Tories ready to sign nuclear deal with India

[Dave_ON]

Here's the link.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/27/...lear052709.html

After a three decade international ban on nuclear trade with India Canada is ready to give them a second chance. In 1974 Canada sold one of its Candu reactors to India which they subsequently used to create a nuclear bomb in spite of all their promises not to do so. This resulted in the aforementioned international ban and rightly so.

With the ban lifted, Mr. Stockwell Day has drawn up an agreement with India to provide them Nuclear reactors for domestic energy production. In a vacuum, this would of course be a highly lucrative deal. However, India does not live in a vacuum and they do live next to Pakistan which is unstable at best. Given that Pakistan is a volatile, a hotbed for Taliban and other Islamic extremist groups, and nuclear capable, does anyone else really believe that India is solely interested in domestic energy production?

Given the above IMV this is a very short sighted foreign policy at best. Sure India promised not to make nukes out of the reactors but they did that the last time as well. Given the fact that they still have not signed the UN's Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty this deal definitely gives me pause.

Thoughts?

[Moonbox]

India already has the capability to blow up Pakistan and itself with nuclear weapons. I don't see any problems providing energy solutions to long standing allies and trade partners.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

An excellent move on the part of the Canadian government. Increasing economic activity with India may become as much needed source of revenue. Now if we can do the same with China.

[ToadBrother]

Given the above IMV this is a very short sighted foreign policy at best. Sure India promised not to make nukes out of the reactors but they did that the last time as well. Given the fact that they still have not signed the UN's Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty this deal definitely gives me pause.

Thoughts?

Not me. Quite frankly I think we (the West, that is) should be putting as many nuclear weapons on India's border with Pakistan as possible, all aimed at Islamabad, with the promise to the Pakistanis that if they don't start wiping out the Taliban and all the other religious nutjobs post haste, we'll give India the thumb's up to turn the entire country into radiated glass.

[Moonbox]

That's a very level headed suggestion....