Bill Maher, Salon This is either (1) a brilliant self-parody, executed with enough irony to start a taconite mine, (2) an attempt at humor gone horribly, unfunnily wrong, (3) the most tone-deaf, unpersuasive op-ed ever written, (4) a desperate cry for help, or (5) a leak of an actual Obama campaign internal memo. Vote in the combox if you like.
New Rule: Republicans need to stop saying Barack Obama is an elitist, or looks down on rural people, and just admit you don't like him because of something he can't help, something that's a result of the way he was born. Admit it, you're not voting for him because he's smarter than you. . . . Barack Obama can't help it if he's a magna cum laude Harvard grad and you're a Wal-Mart shopper who resurfaces driveways with your brother-in-law. Americans are so narcissistic that our candidates have to be just like us. . . . Count me as a vote for option (4).
Posted by: Mike ||
09/06/2008 02:48 ||
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#1
2,3,and 4.
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
09/06/2008 3:17 Comments ||
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Bill is just being honest. He is voting for Obama because Obama is magna cum laude Harvard grad and it makes Bill feel he is smarter than a WalMart shopper (aka: peasant)to support him.
What's funny about it is that the WalMart shopper (regardless of income level) is smart enough to know that there is no reason to pay a 25% higher markup for the exact same product made in the exact same factory. And likewise, these same peasants could care less if some people delude themselves into thinking they are "better and smarter" because they have been fooled into believing that their Bayer Aspirin and bananas are somehow "greener" or otherwise superior to the exact same product sold in WalMart.
#6
The school year just started. Everybody shopped at WalMart if they could, especially all those Ivy Leaguers with enormous student loans yet to be repaid. The Ivy Leaguers just wore sunglasses.
Mr. Maher gets published in Salon because that way he can feel like he's experiencing pre-French Revolution intellectual life. It's his only consolation, I fear. The poor man was amusing enough, several decades ago, before he ran out of material.
#8
The amount of good, carried out daily, done to support the lower class, let alone the others, by Walmart by providing products and services at costs commensurate with income - priceless. The amount of good done by generations of Harvard magna cum laude's for those same people on a daily basis - we're still looking. Walk the walk vs talk the talk.
#9
Maher must not have any kids - people with kids - Phd's, MSers and even the low rung BSers - we all shop at Walmart. This is exactly the kind of elitist rubbish that will elect McCain/Palin in a landslide similar to McGovern/Shriver in 72. Remember Shriver was as much American nobility as anyone and a true eastern establishment elitist.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
09/06/2008 9:49 Comments ||
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#10
interesting. At one time, Maher was a comedian, and intentionally funny
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/06/2008 9:51 Comments ||
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Heh - closed loop - Ace links to the Burg and adds to the Maher-ridicule
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/06/2008 10:03 Comments ||
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Maher is one of those new wave tedious, unfunny comedians who occasionally evoke the type of nervous laughter caused by street corner ranters or bums urinating in public. Some other examples: Marge Cho, Whoopie Goldberg, Rosey O'Doughnuts and Don Imus.
Posted by: regular joe ||
09/06/2008 10:36 Comments ||
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It's not just the Wal*Mart shoppers who are stupid, it's the management, too.
What maroons.
And this Ivy Leaguer shops there even though the loans arepaid off.
#15
Nah, bill mahar thinks he is someone people still tune into to hear an objective voice. That was 10 years ago and even then in his prime that is a maybe. What is going on is that the obama supporters are trying to reignite their base but the only way they can using traditional outlets is bill mahar and jon stewart, et al.
That harvard grad so louted has proven he has no opinion about the very subject he was lecturing upon, feel bad for the students - I bet those days, just a guess but thursdays and fridays, were bloody mary mornings. And you know what, for us do it yourself types I would love to hear the step-by-step process from Janus Obama himself about how exactly to resurface a driveway. I wouldn't suggest asking mahar, with his body structure I bet the only thing he has ever picked up was a pay check.
#16
NS, what your Big (D) Congresscritter opinion writer didn't point out was that it was a Republican controlled Congress [the spending arm of the national government] in operation during most of that time cited as more prosperous. I don't recall that Clinton fought a major war during that same period either [that was pointed out come 9/11]. So, nice rant, but the usual three card monty political game again.
#18
As a resident of Western Pennsylvania, with multiple degrees; I wonder if I should continue to shop at Wal-Mart. My neighbors might see and recognize me.
Sarcasm is now off.
