Nukes and More Nukes

I haven’t quite wrapped my head about whatever nuclear deal Bush just struck with India. Dan Froomkin’s column has me worried —

In addition to all the predictable reactions (pro and con) to the landmark nuclear agreement reached in India yesterday, a powerful and unexpected new concern has emerged based on a last-minute concession by President Bush.

It appears that, to close the deal during his visit, Bush directed his negotiators to give in to India’s demands that it be allowed to produce unlimited quantities of fissile material and amass as many nuclear weapons as it wants.

The agreement, which requires congressional approval, would be an important step toward Bush’s long-held goal of closer relations with India. It would reflect India’s status as a global power. And, not least of all, it would more firmly establish India as a military ally and bulwark against China.

Critics have long denounced such an agreement, saying it would reward India for its rogue nuclear-weapons program and could encourage other nations to do likewise.

But now the criticisms may focus on this question: By enabling India to build an unlimited stockpile of nuclear weapons, would this agreement set off a new Asian arms race?

And here’s another question: Were Bush and his aides so eager for some good headlines — for a change — that they gave away the store?

Somehow I don’t think this will be well received here once it gets some publicity. I ‘spect this is not going down well in Pakistan, either.

20 thoughts on “Nukes and More Nukes

  1. Just when you think that it can’t possibly get any worse, it does!

    He looks like the guy on “Mad Magazine”. I think the character is Alfred E. Newman, unless I’m having a Bush moment.

  2. I think there is no doubt the answers to Dan’s questions are yes and yes.

    And you are right about Pakistan. This is a slap in the face.

  3. In a NYTimes article today, 3/3/06, “Dissenting on Atomic Deal” written by Steven R. Weisner, this quote says it all:

    “This is Santa Claus negotiating. The goal seems to have been to give away as much as possible”.

    George Perkovich, V.P. for Studies at Carnegie Endowment for
    Int’l Peace is credited in Weisner’s story for this quote.

  4. This is the guy, who, if he was President during the Cuban missile crisis, would be shouting “gimme the button! gimme the button!”

    Of course it will set off an arms race, Bush is gambling that we (us n India) will get there first.

    I don’t think it has anything to do with good headlines, or giving away the store. It has everything to do with bringing on armageddon. On his terms.

  5. I don’t understand the full implications of this deal that Bush has reached with India, but my gut tells me that if Bush had his hand in it..it’ll be seriously flawed and only inflame existing hostilities..I know that one of the questions of logic the Iranians are asking is by what right does the US get to determine the acceptablity for some nations to have a nuclear capacity and not others.
    We go full circle in the charge that America isn’t an even broker.

  6. First reaction…..how utterly bizarre that such an incompetent ‘leads’ and ‘speaks for’ America…..this is a horror flick….

    second reaction……..oh, wait…..this India thing looks like maybe Bush is busy setting up as much business as possible for the Republican money machine ‘black area’ bizness buddies. Like steal as much for your team as you can while you can….the midterm elections are coming…

    Remember Cunningham pimp/friend/contributor Wilkes who made his obscene wealth with ‘black Pentagon funded contracts’, black referring to non-public, hidden behind secrecy tags,
    ‘suck right up, this government tit’s for sale’ easy-as-an-earmark-from-your-prostituted congressman contracts? Wilkes didn’t even have a product or service the Pentagon needed or wanted…..but, no worries, Wilkes did have the right folks in his pocket.

    Imagine how much of a nuclear [read secret tagging] partnership with India program would be run through the ‘black’ side of the Pentagon budget.

  7. Donna – yes to the above in your no. 7

    Cunningham went to Washington and took advantage of a corrupt environement. He was sentenced to 8 years today. I don’t remember Wilkes but Mitchell Wade ran MZM which he started out of his home. He pleaded guilty last week. He and Cunningham were connected at the hip along with Katernine Harris. Remember her from FL? She was Secretary of State in 2000. She ran for Congress and became representative. Now she is running for Senator against Nelson. She is facing some charges of corruption because she got money from Nelson and MZM which has a branch in FL. You can check out the story on-line in The Miami Herald Newspaper. There is a story dated 3/3/06.

