Thursday, March 02, 2006
Say What You Will About NPT...
(Sorry to Steve Bell of the Guardian for ripping off his cartoons all the time)President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Singh have announced a landmark deal, giving India access to American nuclear fuel. Now we can certainly bitch about NPT and the seeming hypocracy of our actions as we row against Iran's nuclear ambitions, but let's be honest. We need India on our side. This is not the Cold War anymore and India knows it. They have to start alligning themselves, albeit in a much more fluid fashion. Every step we take closer to eachother is nothing but an improvement of our long-term security interests in the region. We have every right to bitch, but I don't even care.
Furthermore, we need to honestly consider the implications for NPT. Yes, we are turning a blind eye to India's nuclear weapons program, just as we have always done. But consider this; India has agreed to let international inspectors in for the first time. 14 of their 22 facilities are now under inspection. This is almost like NPT by another name. Bush called it the "non-proliferation team," not a signing member but an adherent. This is still a step in the right direction, is it not?
