Editorials
Friday, May 29, 1998

A setback for nuclear
nonproliferation

THE cause of nuclear nonproliferation has taken a devastating blow with the test blasts conducted by India and Pakistan. Unlike the tests in recent years by the United States, China and France, these were conducted by countries that have already fought three wars against each other and could well clash again. But the next time it could be with nuclear weapons.

It has been an open secret for years that both countries had nuclear arms programs. Pakistan, a longtime U.S. ally, had been denied American arms sales for that reason, but this did not deter the Pakistanis. Now President Clinton has imposed additional sanctions to match those imposed earlier on India, as required by a 1994 law. But Islamabad knew they were coming if it proceeded to match India's blasts.

Evidently Pakistan's leaders felt they had no choice, despite Clinton's requests for restraint. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said India used the excuse that it is threatened by China when, in fact, its arsenal is aimed at Pakistan.

There has been a strong element of hypocrisy in the effort to restrict nuclear weapons development to the five previously acknowledged nuclear powers -- the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China. Leaders of other nations wanting nuclear weapons couldn't see why they should be denied them.

The justification, and it is a compelling one, is that the more nations with nuclear weapons the greater the danger that they will be used. However, that rationale is not persuasive for leaders of countries determined to join the nuclear club. In the worst scenario, rogue states such as North Korea, Iran, Iraq and Libya would acquire them.

Now that India and Pakistan have conducted their tests, they may be willing to sign the nuclear test ban treaty, but that would only make a mockery of the pact. Clinton signed the treaty in 1996 but ratification has been blocked by Jesse Helms, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The latest explosions further weaken the prospects for ratification.

Despite the rebuff from Pakistan, Washington should offer its assistance to New Delhi and Islamabad in establishing a system of controls over their nuclear arsenals in order to stabilize this dangerous situation. Data from U.S. satellites could be provided to verify compliance with agreements. In addition, the United States should redouble its efforts to prevent further proliferation of nuclear weapons technology and material.

President-elect Estrada

WHILE neighboring Indonesia was bringing down a president amid rioting and looting, the Philippines was electing a president in a relatively peaceful and honest manner. The winner, Joseph Estrada, did not have the support of the current president, Fidel Ramos. Yet Estrada, whose victory in the May 11 elections has just been officially confirmed, pledged to continue much of the economic program of his predecessor and is retaining several department heads.

Democracy seems to have regained its health in the Philippines. Estrada is the third president to be elected since the overthrow of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, in 1986. Ramos squeaked through in the 1992 election with only 24 percent of the vote, even with the endorsement of then-President Corazon Aquino. By contrast, Estrada had close to 40 percent in a field of 10 candidates, 10.6 million votes, far more than his closest rival, Jose de Venecia, with just 4.3 million.

The president-elect's name became a household word through the movies. Although his film career ended years ago, it gave him an image as a leader with the common touch that has brought him repeated electoral victories despite criticism of his drinking, gambling and womanizing.

Estrada delights his fans by playing the buffoon. One analyst said of his election victory: "It's a revenge of the masses. They are tired of being led by smart people." But Estrada is no fool even though he pretends to be one. The test will come when he has to choose between pleasing the ordinary people who elected him and the business and professional people who supported Ramos' policies of economic liberalization and fear Estrada will undercut Ramos' program.

Estrada is taking over at a time when several Asian economies are struggling to recover after collapsing last year. The Philippines has suffered less than some of its neighbors, but needs capable leadership to avert economic ruin. Investors will be watching the new president's performance closely.

Prayer in school

THE Department of Education three years ago scrapped its policy excluding prayers at commencement exercises. Now a ruling by a federal appeals court supports that decision. The ruling, by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, upheld a rural Idaho school district's policy allowing the top students in the senior class to decide whether to include a prayer in graduation speeches. The court said prayers may be allowed at high school graduations when led by a student without interference from the school district.

The idea that the doctrine of separation of state and church requires a total ban on prayer in the schools is a misconception. Government may not require school prayer, but to forbid it is a violation of the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of religion. Three years ago, the valedictorian at Kailua High School was barred from thanking God in her speech -- until the DOE relented. That travesty should never be repeated.

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Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership

Rupert E. Phillips, CEO

John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro, Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor