448 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্র ও পাক-ভারত যুদ্ধঃ কংগ্রেস | পতিনিধি পরিষদের কার্যবিবরণী | ১৭ ডিসেম্বর, সদস্য ফ্যাসেল-এর বক্তৃতা >> a> December 17, 1971 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE H 12733 The United States and The India-Pakistan War Mr. Fascell. Mr. Speaker, words are inadequate to describe the war which continues between two of the world's largest a nations despite the surrender of Pakistan forces in the East. Every effort must be made to halt the fighting between India and Pakistan as soon as possible. Where is the United States in all of this? I agree totally that we must avoid getting involved in the fighting. But while we cannot decisively affect the course of events we do retain great influence. To date that influence has not been used as it should have been used. From the beginning of the present crisis a year ago the United States has turned a totally deaf ear to the pleas of the people of Hast Pakistan who, having gone to the polls in a free election; saw the results of that election overturned and a regime of terror and oppression instituted, President Khan has been a faithfully. For that we are grateful. And I am sure we will continue to honor our commitments to Pakistan when they can be fulfilled but not in the context of the war. While it may be wrong that Indians resorted to arms to halt the flow of refugees and perhaps to right old wrongs under a cloak of humanitarianism, we in the United States must ask ourselves what did this Nations do to give India hope of a peaceful alternative? What did we really do to prevent this war? As in other areas of the world it appears that the United States had no real overall policy forged to meet the realities of 1971 on the subcontinent. It seems we have reacted to a new set of circumstances based on worn-out old premises. Hence our almost total support for Pakistan. It seems to me that our policy has been wrong not just on the merits of the case but on the basis of our own self-interest. But now is not the time to debate the rights or wrongs of that policy. The situation is rapidly deteriorating in East Pakistan. It is time for the United States to act to prevent needless bloodshed in the wake on of an apparent Indian victory. From the movements of U. S. naval vessels reported in the press this morning and from the apparent warning issued yesterday to Moscow at an anonymous White House briefing yesterday, it would appear that the President is contemplating some kind of action on the subcontinent. If he is, I hope he will take the Congress into his confidence and not await our adjournment to take any action with such a possible profound implications.
