NSG And The Art Of Proliferation

If the Nuclear Suppliers Group is the central body which governs all commerce related to nuclear material, and all nuclear technology, then it certainly stands to reason that all proliferation till date has been courtesy of this same organization which is supposedly meant to check it. If this be the cartel of nations which are the sole suppliers of all nuclear material in the world, then logically, unless someone is importing nuclear material from another planet, that must be coming from one of the countries which make up this cartel.

Physics Today carried a report by Mr. Thomas C. Reed, titled The Chinese Nuclear Tests, 1964-1996 ... this report brings out the nuclear cooperation between China and Pakistan ... a collaboration which, over the years, has also resulted in the nuclear Wal-Mart of Dr. A. Q. Khan. Interestingly, the Pakistani and Chinese embassies in Washington, D.C., have not replied to requests for comments. One wonders why ... One also wonders how the NSG is able to justify its existence, while denying the right to nuclear technology to 1/6th of humanity. First, i think the NSG should have a lot of answering to do on this aspect. Unless they believe that you have the right to proliferate if you can bully them enough?

Having said this, maybe the Government of India should take a stand here, which is more harsh than the stand we are taking as of now. It must be made clear that in today's world, India carries much more clout than an Austria or an Ireland do, and India should maybe flex her muscles, and send stronger signals to the naysayers at the NSG. For starters, we might make it clear to the dissenters at the NSG that this episode may not be seen in isolation of other interactions with those countries. That maybe, out technical collaboration with Ireland may be developed based on a broader definition of technology than simply civilian hi-tech.