As US Congress softens on India deal, NPT lobby plays the China card

The Indian Express ^ | Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 0218 hours IST | The Indian Express

[CarrotAndStick]

NEW DELHI, NOV 18: As the mood in the US Congress begins to shift in favour of the Bush Administration’s nuclear pact with India, the non-proliferation lobby in Washington has raised a new red flag—of China reacting to the deal by stepping up its own nuclear cooperation with Pakistan.

In a letter to all members of the US Congress today, a section of the non-proliferation lobby in Washington has demanded a critical review of the ‘‘full implications’’ of the nuclear deal signed by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 18 ‘‘and pursue additional stipulations that might result in a positive outcome to US and international security.’’

While many of the arguments put forward in the letter have already been articulated, it’s the China argument that outlines a new stratagem in the campaign against the Indo-US nuclear pact.

Among the 15 signatories to the letter are a number of former Clinton Administration officials including Robert Einhorn, John Holum and Thomas Graham.

The signatories urged, ‘‘before any action is taken on any legislation sent up by the administration to implement the proposal, Congress should obtain detailed answers to a number of questions.’’ Among these questions is, ‘‘How will assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear program by China and others be affected’’ by Indo-US nuclear cooperation?

The letter also asked, ‘‘To what extent might the current proposal stimulate China’s and Pakistan’s production of nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons material?’’

The very same officials who turned a blind eye to China’s nuclear and missile cooperation with Pakistan in the previous years are now raising the bogey of Beijing expanding its strategic cooperation with Islamabad.

In playing the China card, the non-proliferation community appears to be betting on Beijing’s opposition to the nuclear pact with Delhi in the 45 nation Nuclear Suppliers Group that must endorse it. China was among those who raised a number of questions on the Indo-US nuclear pact at the NSG meeting last month. France, Russia, Britain, and Canada are supporting the nuclear pact.

C Raja Mohan.

[Brilliant]

China is cooperating with Pakistan anyway.

[Wiz]

Clinton & Democratic Party = China's Puppet. We need more Indians to immigrate to America to support the Republican Party to counter Chinese immigrants that may be pro-China pro-Democratic Party that could tilt the country in a disasterous direction.