http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060304...6BqP0AC;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl Great news that we are re-bolstering national security issues. Thank goodness for President Bush to prioritize this re-commitment...
somewhere...I hope this recommitment means we can do cruel and unusual things to him when he is caught...
I do find it interesting that Bush agreed to a nuclear pledge with India he didn't to our ally in the WOT and sworn enemy of India Pakistan. If I was a Pakistani I would be pretty disapointed in Bush's visit. It pretty much came down to "Help us fight your own people who support the Taliban while we help your sworn enemy on the other side of the Indus River."
I think it deals in great part of the overall goal of the nuclear pledge, and if a positive goal can be established on both ends of a perceived candle without the light burning twice as fast...
Sishir, The USA has made it known that they want both India and Pakistan in our tent, we've been pretty active behind the scenes in trying to bring lasting peace and resolution to their low-intensity, cold war conflict. The idea is to completely encircle China with U.S. allies, much like our approach to Russia.
It's insane for America to agree to a nuclear deal with India when you have the hostility between India and Pakistan that threatens to cause a full blown nuclear war with each other. By signing this treaty, it will cause an escalation of conflict between the two countries and cause nuclear arms race with other countries in the area, ala Iran, North Korea, and China. Some in the Bush administration think that India is a "friend", but you have to realize there are many Anti-American elements within the country. Socialist groups, Muslims, and everyday citizens in the country who resent America are a lot more prevalent than people think. India wishes to become a world superpower that is not beholden to U.S. goals or policies. Many intellectuals in the country are also skeptical about the sudden warming of relations between the two countries. Some believe the U.S. is 'using' India to further their own agenda rather than an actual improvement in relations. Add to this the fact that many jobs that are being shipped overseas to India and you can be sure that in the future, U.S.-India relations will become chilly once again.
It probably wont cause global nuclear war like your doom and gloom scenario above. Indo-Pakistani relations have been steadily improving over the last few years. New rail and ground links have been established. A nuclear hotline was created and laxer immigration rules were put into place. And most importantly, the shock value is gone. Pakistan has known for months that this was coming and they barely raised a whisper. As for your second part, about a nuclear arms race developing in other parts of the world. You are incorrect. China is already a formally declared nuclear power so this has no effect since legally they can already access US nuclear technology. North Korea is already proliferating and has by and large isolated itself from the US already so this has no imapct on a country that has already broken the nuclear barrier. As for Iran, this may be the one country that this might effect. And this is why I have mixed feelings about this deal. But it seems like Iran is going to build nuclear weapons anyway and this would have a negligable impact on their policy or justifications. Ok now you're really wrong. Guess what country rated America the highest outside of America according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trust. Oh wait, it's India. (an amazing 71 percent approval rating) The socialist groups there are socialist in name only as the Chinese government is. They crusade for state corporations and labor unions but beyond that, this isn't the Soviet Union. Even the Socialists have voted in favor of greater deregulation of industries. Yes there have been protests by Muslims but by and large they have been small considering that this is the country with the second largest Islamic population in the world. As for everday citizens, you couldnt be more wrong. Its amazing what economic growth that is partly because of American investment and outsourcing can do for public opinion. Sure India wants to grow and have power, but by and large they're smart enough to realize that much of that is contingent on the US. Most Indian policy analysts have cited Israel as the model India wants to pursue in terms of relations with America. Israel isn't about to abandon the US anytime soon and neither will India. Isn't that what relations are about? You do something for your own benefit? The US doesn't usually befriend countries because we like them. We do it for our interests. That's the basis of global realist international relations. As for this specific relationship. Both sides want something out of it. India wants the same type of aid and support that Pakistan gets from America for the war on terror. America wants a strong ally to possibly counterbalance growing Chinese influence in the region. Ok big deal, both sides are exploiting each other. As for your last outsourcing rant, well that's another debate for another day and I wont waste time dealing with that. But US-India relations are only going to go up. India won't be embracing a command economy anytime soon so it probably won't become "chilly" anytime soon.
India is useless as an ally. They didn't send one soldier to Afghanistan or Iraq. Even El Salvador sent troops. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3063465.stm At least Pakistan is pulling their weight.
Holy crap, this is why I do not come into the D&D very often. People think there are some big conspiracy and world domination schemes behind everything. The reason Bush has agreed to let India have nuclear power and is endorsing it is for one single reason. India is the largest consumer of petroleum in the world. Now if they became more reliable on nuclear power, it would help lower prices for gas. This would lower costs here in the U.S. and help our economy. People forget that the answer is very simple. Money makes the world go round. U.S. will benefit hugely if India starts relying more on nuclear power. We dont really need another ally on the WOT.
