US-India Nuclear Deal Quietly Passes In Senate: A "Nonproliferation Disaster"

Washington Post:

The Senate last night approved a historic agreement that opens up nuclear trade with India for the first time since New Delhi conducted a nuclear test three decades ago, giving the Bush administration a significant foreign policy achievement in its final months.

The bill, which passed 86 to 13, goes to President Bush for his signature, handing the chief executive a rare victory that both advocates and foes say will reverberate for decades. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who conceived of the deal, have pushed hard for it from the earliest weeks of the president's second term.

The agreement, which sparked fierce opposition from nuclear proliferation experts, acknowledges India as a de facto nuclear power, even though it has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. India until now has been barred from worldwide nuclear trade, leaving its homegrown industry hobbled and short of uranium fuel to run its reactors. The administration said the deal would bring a substantial portion of India's nuclear industry -- though not the facilities that produce materials for weapons -- under international observation.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[sfosri]

The article says its a good thing overall. Why is Huffington post selectively taking the only negative comment and making it a headline. Just because Bush had something to do with this, does not always make it automatically bad. This is one of the few things that Bush actually did right.

This is a good step for both countries. India has been a responsible democratic country since its Independence from Great Britain and it is a natural ally of the USA. It has a very strong non proliferation record unlike Pakistan.

It's growing economy needs energy and its much better if has alternatives such as Nuclear energy instead of its dependence on fossil fuels. India has to import much of its oil from Arab nations, some of whom have promoted terrorist groups world wide.

No wonder members of both political parties in the USA have supported this measure, including both Presidential candidates.

[SamEllison]

This might be the biggest mistake the Bush/Cheney admin has made.

[MissingAmerica]

We've been looking forward to seeing their mangos on our shelves! At last the moment is here. Now they can dick up all their food-producing vegetation so they can bury their nuclear waste. What a deal Bush can strike!