Bush Has Lost His Damn Mind

Bush opens door to

nuclear help for

India

By Paul Eckert, Asia Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush, in a dramatic policy shift, promised India full cooperation on Monday in developing its civilian nuclear power program in return for New Delhi's commitment to adhere to international regimes aimed at curbing arms proliferation.

A statement released after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that underscored Washington's recognition of India as a rising power said Bush would ask Congress to change U.S. law and work with allies to adjust international rules to allow nuclear trade with India.

Washington had barred providing atomic technology to India because of New Delhi's status as a nuclear power that has refused to sign the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which was designed to halt the spread of nuclear weapons.

But the joint statement, obtained by Reuters, said: "As a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology, India should acquire the same benefits and advantages as other states."

Bush would "seek agreement from Congress to adjust U.S. laws and policies, and the United States will work with friends and allies to adjust international regimes to enable full civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade with India," it said.

India, which tested a nuclear weapon in 1998, agreed to identify and separate its civilian and military nuclear programs, continue a moratorium on nuclear testing and place civilian nuclear facilities under the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

But these are all voluntary, not legal, commitments, and India continues to remain outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty, the bedrock of international arms control.

'EVERYTHING IT WANTED'

"The president just gave India everything it wanted. He's rewarding India despite that country's remaining outside the global NPT regime," said Joseph Cirincione of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"This is the triumph of great power politics over nonproliferation policy. I don't know how the president is going to square this circle when he says nonproliferation is his highest priority and still does this," he added.

The United States is eager to improve ties with the world's largest democracy, attracted by India's booming technology expertise, growing commercial market and strategic importance as a counterweight to China both militarily and economically.