Michael Krepon: Likely Consequences of the Nuclear Suppliers Group Decision
The Bush administration has once again rubbished its conservative credentials by strong-arming the Nuclear Suppliers Group to waive longstanding rules designed to prevent proliferation in order to promote nuclear commerce with India. True conservatives don’t undermine institutions and norms that serve essential purposes without having something better to take their place. Bringing India into the mainstream of nuclear commerce has always been a commendable goal. The crux of the matter has been how to do so in ways that reinforce, rather than undermine global nonproliferation norms. The deal struck by the Bush administration is likely to do far more harm than good for two essential institutions designed to prevent proliferation -- the NSG and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA badly weakened international standards to safeguard civil nuclear facilities against the diversion of bomb-making materials to military programs in order to accommodate Indian sensibilities and the Bush administration’s lobbying. New initiatives will be required to prevent the further weakening of the international safeguards system.