Bush reaches nuclear energy agreement with India

On his recent trip to India, Bush signed a deal in which the US will share some nuclear know how and nuclear fuel with India. The idea is to get India as a closer ally and to alleviate world oil prices by giving their fast growing economy an alternative energy source. In addition, India has agreed to allow inspections of most of its civilian nuclear power facilities. All in all, this is really quite a historic move. I think its important for us to have a close ally in the worlds largest democracy and gain more knowledge of their nuclear program.

Did you know that Bush's approval rating is much higher in India than in the US? An interesting comment left on Vodkapundit's site:
"10 thousand protest Bush? Bah! More people gather to watch when a cow upsets a hawker's handcart on an Indian Street! Bush's approval is at 40% in US, v/s 54% in India. That coupled with our population being more that thrice that of US means we have much more Bush fans than entire US population! We love him because we are a pragmatic bunch who can cut through the PC/lefty/dhimmi cr@p and see who is fighting the good fight." Interesting to say the least.

Critics are saying we shouldn't be entering this deal because it goes against rules set by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which India has not signed.

"Proliferation is certainly a concern and a part of our discussions, and we've got a good-faith gesture by the Indian government that I'll be able to take to the Congress," Bush said. "But the other thing that our Congress has got to understand is that it's in our economic interests that India have a civilian nuclear power industry to help take the pressure off the global demand for energy," the president said. "To the extent that we can reduce demand for fossil fuels, it will help the American consumer."

I think Bush is right here. Hopefully Congress will realize this and it won't become a partisan issue.

Even many liberal blogs I read were calling the agreement a success.



President Bush carries four-year-old girl in Hyderabad, India.

Tags: Bush, India, Nuclear, Nonproliferation