LETTERS: U.S. INCONSISTENT IN FOREIGN POLICY

To the editor:

Last week President Clinton announced an economic boycott of India. What was India's crime? India tested a nuclear device. Let's examine this. India exploded a nuclear device during a test, and the president immediately imposed a boycott. Communist China, on the other hand, killed 2,000 young freedom seekers in Tianamen Square, and our government said it shouldn't interfere with U.S.-China trade relations.

Communist China sold nuclear hardware and technology to potential enemies of the U.S., including Communist North Korea and Iran. Barely a whimper was heard from the president. Communist China kills so-called prisoners and sells their organs on the open market for cash and forces millions of others into slave-labor factories producing goods for American profiteers. Clinton and his lackey Congress rewarded the Communists for their good business sense by granting China most favored nation trading status.

When Russian Boris Yeltsin launched a bloody war on the Chechnyan people, Clinton declared it a Russian internal affair. There would be no American boycott nor condemnation in the United Nations, even though thousands of civilian women and children were slaughtered in a brutal barrage from Russian rockets, artillery and helicopters. After the Gulf War, when the Russian government decided to sell weapons and provide advisers to Iraq, no boycott was considered by Clinton and his lackeys.

Recently, during Communist China's saber rattling with Taiwan, a Chinese general made a not-so-vague threat about China's ability to nuke Los Angeles. Did Clinton angrily declare a boycott of China? No. He invited that Communist general tothe White House and arranged for American companies to provide the Communist Chinese with advanced missile guidance technology. Communist Chinese nuclear missiles will not be limited to striking America's West Coast. Now Cape Girardeau and New York City will be well within Chinese missile range.

American media attention has been diverted to the so-called possibility of escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. India is more concerned about Communist China than Pakistan. India fought a limited border war with the Communists about 40 years ato. With the recent Communist Chinese moves in Tibet, which borders India, doesn't India have the right to be cautiously prepared for the worst? India has seen how U.S. and United Nations policies favor the brutal conduct of Communist China. When worse comes to worse, India can expect no assistance from the United States, it allies or the United Nations if Communist China resumes hostilities against India. In fact, I would expect a Clinton-led diplomatic solution, including an arms ban on India similar to the U.S.-U.N.-imposed arms ban that prevented Bosnia from defending itself from Communist-backed Serbs.

It would greatly help India's cause if India would contribute millions of dollars to both the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee and to any candidates of either party that you can buy. It won't be hard to find them. This strategy worked well for the Communist Chinese during the 1996 elections. When a contributor gives illegal money to both parties, then it's legal in their eyes. Interesting, isn't it, how American government actually works?

MICHAEL JAMES BALLOU

Cape Girardeau