George Bush's position on:

India and Pakistan's role in Nuclear Proliferation: In a speech given by the president on May 31, 2004, he spoke about how he authorized the spending of $10 billion dollars over 10 years by G8 Summit members to be used for the dismantling of nuclear programs in countries where terrorists can easily obtain nuclear weapons. Both Pakistan and India are known to have nuclear technology. Although the tension between North and South Korea is usually assumed to be the largest potential threat of nuclear weaponsuse, the hostility that exists between the Indians and the Pakistanis is just as severe.

Description of candidate's position: Bush desires the proliferation security initiative (PSI) to address issues beyond shipment and transfer exchanges. He also wants to create better relations with local law enforcement agencies which exist in Pakistan and India. Desires all nations to strengthen laws and international controls which control proliferation. President Bush believes that decreasing tension in the Indian/Pakistani region will help to deter the threat of nuclear violence. President Bush also is working closely with the Pakistani government to help find Osama bin Laden." Link to President Bush's webpage:

Quotation from the candidate: [Official statement by White House Press Secretary]"The President reiterated to President Musharraf that the United States expects Pakistan to live up to the commitment to end all support for terrorism. The President emphasized to Prime Minister Vajpayee the need for India to respond with de-escalatory steps. To both leaders, the President stressed the need to choose the path of diplomacy." June 5, 2002. link 

Assessment of the proposal:

Positive: Palacio Foz, a member of the PSI, said, "Participants supported the call by U.S. President Bush to expand the role of the PSI to not only interdict shipments of WMD, their delivery systems and related materials, but to cooperate in preventing WMD proliferation facilitators (i.e. individuals, companies, and other entities) from engaging in this deadly trade. March 5, 2004. Found at

Negative: From the National Resources Defense Council, regarding the $10 billion over 10 years, "even here the participating countries used accounting tricks…some of this money is earmarked to build a plutonium fuel-fabrication plant in Russia" which many believe could be used for "illicit purposes." The NRDC believes that giving $10 billion over 10 years will is full of loopholes and still believes that terrorists, such as A Q Khan, will still be able to purchase nuclear technologies from old Soviet sites. February 12, 2004. 

Comparison: Kerry believes that the money that Bush has allocated has been insufficient. The amount proposed by Bush is less than the "the last Clinton Administration request, which was made well before 9/11…" link

Link to Kerry's issue page