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India's nuke threat underestimated?

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    India's successful test-fire of nuke-capable missile has generated little buzz, but maybe it should

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Tonight India has China's attention big time news tonight that India successfully tested new -- so -- can carry nuclear weapons all the way to Beijing and the missile could go very far but cannot reach United States -- India is our ally but.

Should we be alarmed former UN ambassador John Bolton joins us good evening sir maybe alarmist and right -- but should we be concerned.

Well I think so this is a major development for India dismissal itself will require some additional testing but it can carry a 3000.

Pound payload 3000 miles you said it can hit any target in China.

And I think the reaction will provoke in China which has already been expanding its ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities.

Is to respond in kind this.

This relationship between -- -- going to be a major.

Issue for the United States in the coming decades.

It is spin it is certainly not -- as chilly as relations between Indian Pakistan.

I'm -- Pakistan's so Farley's diamonds has been rather sell another have been held to reach -- -- for some time but still I was surprised the devastating about Pakistan.

Well they've got that capability and everybody knows that and Pakistan and China have been close for a long time because of precisely that.

Adversarial relationship with India so.

That this shifting sands of of allegiances here is something that has been important to the United States over time and will be is India and China both growing economic strength.

Is this is giving -- -- missile race in Asia REM is there already one well I think it's already started I think this is an indication that the Indians to just last year for the first time.

Published military doctrine about China as an adversarial military power.

Shedding all of those -- yes -- ideas that they're just another big peaceful country they've got a nuclear capability they've now got a long range ballistic missile capability and mores coming.

You guys ever read some with some interest that there is some idea that people need now -- because India has grades maintains a quote no first use policy mean that they'll use -- defensively.

I thought well that's an easy one to change I mean a change -- policy by -- -- we got new policy.

In about thirty seconds when it's one you won your national interest at stake and I think that really is something we need to take into account a lot of people say India is our natural ally because it's democracy.

Forgetting that during the Cold War even though India had a nominally non aligned to view it often sided with the Soviet Union and I was democracy that until.

-- -- -- -- for us today accused of -- and -- exploit because it did sound so bad but uses -- some way though to exploit this sort of new dynamic between India and China by don't think exploit is a bad word yeah.

Yeah I'd rather eat out -- that something about -- but it -- brutal self interest and no interest.

-- this is that what this is there a conflict within American foreign policy strategists as I said you side with India because it's democracy he side with China because of -- economic interest.

My view is you play the India card against China and you play the China card against India depends on what the America.

What -- we get us what we get out of them -- like why why don't do that what I mean how can we have divergent interest to them.

They have their own divergent interest is there economies grow and -- they face each other across their common border and Himalayas and as there -- naval capabilities expands their economies expand.

They don't call that region in between -- China for nothing.

So the countries of southeast Asia see these two large towers it's one reason why we have such a stake in.

China's excessive territorial claims -- Is not so Saber rattling I mean this is not a a threatening gesture towards India amending the amendment -- like warning shot of any -- right this is set.

What is this -- to -- flexing the muscles well I think it's demonstrating a capability that if anybody in China had any doubts if they can do that -- -- they feel a need to do that now.

Well they obviously did that's why they've got a missile with the capability that can hit any target in China and that's that's a significant development and it's clearly capable of carrying nuclear weapons and -- a big difference between films like you need to and just simply wanted to be like a big shot in the world like you know like -- and nuclear power some -- to me -- and -- a -- Well they haven't been assertive.

In their relations with other countries not is as aggressive -- China has been for example -- its territorial claims in the south and East China -- But a lot of -- is smaller neighbors if you're Bangladesh or Sri Lanka.

Are worried about the growth of Indian power and the potential of a conflict that could be nuclear very quickly between Pakistan and India.

And that's -- thing.