Bush Trades Jobs for Nukes and Mangoes

Date: Thursday, March 02, 2006 11:32 AM

JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER

March 02, 2006 No. 1431

President Bush (aka Jorgush Bushavami) and Prime Minister Singh gave their
first joint speech. Most of the talk was about "nukular" weapons. MSNBC
declares that Bush made a "landmark nuclear deal, a coup for Bushs first
visit to India".

The full transcript can be read here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030200388.html

So just what did Bush get from India, and just what are we going to give in
return? For starters, this coup is a more like a farce because India still
refuses to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Now the U.S. will be
selling India nuclear fuel and the technology to mass produce fissionable
bomb making material. Considering how chummy India is with Iran this
agreement could be one more nail in our coffin.

What do we get in return for this so-called "landmark deal" on nuclear
weapons? Well, for starters Americans will get to eat Indian Mangoes.

PRESIDENT BUSH:
On trade and investment, ties are growing. We're partners
in expanding global trade. The United States is India's
largest trading partner, and India is one of the United
States' fastest growing export markets. That's one of the
reasons we met with the CEOs today, is to how to further
trade and how to further commerce and how to further
opportunities.

And, oh, by the way, Mr. Prime Minister, the United States
is looking forward to eating Indian mangos.

There is one other thing India wants, and that is for the U.S. to agree to
the Doha negotiations with the WTO. India wants the U.S. to agree to Mode 4
of the GATS treaty which allows for an unlimited transfer of "natural
persons" between international borders. I have written in great detail
about what the Doha round means for American workers so please go to the
archive and study this issue, particularly if you are new to this
newsletter.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Prime Minister Singh and I established a
trade policy forum to address bilateral trade issues.
One of the areas we discussed today is how we can work
together to make sure that the Doha negotiations end on a
positive note. Trade is important. Trade is important for
our peoples. Trade is important to help nations develop
ways forward, help nations overcome poverty. And I
appreciate your understanding of that, Mr. Prime Minister.
I'm looking forward to working with you.

It's very interesting to note that Singh never said anything about H-1B but
Bush couldn't wait to kow-tow in front of the entire world. If you get a
chance to see the video, notice the big grin on Singh's face when Bush
announced his commitment to allow India to send us their engineers and
physicists. Singh must be very happy that is was so easy to get everything
he wanted from Bush.

Just what does Bush think we need with Indian physicists anyhow? Are they
going to send us nuclear physicists to enable some kind of knowledge
transfer?

PRESIDENT BUSH: One of the things that helps make that case,
of course, is the -- there's a lot of Indian Americans making
important contributions to our country. And we welcome those
contributions. I think there needs to be more student
exchanges between our countries. I think we ought to expand
H1B visas for Indian scientists and engineers and physicists
and people in our country.

In conclusion it appears the deal with India is this - India gets to buy
our nuclear fuel and technology, and they get more H-1B visas, while
Americans get to eat Indian mangoes. If this sounds like a deal that could
only be concocted by an greedy, arrogant CEO you are ahead of the ballgame!

Bush made it very clear who his bosses are and who makes our foreign policy
- the CEOs of the U.S. and India.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much.
I particularly thank the CEOs from both the United States
and India who have worked hard to help develop a way
forward to make sure our relationship is constructive
and long-lasting.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11607934

India, U.S. reach landmark nuclear deal
Leaders agree on civilian nuclear cooperation

The Associated Press
Updated: 9:47 a.m. ET March 2, 2006

NEW DELHI, India - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush
on Thursday announced an agreement on a landmark nuclear deal, a coup for
Bushs first visit to India.

Under the accord, elusive until the last minute, the United States would
share American nuclear know-how and fuel with India to help power its
fast-growing economy, even though India wont sign the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty. It would represent a major shift in policy for the
United States, which imposed temporary sanctions on India in 1998 after it
conducted nuclear tests.

"We concluded an historic agreement today on nuclear power," Bush said.
"Its not an easy job for the prime minister to achieve this agreement. I
understand. Its not easy for the American president to achieve this
agreement."

Bush, turning immediately toward selling the deal to skeptics in the U.S.
Congress, called it "a necessary agreement."

