Posted on 12/18/2006 1:59:23 PM PST by indcons
WASHINGTON: Amid delight in many quarters and distress in others, US president George Bush on Monday signed into law the so-called Hyde Act that is expected to end India's nuclear isolation and pave way for a strong US-India alliance in the 21st century.
Striding briskly into a colourfully decorated White House East Room at 10.45 am, the president told an excited and partisan audience of supporters that nuclear cooperation would strengthen the partnership between the two largest democracies, aside from other benefits in terms of energy and environment.
"The relationship between the United States and India has never been more vital," Bush said in a 10-minute address that dealt primarily with the big geo-strategic implications of the deal, as against the the nuclear-specific grounds on which critics have opposed the deal.
Bush used former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's expression of India and the US being "natural partners" to stress that "rivalries that once kept our nations apart are no more". But Bush also provided ammo for critics of the deal in India by tagging a non-proliferation angle to what was primarily intended to be a nuclear energy deal.
"The bill will help keep America safe by paving the way for India to join the global effort to stop the spread of nuclear weapons," he said. The White House East Room was festooned with Christmas decorations and Indian and American flags as Bush took the podium, flanked by a Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington and Martha Washington.
More than 100 eminences grises, including secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, her deputy Nicholas Burns, key lawmakers, diplomats, analysts, and members of the Indian-American community attended the signing ceremony in a room where it is said First Lady Dolly Madison once hung her laundry.
First Daughter Amy Carter roller-skated here and Carolyn Kennedy rode her pony macaroni, White House staff recollected as the gathering waited for the president to arrive. The conversation provided appropriate metaphors for a deal that seems far from finished even though Bush has signed the United States Bill into law. There are still some slippery areas ahead and critics from both sides will be hanging out plenty of dirty laundry in the days to come.
Bush himself indicated that it was still a work in progress, describing the bill signing as "one of the most important steps," which is "going to help clear the way for us to move forward with this process."
That process will include a yet to be signed bilateral agreement called the 123 Agreement, and the joke among hacks was that it would be followed by the 456 and 789 agreements. Still, there was a sense of accomplishment on both sides at what has been achieved so far. Perhaps reflective and symbolic of the warming relationship between the two countries, it was also an an unusually warm day in Washington for winter (25ºC).
Interesting timing. Japanese-owned (but American-operated) Westinghouse just sold 4 civilian nuclear power plants to China on Saturday.
Any thoughts?
Quote : Interesting timing. Japanese-owned (but American-operated) Westinghouse just sold 4 civilian nuclear power plants to China on Saturday. Any thoughts?
Providing new reactors to China or India even breeder reactors is not a big problem..Both are large fairly stable countries..Even in case of instability..they can keep their pants on...
The chinese have enough of nuclear warheads..The difference between chinese and russians or say Indians and russians is that the russians did not know where to stop in creating warheads....Chinese or the Indians would never make 10000 warheads..They would just stick to making 400/500 and stop..because they have a greater understanding of how power works..They have a different vision...
It would not make any difference to sell new reactors to China or India as they know how to build and operate reactors on their own...In buying from US they get a more safe and more cost effective product....America gets a chance to reduce the trade deficit...Good for everyone...
This technology will wind up in the hands of the Islamics and/or Chicoms.
How so?
Question: Why does US have 10,000 warheads?
George Bush has declared intentions to reduce number of warheads to around 1800. More than that is a waste of resources...I can find the related news article if required.Americans are very pragmatic people in general...When Americans take that step...Everyone else would follow....
Once the large US west coast are cities are in the range of Chinese missiles, the Chinese would stabilize the number of warheads they have...
The missile defense initiative could change the equations again...
Fixed it for you.
Here Here guys....
Let's keep the domestic laundry in the domestic washing machine...Whatever shortcomings Colin Powell has...he is still the face the whole world associates with the USA...So we got to hold him up a bit..Don't you think??
Show me a third world nation that isn't rife with corruption.
Please explain that reasoning to the likes of Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, who never pass up an opportunity to attack and denounce President Bush on the world stage. And while Powell is an ex SecState, Bush is the current POTUS, and as such is much more the "face the whole world associates with the USA".
Powell has done little more than undermine Bush at every opportunity since he left the administration, and some legitimate arguments can be made that his pattern of undermining Bush started while he was still at State. He hasn't been as visible or vociferous as Carter and Clinton have been, but has caused at least as much, if not more, damage to Bush than those two have by means of his cachet as a putative Bush ally.
While Powell probably does have very real personal reasons to oppose his former boss on some issues, the fact of the matter is he operates in a media and bureaucratic environment where your worth is measured by the perceived depth of your hatred for George W. Bush and his policies. And Powell, being the skilled political operator he is, has to know how to behave in a manner that will benefit him the most.
Given that, I'd say criticizing his personal motivations is fair game, especially if we're going to permit the President to be personally savaged by the very people that Powell seeks to impress.
The food ain't bad either.
And it wasn't just the third world. Israel got the nuclear technology from France (not a third world). Pakistan and NK got it from China (not a third world). Iran is getting it from Russia and China (neither of them are third world).
In fact its more "rife" in the "First World".
I must conclude you are correct. Sad, but true.
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