#19
Proc, I fully concur. What so many people I meet overseas fail to understand is that Americans don't really make that much money; it's just that the vast majority of consumer goods are so much cheaper in the U.S. than almost anywhere else (usually including the places they're made if not of U.S. domestic manufacture)
My Euro acquaintances call the U.S. the land of half-price, because that's the average amount they save on anything they buy in the U.S. as opposed to Euroland.
As for Maher, how the heck did he ever run a show called "Politically Incorrect?" He was about as PC as they come, except when it came to insulting and belittling conservatives/Republicans. I watched him once; that was enough.
#20
My Euro acquaintances call the U.S. the land of half-price, because that's the average amount they save on anything they buy in the U.S. as opposed to Euroland.
Yep, Glühwein is tastey, but many Germans enjoy Christmas shopping here in the States. They have the VAT to thank for at least some of those high prices.
Paint Obama as cocky and arrogant and wait for America to vote him off, like the black guy in every reality show. A black president? Half of Pennsylvania isn't ready for black quarterbacks.
That's because Pittsburgh is happy with Ben Roethlisberger.
#24
Yet according to news stories after Obama's speech, Mahar was the one who said on Nat'l TV that he "in the tank" vibe from Olbermann (and some other geek whose name escapes me) was so bad it looked like they wanted to have sex with him in the booth. I'll give him a couple of points that that one...
Posted by: Marilyn Crusoling6281 ||
09/06/2008 17:46 Comments ||
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#25
I'm smarter than Bill Maher and Obamessiah, probably both of them combined - and I occasionally shop at WalMart.
The rock group Heart, angry that its ’70s hit “Barracuda” is being used as the unofficial theme song for Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, is taking aim at the Alaska governor. The song, a nod to the “Sarah Barracuda” nickname Palin earned on the basketball court in high school, was dusted off for her appearance at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul on Wednesday.
Now, the Wilson sisters (Heart) own the copyright to "Barracuda" and can certainly control the licensing thereof. I would never dream of telling the owner of private property that he has to commit his property to a political cause he does not support. (I can also decide that maybe I won't go get a digital copy of "Barracuda" off iTunes after all, like I was intending before I heard all this, because I no longer want to do business with the Wilson sisters.)It is also established that one can borrow a copyrighted song for purposes of criticism, commentary, and parody, and this is a "fair use" that is allowed no matter what the copyright owner says. It's done all the time.
Since the real thing won't do the trick, I'm gonna make up something quick. The following are some political comment/parody lyrics intended to be sung to the tune of "Barracuda." To the extent I have a copyright interest in them, I hereby grant to everyone a free, nonexclusive license to use and record them, subject to the condition that you must credit "Mike @ Rantburg."
Nightmare won't end -
They saw her again today
Keith had to turn his face away
Smiled like the sun -
Kisses for everyone
She's real - it never fails!
Joe Biden's crawlin' into the weeds
"I bet she's gonna ambush me!"
She'll have 'im down down down down on his knees
Now won't you, Sarah-cuda?
At Newsweek and Time they were all
Trying for free
Try to take her out you see
No right all wrong, selling a song-
A name, whisper game.
And since the real thing can't do the trick
They gotta make up something quick
She's gonna burn, burn, burn, burn Obama to the wick
Oooooh--Sarah-cuda!
Sell Obama's snake oil, the bloggers said
Dive down deep down to the sewer
I think they got the blues too.
All that night and all the next
Tried making her look bad
They just looked like fools - silly, silly fools!
And since the real thing can't do the trick
They gotta make up something quick
She's gonna burn, burn, burn, burn Obama to the wick
Oooooh--Sarah-cuda!
Ohhhh, Sarah Barracuda.
Posted by: Mike ||
09/06/2008 16:08 ||
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When I think of how hot the pair in Heart were compared to what they look like today...
Obviously they don't run like Sarah...
#2
Now, the Wilson sisters (Heart) own the copyright to "Barracuda"..
If they do, they're one of the few smart musicians of that time who didn't sign it away to the label for royalties.
Personally, I find the English version of the non-boomer Not That Kind of Girl by Paulina Rubio has a nice 'stick it too you' message for the Obamanauts-MSM types. The fact it is also in Spanish [No Estoy Esa Mujer and popular with the young Latin ladies] could also be an appeal to another demographic.
#6
Sorry girls, not hoe it works. For the srtidtd protection, a hird party pays you the royalties you so agreeably accepted, for the use of your music in the venue. You couldn't stop the republicans this week, nor the podiatrists next week. Check the contract.