"Its one that will help both our peoples," he said.

Singh repeatedly thanked Bush for personally shepherding the deal.

"But for his leadership, this day probably would not have come so soon,"
Singh said.

Later in the week, Bush was heading to Pakistan where on Thursday at least
one bomb ripped through the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel in Karachi,
exploding windows in the nearby U.S. consulate. Bush said he had been
briefed on the bombing and been told that the victims included at least one
U.S. citizen, a foreign service officer he did not identify by name.

The attack occurred hundreds of miles from Islamabad, where Bushs events
were taking place, but underscored the need for the extraordinary security
planned for his visit there.

Bush said the attack would not deter him in his travels.

"Terrorists and killers are not going to prevent me from going to
Pakistan," he said.

Deal could be a tough sell to Congress
Bush and Singh signed an agreement in July to provide India with nuclear
fuel for the countrys booming but energy-starved economy.

But it hinged upon determining how to segregate Indias nuclear weapons
work from its commercial nuclear program, and place the latter under
international inspection, in a way that satisfied both sides.

Some lawmakers in Washington contend that the Bush administration is
essentially making a side deal to the international nonproliferation
treaty. Critics in India, meanwhile, are wary that the United States is
meddling in Indian affairs, and is using India as a counterweight to
Chinas growing economic and political influence.

The president acknowledged that convincing lawmakers would be difficult.

"Proliferation is certainly a concern and a part of our discussions and
weve got a good-faith gesture by the Indian government that Ill be
able to take to the Congress," Bush said. "But the other thing that our
Congress has got to understand that its in our economic interests that
India have a civilian nuclear power industry to help take the pressure off
the global demand for energy. ... To the extent that we can reduce demand
for fossil fuels, it will reduce the cost to the American consumer."

Bush: Things change, times change
Also acknowledging the deal falls outside the limits of traditional
international agreements, Bush argued it was responsible and would not
increase proliferation risks.

"What this agreement says is things change, times change, that
leadership can make a difference. ... So Im trying to think differently,
not stay stuck in the past," he said.

The frantic negotiations for the nuclear pact, coupled with protests
planned throughout Bushs stay, reflected Indias mixed feelings about
the visit by the leader of the United States a country seen as a loyal
friend by some and a global bully by others.

Many business and government leaders of this nation of more than 1 billion
people are eager to strengthen ties with the United States.

Thousands of protesters
But for a second day Thursday, thousands of demonstrators gathered in New
Delhi to protest Bushs visit. Dozens of politicians, mainly from leftist
parties, stood on the steps of the countrys national parliament building
chanting "Bush go back!" and "Down with Bush!"

"Our one slogan is: Bush go back!" Were saying this because he is the
biggest killer of humanity in the 21st century. He has killed in
Afghanistan, he has killed Iraqis and now he is bent on killing Iranians,"
said Hannan Mollah, a lawmaker from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
"The Indian government should not get into any deal with the Americans.
Bush has laid a trap for India."

Bush began more than 12 hours of events and meetings on Thursday with a
striking arrival ceremony in a sun-drenched plaza at Rashtrapati Bhavan,
the presidents palace.

From under a red canopy outside the massive sandstone-colored building, the
U.S. president was treated to the playing of the American national anthem.
He reviewed troops of the Indian armed services outfitted in orange turbans
and brown dress uniforms with colorful sashes and marveled at a cavalry
unit on horseback that had earlier flanked his limousine.

"I have been received in many capitals around the world but I have never
seen a reception as well-organized or as grand," Bush said.

The president and his wife, Laura, then visited a memorial to Indias
independence leader, M.K. Gandhi, standing in stocking feet for a moment of
silence and wreath-laying at the site where he was cremated in 1948.
Following tradition, the Bushes tossed flower petals on the cremation
platform repeating the gesture several times to make sure photographers
could get the shot.

www.ZaZona.com
Support this Newsletter and ZaZona.com by donating:
www.zazona.com/Donations.htm

To Subscribe, Unsubscribe or to view the Archive go to:
http://www.zazona.com/shameh1b/JobDestructionNews.htm

Back to archives