  8. Why, oh why WHY WHY is Bush allowed to have anything to do with nuclear anything? *sigh*

  9. Sure as hell, people of the USA (Contributors) seem to know a lot more than its Prez’dent. No wonder HE was elkected!

  10. It appears the plan is to allow India to gain nuclear strength to counter China. Both countries need the petroleum in nearby Central Asia ( former Soviet Republics). By allowing India to gain this strength, The U.S. will be free to continue poking Iraq and Iran, and other “members” of the imaginary “axis of evil”, which will expand to accomodate Venezuela and Nigeria.
    In the meantime, the multinationals will continue to exploit the cheap labor of both India and China, and have the advantage of turning both countries against each other( rope-a-dope), much like what was done with Iran vs. Iraq in the 80’s.
    Bush was making preparations for this in the speech he made several weeks ago when he said “we must cut our addiction to oil”.
    I believe he is dropping hints that an oil crisis is looming, but wants to be in a position to say “I told ‘ya so” for the sake of his legacy.

  11. It appears the plan is to allow India to gain nuclear strength to counter China. Both countries need the petroleum in nearby Central Asia ( former Soviet Republics). By allowing India to gain this strength, The U.S. will be free to continue poking Iraq and Iran, and other “members” of the imaginary “axis of evil”, which will expand to accomodate Venezuela and Nigeria.
    In the meantime, the multinationals will continue to exploit the cheap labor of both India and China, and have the advantage of turning both countries against each other( rope-a-dope), much like what was done with Iran vs. Iraq in the 80’s.
    Bush was making preparations for this in the speech he made several weeks ago when he said “we must cut our addiction to oil”.
    I believe he is dropping hints that an oil crisis is looming, but wants to be in a position to say “I told ‘ya so” for the sake of his legacy.

  12. This is what you get when an intellectually inferior person is “elected”. But, hey, we got mangoes!

  13. Bush didn’t hammer out anything; the pheasant was in a pen and GE was on the plane with him. The implications of deliberately setting up a Pakistan – China alliance are huge.

  14. Britwit, #9…..we citizens maybe need to do some real loud yelling about those earmarks.
    Congresscritters are still free to [hiddenly] use earmarks to graft campaign cash arms onto the torso of tax-payer funded ‘black’ Pentagon programs. Cunningham was caught… Harris was lucky to be new at the game and her ‘quid pro quo’ didn’t get completed…..but what else has been channel/stolen from good government in this way? Are tax-payers actually funding certain incumbent campaigns through this sleaze process?

    So why has Congress decided to leave the earmark process alone?

  15. 18 – What gets me, Donna, is that when elected officials get an “illegal” donation as Harris did and President Bush with monies he received from Noe of Ohio (guy involved in Coin-Gate). The official then turns around and says, “I didn’t know” and “I can’t be responsible” for knowing why the donor gave and what their expectations were when they gave. Finally, they say that rather than return the money, they donated it to charity! In other words, if it hadn’t been discovered, they would have kept, but if caught, let’s cover our asses by giving to our favorite charity.

    Katherine Harris, U.S Rep of FL, says she didn’t know it was illegal to accept the money. This is no defense! Remember the law states that ignorance of the law is no defense. ( FYI: Harris was Secretary of State in FL when 2000 Pres. election took place. She declared Bush the official winner) Remember how Saturday Night Live had some great programs portraying her. Let’s just hope that the voters in FL are not stupid enough to elect her as Senator rather than the Democrat Nelson. I should add if she is still on the ticket. The deadline to register is in fisrt half of April and Republican party officials may ask her to step down if they don’t think that she can win after the Cunningham and Mitchell Wade story came out. Her campaign is not doing well.

    Saturday Night Live is back on the air tonight now that Olympics is over. Let’s hope that they have a good program. They certainly have enough news to work with but some of their programs have been lame. They are dummying down to all those children left behind.

  16. Zeus, this is depressing. This is Ling Chi, death by a thousand cuts, daily. In the meantime we are stepping up our nuclear program big time. We already have 4,000 warheads, but hey, more is better. I guess unless the planet is turned to dust, we won’t have won? Bubble Boy’s hand on the button is terrifying.

  17. Yes, felicity – comment no 19 – Bubble Boy is terrifying especially since he is a war monger – Bubble Boy is transparent like a bubble and empty-headed..

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