And if you don't want to re invigorate your vapid 1976 song, no problem ... Hall and Oates has Sarah Smile up for sale...cheap
This morning, Republicans tell me that a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.
Before McCain speaks today, veterans will haul these garbage bags filled with flags out onto the stage — with dramatic effect, no doubt — and tell the story.
“What you see in the picture I sent you is less than half of total flags,” a Republican official emailed. “We estimate the total number to be around 12,000 small flags and one full size 3×5 flag.”
Im not sure what the DNC was supposed to do with unused hand-flags, frankly. But the Republicans are obviously questioning someones patriotism here.
#1
Im not sure what the DNC was supposed to do with unused hand-flags...
You ASSUME they cared. Hmmm...other than googling how to properly dispose of flags, I could immediately think a gesture to plant'em on the graves of veterans of Colorado or the region. Send out a load to each ward heeler party campaign manager in the state/region to get the runners to do the work 'one' day and think of the photo opportunity. Is that above their pay grade too? [rhetorical question]
Col. John Boyd was an ace fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He fought in Korea and Vietnam, helped design F-15 and F-16 jet fighters, and is revered within military circles as a strategist who conceived an entirely new way of conducting war or doing business.
Robert Coram's biography of Boyd is a riveting story of an eccentric genius breaking new frontiers in a discipline and profession far removed from concerns of the general public. Even a passing acquaintance with the late John Boyd would help in knowing how Sen. John McCain has overcome political odds against him.
Boyd developed the concept known as OODA (observe, orient, decide, act) loop in decision making and performance in a fast-paced, changing environment. The ingenuity of OODA loop is the formula for rapid assessment and response to events or opponents in gaining advantage in dynamic situations.
This ability to assess and outpace opponents has been a key factor in McCain's progress as a politician not ideologically stuck to partisan politics, and being readily open in adapting to new information.
McCain saw ahead of most in Washington the urgency of increased military deployment in Iraq to break the back of the al-Qaida-driven insurgency and secure the hard-won freedom for Iraqis. He argued for the surge and defended it when the Democratic leadership in Congress was invested in defeat, and opponents of the surge were pushing a cut-and-run policy as did Sen. Joe Biden with his defeatist ideas for engineering tripartite partitioning of Iraq.
The success of the surge has made likely an early redeployment of American troops, and driven the Iraq story from the front pages of the mainstream media. It also placed McCain ahead of his Republican opponents -- "I'd rather lose an election than lose a war" became McCain's signature response on his support for the surge -- in the primary season when most pundits had written him off.
Similarly, McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate is a fine demonstration of an OODA loop decision messing up the Democrat's campaign, built on the phony slogan for "change." Palin strikes the near-perfect note of a "change" candidate headed for dysfunctional Washington, whose poster face is the six-term senator and capitol insider Biden.
Palin's contrast with Sen. Barack Obama as an outsider is moreover devastatingly sharp and clean.
The Democratic presidential nominee is a product of Chicago's steamy politics of race, while the Republican vice-presidential nominee is fresh as the Arctic wind blowing away the partisan politics of those who ran Alaska as a corrupt Republican fiefdom.
Since energy replaced Iraq as the primary concern of American voters over the summer, Palin brings a resume of governing an energy-rich Alaska that the Democratic ticket cannot match.
Any suggestion of Palin's inexperience highlights not only Obama's inexperience at the top of the Democratic ticket but the unnerving question about his long association with folks soaked in anti-American politics.
Middle America -- patriotic and religious -- is now energized by a very talented and feisty pro-life mother on the Republican ticket. And somewhere Boyd's spirit is grinning as McCain, fighter pilot and mirthful maverick of American politics, executes with agility the tightest OODA loop confounding Democrats and their cheering section in the mainstream media.
#4
It was a great blog post wasn't it. But too long for a newspaper article. Whittle should look into really cutting down the length of his stuff and selling some of them as articles to papers because he is so spot on in his analysis.
Maybe it's not possible with his depth. I don't know.
