US-INdia nuclear deal

[Dinner]

I agree that this makes it less likely that IRan or North Korea can be persuaded to abandon their nuclear programs, however, the chance that either would ever disarm was asymptotic to zero anyway. Basically it seems that Bush just unofficially gave up on seriously trying to stop the Iranian or North Korean nuclear programs and instead decided to attempt to cozzy up with India.

[Imran Siddiqui]

And then told the Pakistanis to piss off. I can understand why, but jeez louise, if you needed another reason to rile up the radicals...

[Dinner]

I believe the idea is that they start to bring India (and maybe Pakistan too if it is politically possible) back into the main stream and to get them to seporate their military and civilian nuclear programs. The upside is they'll now allow IAEA inspections once again though the downside is it means the NNPT is effectively dead.

India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea have all ignored it and built nukes while Iran is sure to develop nukes unless someone invades them to prevent it.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The problem is that Bush publically chastized Musharraf in the open and gave the crazies some currency. Musharraf isn't on the most solid footing as it is. Bush doesn't need to push Pakistan into the Iran model.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
The problem is that Bush publically chastized Musharraf in the open and gave the crazies some currency. Musharraf isn't on the most solid footing as it is. Bush doesn't need to push Pakistan into the Iran model.

I don't think that is going to have any effect. Do you think (most) Muslims are going to pay attention to what Mr George W Bush has to say? Maybe when he just got elected in 2000, but not now.

If anything, they may view somebody criticised by Mr Bush as somebody around which to rally.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Every little bit helps. I'm sure there are folks there that actually though Musharraf was doing a smart thing by following Bush's lead (my mom's family in Karachi are some of them) who probably are pissed off that being the US's friend got them shat on, while India benefits.

Believe me, it'll get plenty of play in Pakistan and the slight will be remembered.

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


I don't think that is going to have any effect. Do you think (most) Muslims are going to pay attention to what Mr George W Bush has to say? Maybe when he just got elected in 2000, but not now.

Unfortunately , they do , as evidenced by the massively-attended anti-Bush protests made by the Muslim community in India itself . Muslims here think that Bush has declared war on Islam ( at least , that's what the Muslim leaders said ) .

[Alexander's Horse]

Bush managed to annoy Pakistan by cozying up to India when he didn't really have to. Now India has come out and said they're firmly non-aligned and aren't going to do Washington's bidding with countries like Iran. I'm not sure what was achieved by this trip except damage.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by aneeshm

Unfortunately , they do , as evidenced by the massively-attended anti-Bush protests made by the Muslim community in India itself . Muslims here think that Bush has declared war on Islam ( at least , that's what the Muslim leaders said ) .

I doubt they actually believe that and instead simply find it convient propaganda which is useful to their radical cause.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Every little bit helps. I'm sure there are folks there that actually though Musharraf was doing a smart thing by following Bush's lead (my mom's family in Karachi are some of them) who probably are pissed off that being the US's friend got them shat on, while India benefits.

Believe me, it'll get plenty of play in Pakistan and the slight will be remembered.

what alternative did Perv have? To stick with the Taliban pariahs? hed be in far worse shape now if hed done that.

And its not like the Perv has gone all out for the US. Doing as little as he can get away with against the Taliban in the NWFP. I understand the arguement that he cant do more, but I dont think Pakistan has done so much that anger about US-India deal is reasonable.

[Terra Nullius]

Just a side-line, but this popped up today about waste dumps. It's all part of a longer story (see ref.s below), but the Northern Land Coucil is saying they are happy to allow waste dumps on their land.

THE Northern Land Council declared it would welcome a nuclear waste dump in its backyard after representatives inspected the nuclear facility at Lucas Heights.

Nine executive members of the Northern Land Council, which represents the Northern Territory's traditional land owners north of Tennant Creek, said yesterday they would defer to science over politics.

However, the group seems likely to generate a political storm of its own after dismissing environmental concerns and the objections of Clare Martin, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

John Daly, the chairman of the land council, said: "I think the biggest mistake Australia has made in general is that we have listened to politicians; we should have listened to scientists.

"We want to leave the political side of it out and have a look at the pure science of what we have to deal with, with a waste facility."

Mr Daly said the council would not receive money for supporting a waste dump, but he indicated that education and health benefits would be sought for local communities.

After the Federal Court rebuffed its bid to build a facility in South Australia against the wishes of the state government, the Federal Government passed legislation in 2005 dictating that a nuclear waste repository would be established in the Northern Territory by 2011.

A site has not been selected, but Ms Martin said science had already been overruled by politics. "The [Territory] has been selected for political expediency; South Australia has been identified as the location which is scientifically most suitable," she said.

The chief executive of the Northern Land Council, Norman Fry, said nuclear waste was not a big issue for the council.

"It's not that scary to us," he said. "The land council has got a very tough reputation; we've been very harsh on government and regulators … you can understand that our people here will ask very, very strong questions."

Today:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/land-council-relaxed-about-nuclear-waste/2006/03/07/1141701510046.html

November 2005:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/no-nuclear-dumps-traditional-owners/2005/10/31/1130720481813.html

December 2005:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/nuclear-waste-site-now-in-ministers-grip/2005/12/08/1133829724535.html

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
I understand the arguement that he cant do more, but I dont think Pakistan has done so much that anger about US-India deal is reasonable.

Pakistan was a strong ally of the US during the Cold War while India was playing both sides. When the US froze a sale of F-15s for the nuke program, Pakistanis, including moderates, felt betrayed. They feel even more betrayed today. Reward the country that played off both sides, and forget the former close ally. As AH said, it accomplished little and may have made things worse.

[Terra Nullius]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger Thai mangoes are the best.

...and pah, to you Sirrah.

I say again, pah, my good sir.

(Although they do have the best green mangoes.
Salty green mango and dried squid with chilli sauce. Yum!)

[Imran Siddiqui]

Pakistani mangos

[Terra Nullius]

Rewarding the country that played off both sides:

Forget the former close ally:

Betraying Pakistanis:

Trolling the miserable paki buggers for six: