President Bush’s Administration is encouraging Congress to pass a U.S. – India nuclear cooperation agreement. Because India’s civilian and military nuclear programs are not separated, the U.S. could be supplying India technology that directly allows India to produce weapons grade material. This is particularly possible because India has only agreed to have a portion of its nuclear reactors inspected.
At a time when efforts are being made to restrain Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the U.S. is setting up a double standard. It is rewarding India, who has detonated nuclear devices and who did not sign on to the Non-Proliferation Treaty with nuclear technology, while pressuring and threatening Iran, who did sign on to the treaty, not to develop its nuclear capability. Many other aspiring nuclear powers will take note if this inconsistency and behave accordingly. In addition, it could create further tension between India and Pakistan and offer nonnuclear states an incentive to withdraw from the nonproliferation treaty.
This is a critical time for the U.S. to take leadership in the international community for reducing nuclear arsenals — including our own. Nuclear weapons are a threat to our national security, and to global security. This dangerous deal with India would do the exact opposite: violating international agreements and increasing India’s capacity to produce new nuclear weapons.
Please contact your Representative and ask him/her to oppose the U.S.-India Nuclear deal.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has always stood firmly behind the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Since 1946 Presbyterian Assemblies called for international disarmament and arms control measures (PDF) as a path toward long-term security.
NOTE: This posting is based on an article in the September 22, 2008 issue of "Witness in Washington Weekly" (PDF) by the Presbyterian Washington Office.