I think Peter and others are right that Oprah's reported refusal to have Governor Palin on her show will be much discussed and may indeed cause headaches of one kind or another for Oprah. I even think Oprah should have her on for this or that reason. But none of my reasons rise to the level of civics, ethics, "fairness" or anything like that. Oprah's a private citizen, albeit a very public one. She&'s not the host of Meet the Press or even the host of Hardball. She's the queen of daytime TV or some other cliche. She's under no obligation to have anyone on her show she doesn't want to. I think it might be good for Winfrey, Palin and/or the country. Or it might not be. I agree that Gov. Palin seems like a perfectly natural fit for the show personality-wise. But at the end of the day she's a governor and vice presidential nominee. Oprah is an infotainment diva or some such. But some of the readers emailing me about this seem to think there should be more outrage about this. Outrage? About what? I'm far from a "who am I to judge" guy, but what standing do we have to express outrage over the fact that she's making a poor business decision or acting on her political preferences. I'm no more outraged that Oprah won't have the governor on her show than I would be if Brit Hume refused to interview the Dog Whisperer.
Update: A reader makes this excellent point:
Jonah:
While it is true that only Oprah suffers from a bad business decision it is enlightening that the very crowd pushing for reinstatement of the "fairness doctrine" fail to see the irony.
And, Abe Greenwald makes a case for Oprah's hypocrisy, which I must say I don't find very persuasive. It rests on the fact that Oprah has done a show(s) on special needs parenting and Down syndrome kids and whatnot. He goes on to say that Palin would make a perfect guest to further explore that theme. I agree absolutely. But I am at a complete loss why she has to do it before the election. Indeed, one could argue that trying to browbeat Oprah into having Palin on before the election approaches saying, "Oprah, you must let Palin use her baby as a political issue." Again, I agree Oprah should have Palin on, but I don't see why she should be bullied -- or we should be outraged by her refusal -- to lend support to a politician she doesn't support.
Indeed, Winfrey issued this a statement which says, in part, "I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."
I think it would have been better for Oprah business-wise if she'd stayed out of the election entirely and just had everyone on. I think that would have been better for the country too. But it's her show. And I still don't see why I should be outraged by any of this. Intrigued? Yes. Curious? Yes. Outraged, Nope.
Posted by: Mike ||
09/06/2008 07:16 ||
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Well Oprah, Governor Palin may not have time for you after she is elected. After all, she will most likely be too busy with the affairs of state. Oprah didn't mind hyping Barack Hussein Obama for President early on. Well, I can see O'Reilly make BO squirm with hard questions he can't answer. Besides, Oprah would probably ask soft ball questions of BO about how he feels about his tie.
#3
Recall how sanctimonious Michele was about BO's opting to "give back to the community" rather than take a real job. One wonders if bucks were funneled back to the Chicago Outfit's Syrian connection Antonin "Tony" Resko.
Posted by: regular joe ||
09/06/2008 10:29 Comments ||
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Recall how sanctimonious Michele was about BO's opting to "give back to the community"
I guess that didn't include her $195,000 pay raise when Barack made Senator. Wonder how many indigent patients the hospital had to dump on the streets to pay this "Community Outreach" Coordinator.
Posted by: ed ||
09/06/2008 10:38 Comments ||
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Good point ed -- her salary would pay for 20 childbirths, or 400 abortions annually.
Posted by: regular joe ||
09/06/2008 11:15 Comments ||
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That was just the annual raise. Her salary went to $317,000/year when Barack was elected. Bribery by another name.
Posted by: ed ||
09/06/2008 11:17 Comments ||
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I have been wondering, what exactly is michelle's background when it comes to why she should be in a postition to influence the operation of a hospital? Oh, she is a lawyer...so she don't know jack squat about about Hippocrates but can she locate her dorsal appendage?
#9
No. Got shot down by the Senate. Perhaps Obama voted "present". Obama's Earmarks: $1 Million for Wife's Hospital The request for $1 million for the University of Chicago Medical Center was to help pay for construction of a new pavilion.
...
In any case, the 2006 request for the hospital was not approved by the Senate, as was about $7 out of every $10 the Illinois senator asked for in earmarks.
Posted by: ed ||
09/06/2008 12:40 Comments ||
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Opinion Journal did a request for 'community organizer jokes'. This is what they picked:
• Nelles Hamilton: What's the difference between a "community organizer" and a pit bull? Teeth.
• Dagny Billings: What's the difference between a "community organizer" and a seeing-eye dog? Even a blind man can see the dog is actually helping someone.
• Michael Roberson: What's the difference between a "community organizer" and a Chihuahua? The Chihuahua will eventually shut up.
• Bob Vorick: What's the difference between a "community organizer" and a puppy? One will grow up to become a loyal servant of mankind.
• O. Nara: What's the difference between a "community organizer" and a shih tzu? Zu.
