Nuclear Agreement with India

From: Becca Smith

After spending time in class this week discussing realism and liberalism, it is fitting that the United States House of Representatives would pass a bill that would enter an agreement with India over nuclear power. The bill, titled United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act, gives both sides of the agreement advantages. The agreement would allow the United States to help the world economy by helping build civilian power plants. This could even allow the U.S. to earn tens of billions of dollars in India. In exchange, India would no longer test their nuclear weapons and they would allow inspection of their current civilian weapons. Finally, both sides would be allowed to enter into beneficial trade. President George Bush is urging the United States Senate to pass the bill before their October recess.

Since the cooperation act includes a provision for trade, I think that this act shows liberalism. I do think that the United States is benefiting more because they will be able to make inspection of nuclear technology and will be able to potentially gain billions of dollars with the construction of new civilian plants. However, India will still be receiving some benefit because they are now allowed to trade with the United States again (after being banned) and the United States will help give them resources to allow them to build the civilian plants.