India and the nuke deal - Boston Hearld editorial

India and the nuke deal
By Boston Herald editorial staff
Thursday, April 6, 2006

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went before Congress yesterday to make the case for President Bush's proposal to share more nuclear technology with India - a deal struck during his recent visit there, but one that must be ratified by Congress.
    The deal was a recognition that the world's largest democracy has indeed formed a special relationship with our own nation. And while India has never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it also has a 30-year track record of not having violated it either. Sometimes deeds ought to speak just as loudly as words on paper.
    Even former presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) while noting, "It is not the deal I would have negotiated personally," seemed inclined to approve it, adding, "the perfect world is not in our hands."
    But not so Rep. Ed Markey (D-Malden), who said of the India deal at a meeting of the New England Council last month, "I intend to work to kill it."
    "I will lead that effort on the House floor," Markey insisted, proceeding to lump India in with the utterly lawless and autocratic Iran.
    Rice said yesterday, "This agreement does bring India into the nonproliferation framework, and does strengthen the regime."
    Perhaps Markey ought to stick to telecommunications policy and his endless efforts to regulate roller coasters.