Sarah Palin is the anti-Obama: not a victim, not a poser, not riding a wave but rather swimming upstream — and most of all, not having run for president her entire life. She is the first politician I have ever seen — and I include Ronnie in this, God bless him — who strikes everyone who sees her as an actual, real, ordinary person. Immediately came T-shirts saying I AM SARAH PALIN. HER STORY IS MY STORY. There is a lot of Obama swag out there, too, but none of it says HIS STORY IS MY STORY. Hold that thought till November 5.
She is so absolutely, remarkably, spectacularly ordinary. I think the magic of Sarah Palin speaks to a belief that so many of us share: the sense that we personally know five people in our immediate circle who would make a better president than the menagerie of candidates the major parties routinely offer. Sarah Palin has erupted from this collective American Dream — the idea that, given nothing but classic American values like hard work, integrity, and tough-minded optimism you can actually do what happens in the movies: become Leader of the Free World, the President of the United States of America. (Or, well, you know, vice president.)
Sarah Palin has done more than unify and electrify the base. SheÂ’s done something I would not have thought possible, were it not happening in front of my nose: Sarah Palin has stolen Barack ObamaÂ’s glamour. SheÂ’s stolen his excitement, robbed his electricity, burgled his charisma, purloined his star power, and taken his Hope and Change mantra, woven it into a cold-weather fashion accessory, and wrapped it around her neck. ...and strangled him with it--metaphorically speaking, of course.
A candidate who is young, funny, well-spoken, intelligent, charming, drop-dead gorgeous — and one of ours? Is this actually happening?
Go read the rest.
Posted by: Mike ||
09/06/2008 03:17 ||
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woven it into a cold-weather fashion accessory, and wrapped it around her neck.
The image of her putting his antlears on her wall works better for me.
#2
Good stuff, and it strikes very close to what my own feelings have been this past week or so.
Posted by: Jefferson ||
09/06/2008 9:25 Comments ||
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It isn't necessarily an "anti-obama" feeling, its that he is a poser and a lot of people do not want to work for a fake. That asshole boss who plays office games and talks behind your back, yeah that is obama.
Want proof? bo's latest talking point is he has a funny name and doesn't look like President Ben Franklin - his change is his same line from months ago and that is all he has. I swear watching the d-ticket is like watching the KC Chiefs ever since herm "the 9-iron" edwards came to town. You KC fans know what I'm talking about admit it (and that nickname no longer works because even I can move a ball 80 yards with a 9-iron).
Poor Repuglikkkans think they have a dream ticket on their hands, but startling revelations are now coming to light that will put the final nail in the coffin of John McSame's illegal and immoral candidacy: Sarah Palin has cooties.
Apparently, McSame didn't thoroughly vett his darling little bimbot before choosing her for his running mate. Then again, the senile old man doesn't know how many houses he owns...how can he be expected to know whether or not his own Veep has cooties? He'll probably deny she even has cooties or try to bury the truth. But the folks over at Daily Kos and the Democratic Underground have it on good authority that Sarah Palin does indeed have Cooties, and that her daughter is a slut (and not even the good kind of slut - she's keeping her baby). But more importantly, Sarah Palin has Cooties.
Can working families who are facing mortgage foreclosures, unemployment, and skyrocketing gas prices thanks to Bush's failed economic policies really afford putting someone with Cooties a mere heartbeat away from the presidency? And how exactly can a Cootie-sufferer find the time to perform her duties as Vice President while raising five kids, one of whom is a slut? Perhaps Palin should just go back to Alaska and concentrate on being a Mom and finding a cure for those Cooties of hers.
No one is really sure how Cooties are transmitted, but the general consensus is that you get them by being a pro-life, pro-drilling, Christian Conservative member of the NRA...and by kissing *YUCK!* boys. Any Hillary supporters or Evangelical Christians who do not want Cooties would be advised to refrain from voting for McSame/Palin this November.
#6
Oh National Enquirer. They are getting ready to sue the NE for libel: NE is spreading a smear that Sarah had an affair with her husbands business partner. Also trying to claim she was "desperately trying to hide" the pregnancy of her daughter.
And they cite her husband's ex business partner's "desperate attempt" to deal his divorce records, which was denied Friday.
Problem for them is: its all lies on their part.
The ex-parter of Todd Palin tried to seal his divorce records because slimebag reporters were getting his name address and phone number and were harassing the crap out of him and his 11 year old son.
