I got one request for my opinion of the nuclear pact from my loyal sister, so you’ll all have to read through it! Yay.
First, though, the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Signed into force in 1968, it now has 187 ratifying members. It has three goals: non-proliferation, dis-armament, and to shift nuclear use toward peaceful energy goals rather than weapons goals. Five countries are allowed to make and own nuclear weapons: France, Russia, China, the U.S. and the U.K. Same as the permanent members of the UN Security Council. They agree not to transfer nuclear technology, weapons or fuels to non-ratifiers. There are only three countries that have never signed: Pakistan, India and Israel. North Korea has pulled out, and Iran has expressed desire to pull out. It’s obvious that Pak and India have nuclear weapons since they tested them; Israel never has but possession and capability are inferred.
The Indo-U.S. nuclear pact lies outside the NPT. It tacitly accepts that India has and makes weapons, and opens 14 of India’s 22 nuclear facilities to international UN inspections. Obviously the U.N. is in on the deal too. Those 14 facilities are civil energy facilities; the other 8 must be defense. India will receive better technology and better access to fuels. The world will receive assurance that accidents are less likely.
Pakistan immediately requested a similar pact, and was bluntly refused. There are three good reasons: Pakistan doesn’t have the same energy needs as India, it has been an aggressor state, and Pakistan’s politicians have shown an eagerness to evade non-proliferation goals.
There is criticism of the pact both in the U.S. and in India. In the U.S. it is mainly that this weakens the NPT. India is singular and extraordinary for several reasons: as a defensive neighbor to nuclear China, India will never sign the NPT; India has laws against a first nuclear strike; and India has demonstrated nuclear responsibility. It may in fact weaken the NPT, I’m not totally sure it won’t, but the NPT is flawed and this pact accepts reality while not destroying the NPT, which is useful. In India the criticism is mainly along the lines that any agreement with the U.S. is a bad idea because the U.S. is unpopular. There are also the people who just don’t like nuclear anything. That’s a valid point; the waste is not so chill. But it’s a different topic.

Now for anyone who stuck with me till the end: I went home to D.C. for four days suddenly last week. I did seven major things: bought a new camera with my hard-won insurance money, ate a burrito, cuddled with Jackson, looked at an apartment John and I might buy, went camping in Virginia, and got engaged. I’ll show you pictures of four of them.

Comments

[Ted]

Congratulations!

[Rose]

Thanks Ted.