Expressing the sense of Congress in opposition to the government of Pakistan's support for armed incursion into Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Mr. Chairman:

Quite clearly, what we are witnessing in Kargil and some other areas of Jammu and Kashmir is a well-planned armed aggression against India. This armed aggression of Indian territory must be undone immediately to restore regional peace and stability. I'm very concerned about the fighting and escalation of tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbors of South Asia. I fully appreciate the firm steps taken by the Indian government to defend its territory against armed aggression.

Pakistan must stop trying to militarily undo the Line of Control, which has been clearly demarcated over the years. The two sides have not had any major differences or confusion about where the LoC is. The current armed aggression of Jammu and Kashmir by regular Pakistani forces and Pakistani-sponsored terrorists is a deliberate violation of the Line of Control. Those who have invaded the Indian soil from the Pakistani side must withdraw --- now.

Mr. Chairman, it's time for our Administration to turn up the heat against Islamabad to bring to a close the continued occupation of Indian territory both by Pakistani forces and its surrogates, such as the Islamic Afghan mercenaries and the fundamentalist mujahideen.

The Administration's actions are to be commended thus far, including President Clinton's phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff and last week's Pakistan trip by Gen. Athony Zinni. However, we have not yet motivated the Pakistanis to pull back their forces from the Indian side of the Line of Control.

The international community's patience is being tested. India's patience is being tested. And our patience is being tested.

It's time for action - Some definitive action that will clearly send a message across to the recalcitrant forces that control Pakistan's military that enough is enough; That this is not the way a responsible nuclear power behaves endangering international peace and security; And that if Pakistan does not change its behavior by immediately withdrawing its forces, it must recognize that there will be consequences for violating global peace and security.

Mr. Chairman, this Resolution clearly tells Pakistan and the whole world that aggression will not be tolerated. That aggression will not be rewarded. Nothing short of immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Pakistani forces will be acceptable to the international community.

Together with many of our colleagues here, I fully appreciate the firm steps taken by the Indian government to defend its territory against armed aggression. The caretaker Vajpayee Administration cannot be expected forever to lay back and watch the Line of Control being violated. No nation can sit back when its borders are violated.

And India, Mr. Chairman, has reacted in a measured and prudent manner to undo this armed aggression.

This is India's first Television War. Images of Body Bags carrying fallen Indian soldiers on the Himalayan heights are filling the TV screens. Widows and mothers, as we know, are powerful societal forces. Many voices are loudly calling on the Vajpayee Administration to "teach" the Pakistanis a lesson.

Despite these raw emotions churning the democratic nation of nearly a billion people, despite India having every justification to strike back against Pakistan in a full-scale manner, the Vajpayee Administration has displayed Herculean Restraint. That restraint, and the wisdom of the Indian leadership in realizing that in restraint is the true of measure of real power, must be saluted and commended by all democratic forces in the world. Even in war, Mr. Chairman, we are seeing some thing very Indian, some thing very Gandhian, very Christian. And, I believe, something truly amazing.

Mr. Chairman I strongly urge that this Committee pass this resolution.