without this, India, too cannot act rationallyand may not even for long survive.
In all this I have said nothing of the great-power aspect. For the moment the Soviet Union is exercising restraint while China may be waiting to pick up the pieces of an extremist Bengal. The history of the fighting between India are China shows how conflict in South Asia rebounds to the benefit of the one-sided exploiter of tension rather than to those whose simple aim is to preserve India intact and Pakistan in a form that meets the desire of its peoples.
Hard Alternatives
The real stake is people, and more clearly than in most situations, the extraordinary hard, perhaps impossible, job of peace starts with people. Specifically, Congress must pass rapidly the $ 250 million pending supplemental appropriation for refugee help in both India and Pakistan. Then, as it should have been in tile first place, internationalized on a new and massive scale-first the problem must be by the World Bank groups for both India and Pakistan and then to include much greater constructive contributions from the Soviet Union. If this is pie in the sky, then the alternative is. almost literally, the collapse of South Asia. With all deliberation. I am inclined to think this could be the worst crisis the world, has faced since 1945.
Letters - East Pakistan
The four letters to the editor under the heading “The tragedy of Bengal” (Aug. 23) indicate that some unfortunate misconceptions may have been stimulated by your cover story of August 2.
It is incorrect and unfair to accuse the U.S. of “condoning genocide” or of being “niggardly” in providing humanitarian aid to the victims of the recent events in East Pakistan. The U.S. has, on numerous occasions, expressed its deep concern for the victims of the tragic violence in East Pakistan, and it has taken the lead in response to a call by Secretary-General U Thant for relief to both the refugees in India, and the needy people in East Pakistan. Thus far the United States has committed about onc quarter of a billion dollars for such humanitarian relief-far more than all other foreign countries put together-and the Administration has asked Congress for another quarter of a billion dollars.
It is incorrect, as one letter implied, that the US. has granted generous military aid to West Pakistan: We have not provided any grant aid to Pakistan for any military.
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