Being an Australian living in the US it's disappointing to see our Prime Minister John Howard cow-towing to the US as if they were some vassal to a Warlord. It gives me hope and strength though when Howard and his conservative government grow a spine and stand on 30 year old principles, even under pressure from the US.
Case in point. As Bush leaves India having signed a nuclear deal with its Prime Minister that will give the Indian's classified and sensitive nuclear technology in return for allowing members of the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect some of its civilian nuclear sites at regular intervals, he has criticized Howard's government for refusing to sell uranium to them.
So why wont they? It's quite simple really, India isn't a signatory of the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and until it is Australia will not deal with it. What makes this more interesting is the fact that Bush is also criticizing Howard for selling uranium to the Chinese, who have signed the Treaty.
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