India-Pakistan: June 18, 2000

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US intelligence has determined that the Pakistani nuclear arsenal is larger than that of India (perhaps five times as large), that the weapons are more likely to function reliably, and that the Pakistanis have a significantly better chance of actually delivering a nuclear weapons to its intended target. India dismissed the report, saying that it had a large enough arsenal to deter aggression and that US reports on the size of the Pakistani arsenal were pure speculation. The Indians have, however, been repeatedly embarrassed by the failure of many of their military technology programs including tanks and aircraft. Pakistani junta leader General Pervez Musharraf said that his nation's arsenal of nuclear missiles and other nuclear weapons are needed for legitimate self defense and are no threat to anyone. Musharraf insisted that his nation is a 'responsible state' and not a "fundamentalist republic".--Stephen V Cole