[Assam] Indo US Nuclear Deal: Why this hurry and at what cost?

[mc mahant]

He must be under Bush's pressure .NOW or NEVER!
And from families of his 3 American daughters.
mm> Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 16:31:51 +0530> From: bgogoi at gmail.com> To: assam at assamnet.org> Subject: [Assam] Indo US Nuclear Deal: Why this hurry and at what cost?> > Amidst protests against price rises of essential items throughout the> country, the PM Manmohan Singh has again started harping on the issue of the> Indo-US Nuclear Deal. The Deal has been pushed forward in India in an> anti-democratic manner without approval of the Parliament - in fact in the> teeth of opposition by a large majority of parliamentarians. The Deal has> the potential of disturbing regional stability and further distorting India> 's relationships with important neighbours like China , Pakistan and Iran.> > This cannot also but severely undermine the prospects for both vertical and> horizontal non-proliferation and thereby the prospects for global nuclear> disarmament. This allurement also has the danger of further propelling India> towards becoming a junior military ally of the US and a market to mint> profits for its MNCs and also the nuclear industry of other advanced> countries -- Russia and France, in particular.> > Most importantly it will be a set back to the environmentally friendly> sustainable ways of meeting our energy requirements. Power from nuclear> energy is a failed project in developed countries and the eagerness of the> Prime Minister to clinch the Deal fails to generate any enthusiasm among the> common people of India. Neither is nuclear energy a solution to global> warming as some experts make it out to be. On the contrary the entire> nuclear fuel cycle is fraught with danger and exposes human beings to> hazardous radiation. The world is yet to find a safe way for disposal of> radioactive waste, a factor which is constraining the growth of nuclear> power programmes in the developed countries.> > The US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan all seem to be reviewing their> nuclear energy programmes and commissioning of new nuclear power plants in> all these countries has almost come to a stand still. Australia , the> biggest supplier of Uranium in the world, is yet to initiate a nuclear power> programme. Everybody has realized there is no future in nuclear energy.> Advanced countries are looking for alternatives. But because of the> parochial vision of our government the ruling class of this country has> become obsessed with the nuclear option without any clear understanding of> its implications. There seems to be a superficial feeling that this Deal is> somehow going to enhance the stature of India in the community of nations.> Hence it is matter of vanity and false sense of pride with possibly no> concrete benefits for the people of this country.> > A Planning Commission study shows that even with the best possible estimates> of capacity addition in power generation after the Deal is through, the> country is not going to increase its share of electricity from nuclear> energy from the present 3% to more than 7-9%. And this would come at a huge> cost -- financially and politically. We would be required to bring our> foreign policy in line with the US policy as has been already exhibited by> India being forced to vote against Iran in the IAEA meeting.> > The Indo-US Nuclear Deal is meant to serve the interests of the global> nuclear power industry and is a ploy to keep India away from staking claims> to shrinking fossil fuel reserves in proportion to its large population so> that these reserves may last for some more time for the rich countries.> > The undue importance given to the Indo-US Nuclear Deal as opposed to the> Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, even though gas is predicted to be the> major source of power globally for the next two to three decades, raises> questions about the motives of the Indian government.> > The most diabolical aspect of the Deal is the increasing military proximity> between the US and India . Joint Indo-US military exercises have already> been going on for the last seven years with the aim of building> interoperability.> > A Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School has been established at> Vairengte in Mizoram. The US Congress has been briefed that in a war that is> being predicted with China in about fifteen years from now, the US would> like to see India on its side. US envisions a military base for itself on> India soil soon.> > The increasing militarization of the India State is also being used to> stifle civil liberties and democratic movements in the country. India must> learn a lesson from the history of US military involvement in various parts> of the world which have been left devastated. It is dangerous to have the US> as an enemy but fatal to have as a friend.> > The friendship and the elusive geo-political status or possibly a seat in> the Security Council, whatever the Government of India is aspiring for, is> going to come at the cost of loss of sovereignty to the nation. Our status> will be reduced to that of a second rate UK or Israel .> > In the face of unprecedented pressure mounted by the US , the Left Front, a> partner in the UPA alliance, must be congratulated for successfully stalling> the Indo-US Nuclear Deal up till now. The Deal is now stuck at the stage of> finalizing a India specific agreement with the IAEA. The Left party leaders> have displayed foresight in foiling the US hegemonic designs in South Asia> even though they have yet to take an ideological position against the> nuclear power programme.> > Manmohan Singh, who talked about renewable energy for the last time at NAM> meeting two years ago, has directed the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy> to draft an umbrella legislation for promotion and growth of renewable> energy, under duress. It would make more political, economic and> environmental sense for India to pursue a path of self reliant renewable> energy programme for fulfilling its need rather than the elusive nuclear> energy for which we'll always be at the mercy of external agencies. But then> India will have to give up its own hegemonic designs of acting as a regional> military super power.> > Clean source of energy will have to be accompanied by clean politics. India> will have to work on the agenda of regional peace, disarmament and stability> rather than converting it into a region of warfare. If Manmohan Singh> embarks on this twin objective programme, he would be remembered for his> wisdom more than he would be if he were to finalize the Indo-US Nuclear> Deal. He would favourably alter the course of history of not only this> nation but also possibly the world towards a cleaner, safer and secure> future.> > *- Dr Sandeep Pandey*> > (The author is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for emergent leadership,> heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD> from University of California, Berkeley in control theory which is> applicable in missile technology. He can be contacted at:> ashaashram at yahoo.com)> > http://www.assamtimes.org/Editorial/1717.html> _______________________________________________> assam mailing list> assam at assamnet.org> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
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