Australian PM ready to re-examine uranium policy for India

[TheBaldyMan]

seems like Jr is determined to make the world a safer place ... NOT!

ABC News is running this story as a headline
original story here

Prime Minister John Howard has arrived in India for a three-day visit where he is expected to be asked to consider changing Australia's policy on exporting uranium to the South Asian giant.

According to newspaper reports, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will ask Mr Howard to change Australia's position in the light of the United States last week signing a nuclear co-operation deal with India.

Australia currently does not sell uranium to nuclear-armed India because it has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

go Team Bush, what next, stinger sales to al-quaida ? Seriously, who thinks that condoning India & Israel's attitude to a nuclear non-proliferation treaty and flouting test bans can possibly promote stability in an already dangerous world, apart from the team in the WH. Oh yeah, and Iran can't develop weapons because ... well just because that's why. Does Bushco really think this will play well in the Arab/moslem world ?

[daleo]

1. It looks like the NPT is irrelevant now

Bush's acceptance and approval of India's nuclear weapons will probably make the NPT an irrelevant anachronism. Why would other countries continue to play along now?

Deals among people or states require reciprocity to be effective. Bush has undermined two of the cornerstones of the NPT:
- he has invaded a non-nuclear country (part of the informal bargain was that nuclear powers wouldn't do this).
- he has given approval (and now nuclear technology) to a country that remained outside the treaty and developed nuclear weapons.

So, what's the point of cooperating with the NPT anymore?

[TheBaldyMan]

2. it's still worth adhereing to but like Kyoto protocols, they are harder to

get compliance from a wide range of countries because Jr. won't play nice.

I think the smart money will be on another US administration getting it back on the rails. The real question still remains when ?

Nobody but PNACers think this is a good idea, I'm reminded of the Israeli reaction after Bush visited Sharon then rolled over to every Israeli demand. It was shocking and even the Israli government couldn't believe their luck, I suspect that the Indian PM feels the same way.

[daleo]

5. I agree that people shouldn't give up on NPT or Kyoto

Perhaps these matters can still be managed after the neo-cons are just a distant memory. But the longer they have to mess things up, the more difficult that will be.

[rodeodance]

3. monkey see; monkey do.

.....Australia currently does not sell uranium to nuclear-armed India because it has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

4. It's fucking nuts

I wonder if this is a Kissinger-esque "tilt" towards India or will the world just start handing out nuclear goodies to both sides.