Nuclear Reflections

American efforts to enforce a global non-proliferation regime have not been entirely successful. No nuclear power has signed the Fissile Material Cut Off Treaty. India and Pakistan have refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty either. Israel is reported to have a nuclear arsenal while Iran and North Korea continue to defy the international consensus on nuclear safeguards.

The United States has endeavored to strengthen global nuclear safeguards in light of these constraints. The objective is to beef up international security. The United States had signed a civilian nuclear deal with India to bring it into formal conformity with international non-proliferation norms outside the framework of the NPT. But there are added side benefits.

The United States had signed a civilian nuclear deal with China in the early 2000s. It now has a deal with India. The increased reliance on nuclear energy in two of the fastest growing economies would boost the export of American civilian nuclear technology. It would lead to lucrative trade deals in nuclear reactors. It would help lower the price of petroleum in the world market. This in turn would benefit the American consumer.

There is also a wider global ramification. Oil exporting countries have for the most part either been volatile themselves or have exported instability. One can refer to the Arab states, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela. The emphasis on nuclear power would reduce the strategic importance of the Middle East and reconfigure geopolitical dynamics in the Eurasian landmass.