Sunday, March 05, 2006

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.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jaffna:

Your analysis of the Indo-US Nuclear deal is the best that I have seen so far. It is, indeed, a unique perspective. Keep it up.

Anonymous said...

china has just announced the plan to build 32 nuclear reactors is there any such plan in India?

Anonymous said...

WHY CANT YOU GET IT INTO YOUR HEADS THAT ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF ABRAHAM, MOSES, JESUS AND MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON THEM ALL).
THINK ABOUT IT HOW COULD AN ILLITERATE MAN INSPIRE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND 1400 YEARS LATER STILL BE HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE WORLD.

WAKE UP FEAR THE GOD OF ISRAEL AND THE UNIVERSE.

AS A WESTENER THE RATE OF ISLAMS INFLUENCE IS SKY ROCKETING ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE. SO STOP BURYING YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND (no pun intended) LIKE OSTRICHES.
STOP DEMONISING THE FUTURE FAITH OF MANKIND.
IF ISLAM IS AN ARAB RELIGION FOUNDED BY AN ARAB IT WOULD NOT HAVE SPREAD FURTHER THAN MECCA OR MEDINA.

YOU MAY READ THE TORAH AND THE BIBLE BUT I DARE YOU TO READ THE QURAN JUST AS A PURELY INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE.
WE IN THE WEST PREACH THAT WE ARE CIVILISED AND AN ADVANCED SOCIETY. EVERY DAY I WITNESS SCIENTISTS WHOM I WORK ALONGSIDE ABANDON SIMPLE LOGIC AND REASONING WHEN IT COMES TO MATTERS OF FAITH.

Anonymous said...

Geoff Seogo: India does have plan to build further nuclear reactors. I think seven (or thereabouts) are in the pipeline at least for now. More may be planned for later.

I had not realized that China had plans to build 32 nuclear reactors. I presume that these are for civilian energy purposes given China's "informal" assurance to the United States that it has stopped the production of fissile materials, atleast for now. This said, China refuses to sign the proposed Fissile Material Cut Off Treaty.

Anonymous, thank you for your comments. My post had nothing to do with Islam. Do not read more into an article that is intended. No one is demonizing anything here.

I personally do not believe that Islam is the exclusive religion of future. It will only be one of many faiths and secular ideologies.

And yes, I have read the Quran. I see the links with the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. I also see the departures. And I can explain both but that is outside the purview of this blog.

And no, the religion of Islam is not skyrocketing in the West. Be real! It might be the fastest growing religion due to immigration and a higher birth rate but not due to mass conversions in the millions. Anyway, to each his opinion.

Best regards, to both of you

Anonymous said...

Saudi, iran, the the UAE and libya bankrolled fundamentalism. the gradual move to nuclear power will reduce their financial clout making the world safer. they better learn fast and change.

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