Posted on 01/04/2008 10:06:34 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Obama would nuke the Indo-US deal
Arati R Jerath
Saturday, January 05, 2008 09:54 IST
NEW DELHI: Barack Obama is better known here for trying to obstruct the Indo-US nuclear deal with a “killer” amendment to the Hyde Act.
The Hyde Act, passed by the US Congress in 2006, is a legal provision that enables the US Administration to negotiate and conclude an agreement for nuclear trade with India. Obama was one of the 17 Democrat Senators who proposed amendments that would have struck down the Act if any of them had been passed.
His amendment opposed giving India the right to build strategic fuel reserves for its imported nuclear reactors. As it turned out, the Obama amendment was rejected along with the other “killer” proposals and the Hyde Act passed into law.
With Obama’s star rising, the pro-deal lobby in India has yet another reason to worry. The Indo-US nuclear agreement has already lost momentum in the wake of strident Left opposition and a string of recent electoral defeats for the Congress.
After the Iowa caucus result, the government can be expected to show even less enthusiasm to proceed as it goes into “wait-and-watch’’ mode for the outcome of the US presidential race.
Historically, the winner of 5 of the past 7 competitive Democratic caucuses in Iowa has gone on to become the party’s presidential candidate. Bill Clinton was one of the exceptions. He lost in Iowa but won comprehensively in New Hampshire, which comes next, and then went on to become President.
The field is thus open still, although Obama’s huge victory margin and the fact that he pushed his main rival, Hillary Clinton, to third place, have given him a strong lead.
As election fever mounts in the US, the government here will find itself walking the tightrope between adopting a cautious approach and maintaining the tempo of the bilateral relationship.
This is precisely what pro-deal lobbyists feared as they pushed to hurry the formalities through by end-2007 so that the agreement would not run into the complications of the US election calendar.
Although Indian negotiators are expected to come back this weekend with a safeguards agreement from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the document may remain just a piece of paper as it becomes the subject of lengthy discussions with the Left.
“Obama’s foreign policy views are unknown,” acknowledged former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh who has been supporting the nuclear deal. “He’s been saying that it’s time for a review of domestic and foreign policies.
But it would be unwise for us to go slow now because the Bush Administration will assume that we are searching for excuses to back out of the deal. After all, we will have to deal with the present Administration for one more year.”
Obamas anti Hinduism is appalling.
Regards
Gee, why would Barack “I’m not a Muslim!” Hussein Obama have a jones for killing a nuclear deal to benefit people in Hindu majority India?
Leftist alert. This guy is a radical. Now that the focus is on him, things are going to be interesting. He’s farther to the left of anyone I can think of in presidential politics, shades of McGovern have returned.
India is surrounded by hostile forces and needs to balance the threat. Yeah, it’s MAD.
But that is the world we live in. So Russia, maybe China, Germany, France will all be happy to sell war materials to India. Not Obama? There are Moslem’s living in India to protect too.
China is the reason why Bush sought this nuke deal with India i.e to build up India as a counterweight to China.China still holds thousands of square kilometers of Indian territory & has Pakistan’s oldest ally.India’s nuke programme was started with China in mind.
About Russia,France,Israel etc they do sell weaponry to India .Even Poland used to sell more weaponry to India than the US till 2 years ago!!!This nuclear agreement with the US is about providing US technology & fuel for the Indian civilian programme which in effect, would recognise India as a nuclear state.In the 45 member Nuclear Suppliers Group,the US & China were the biggest opponents of removing sanctions on India till this agreement came about.If the Nuclear agreement got signed,it would also give the likes of France,Canada etc the green light for nuclear energy cooperation with India.
I think it is more linked to his love for India’s enemy.
Scary information. Everyone in U.S. should read that info.
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