Congress prepares to consider civilian nuclear deal with India

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2005/August/subcontinent_August1050.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=

WASHINGTON - Congress soon will take a hard look at President George W. Bush’s plan to share civilian nuclear technology with India, a proposal that could bolster an important US ally but some fear would open the floodgates to nuclear proliferation.

Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the agreement during an official visit last month. Before the technology can be shipped to India, however, Congress must approve an exception to, or change, the US law banning civilian nuclear cooperation with countries that have not submitted to full nuclear inspections. snip

Some legislators believe the deal would rewrite the rules on how the world exchanges nuclear supplies. India has refused to sign the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and some fear the Bush plan could eventually allow countries outside the treaty to build nuclear weapons programs with imported civilian nuclear technology. snip

For some, however, the deal would ruin the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which was created, in part, to allow civilian nuclear cooperation with those countries that agree not to pursue nuclear weapons. Critics question how the Bush administration can provide nuclear technology to India, which besides shunning the NPT conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998?

“With one decision, Bush has made a mockery of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the likelihood that any other country in the world will take it seriously,” said Democratic Rep. Edward Markey.

[rodeodance]

1. Bush has made a mockery of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty --

this says it all!!

[wli]

2. doubtless a no-bid contract with Halliburton will result n/t

[jody]

3. If nuclear proliferation is enough to invade Iraq, the U.S. should not

give or sell nuclear technology to any country that has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

[Todd B]

4. Hm, I'm sure this should make Pakistan feel great!

Aren't they a "key ally" (read: the only one looking for them) in the hunt for Bin Laden?

This is essentially giving a go ahead to nuclear power in exchange for a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" agreement that they won't pursue nuclear weapons (granted, India is less of a threat then other nations but it does open up a loophole for other nations).

[alarcojon]

5. India gets its payoff

for playing all nicey-nice with this administration all along. They are almost alone among all nations in that polls show a majority of the public views the US positively.

You have to hand it to Singh, though. He also met with Karzai in Afghanistan just the other day. India has been doing a lot of rebuilding in Afghanistan since the Taliban fell in 2001, spending over $500,000,000 there since that time.