Nuclear Proliferation

Bush signed a nuclear deal today between the U.S. and India. This will allow India to buy uranium from the U.S. for civilian use but then free up their own uranium for making weapons. India probably has 50 bombs now, if this deal is completed they could have 400 in a decade. Democrats and Republicans share in the responsibility of this crap. The 12 Senators that voted against the bill: NAYs ---12 Akaka (D-HI) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Byrd (D-WV) Conrad (D-ND) Dayton (D-MN) Dorgan (D-ND) Feingold (D-WI) Harkin (D-IA) Johnson (D-SD) Kennedy (D-MA) Leahy (D-VT) 2 Senators missing on that list... Obama and Clinton (and Kerry). Both apparently running for president, lucky us. They have some explaining to do. Only 59 Nays in the House, of which 53 were Democrats. Kucinich voted nay, also running for president. I don't know what it is about that guy that bothers me, I always find myself agreeing with him. Even Pelosi voted for the bill. That pisses me off. From Reuters: Bush signs U.S.-India nuclear deal Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:25pm ET31 By Carol Giacomo and Tabassum Zakaria WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush hailed a new era of strategic cooperation with India on Monday as he signed a law that is a major step toward allowing New Delhi to buy U.S. nuclear reactors and fuel for the first time in 30 years. Three other approvals -- by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, the International Atomic Energy Agency and a second time by the U.S. Congress -- are still needed before U.S. nuclear transfers to India actually can take place. But some analysts say winning passage in Congress of the law that Bush signed with fanfare at the White House was the highest hurdle. It was approved overwhelmingly by the legislative body on December 9. [snip] The deal reverses 30 years of U.S. policy that, until July 2005, opposed nuclear cooperation with India because it developed nuclear weapons in contravention of international standards and never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT. A multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign by India and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was largely successful in preventing Congress from adding non-proliferation requirements New Delhi found too burdensome or unfair. Experts say India has already produced about 50 nuclear weapons and plans to reach up to 400 in a decade. Many fear selling India U.S.-origin fuel for civilian energy use will free up New Delhi's indigenous uranium stocks for weapons. The Center for American Progress had an article last week explaining the disaster this legislation is. A Nonproliferation Disaster By Daryl G. Kimball, Joseph Cirincione December 11, 2006 As the 109th Congress rushed to a close this past week, it jammed through a controversial nuclear trade bill that blows a hole in the fabric of U.S. nonproliferation law. The legislation makes an India-specific exemption to decades-old rules restricting civil nuclear commerce with states, such as India, that have refused to allow “full-scope” international safeguards over all of their nuclear facilities. [snip] Business and political interests trumped the national security interests of the United States. The results? More Indian bombs; less global restraint. Almost immediately, foreign nuclear fuel supplies to India will free up the country’s existing limited domestic capacity of uranium for both energy and weapons to be singularly devoted to arms production in the future. That could mean that India could increase its current production capacity from six to 10 additional nuclear bombs a year to several dozen per year. India already has enough material for some 60 to 100 nuclear bombs. Pakistan is sure to match that capability; China may reconsider its fissile production halt for weapons. Joseph Cirincione from The Center for American Progress