There was no affair, and no evidence of an affair. This one got kocked down back during the Alaska Gov campaign, was started by desperate crooked politicans who were scared to death of Palin getting in: it meant jail for them (and apparently they are trying to get revenge by selling this to the Obama camp and its pet press).
Also there was no "cover-up" of the pregnancy - it was well known "secret" in Wasilla weeks ago, and so was the engagement.
National Enquirer has libeled an innocent woman.
Do you wonder just who owns the National Enquirer?
Roger C. Altman. Yes, a close friend of the Clintons, and was Clinton's former Deputy Treasury Secretary, and has been involved in supporting Dems across the country.
Just like US magazine is published by a major Obama backer and published the "Babies Lies Scandal" cover.
IIRC The Machine did the same to Jack Ryan v. Dickie Turban - got into his divorce (sealed) records and let it all spill.........
Ryan was bounced off the ticket.
Combine wins. combine always wins in the Peoples' Republic of Illinois.
Unless Vallas comes back and runs as an R against Stroger Jr. - you ain't seen nothing yet - was reading another blog rumor is ACORN already sent out 300K absentee ballots in OH.
#10
Funny article. As for the NE article, who cares? It will only rally the troops around Sarah and make the liberals look even more foolish. What's not to like about it?
#11
This NE story is going to make the French and other Europeans go absolutely gaga over Sarah. What will the poor liberal "elite" dems do when they realize their favorite paramore has dumped them for Sar'amore?
#12
bimbot. wow. must have been up all night thinking of that one. I know people like this. He is not worth talking about because everyone he has ever talked down to for not agreeing with him automatically because he fancies himself clever is now not taking that shit.
In an unprecedented move that will undermine the value of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the already beleaguered nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), the NSG reluctantly agreed today in Vienna to exempt NPT hold-out India from its guidelines that require comprehensive international safeguards as a condition of nuclear trade.
The decision is a nonproliferation disaster of historic proportions that will produce harm for decades to come. Contrary to the Orwellian claims of the George W. Bush administration, the India-specific exemption from NSG rules and safeguards standards does not "bring India into the nuclear nonproliferation mainstream."
Unlike 179 other countries, India has not signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. It continues to produce fissile material and expand its nuclear arsenal. As one of only three states never to have signed the NPT, India has not made a legally binding commitment to pursue nuclear disarmament.
India's political promises on nonproliferation and a voluntary test moratorium are not in any way equivalent to the legal obligations and commitments made by the member states of the NPT. Given India's history of violating its peaceful nuclear use agreements to build nuclear weapons, India's promises provide little confidence, especially if the consequences of noncompliance are not made clear by India's future potential nuclear supplier states.
As a result, the India-specific exemption from NSG guidelines severely erodes the credibility of global efforts to ensure that access to peaceful nuclear trade and technology is available only to those states that meet global nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament standards.
Also, nuclear fuel sales to India for Indian power reactors may marginally help increase India's energy output, but at the same time it will free up India's limited domestic uranium supplies to be used exclusively for bomb-making. This will lead Pakistan to follow suit and help fuel the South Asian arms race.
Making matters worse, the Bush administration resisted efforts by a group of responsible NSG states to incorporate in the NSG waiver language that would unambiguously establish the same restrictions and conditions on nuclear trade that are mandated through U.S. law (the 2006 Henry Hyde Act) and U.S. national policy.
The Arms Control Association and our allies and supporters will work to ensure that the current Congressional requirements and expectations regarding U.S. nuclear trade are fully addressed and that additional measures are taken to ensure that other nuclear suppliers do not undercut the minimal but vital restrictions, requirements, and conditions on nuclear trade mandated by Congress.
The NSG Waiver
The NSG statement on India does not meet ACA's standards or that of a large number of NSG states, nor should it satisfy key U.S. congressional leaders, but it is not the "clean" and "unconditional" waiver India was demanding either.
There were language changes made to the revised U.S. NSG proposal during the Sept. 4-6 discussions.
Because of the negotiations were tough and the real differences not fully resolved, there will likely be serious differences between India and most of the NSG about the interpretation of what the guidelines allow and don't allow and what the consequences of any violation of India's nonproliferation and disarmament commitments would be. This outcome is a failure of the NSG as a whole, the U.S. delegation, and the NSG chair Germany.
The text of the NSG's Sept. 6 statement on India -- along with the national statements issued today by Austria, China, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and others -- indicates that even if the NSG guidelines are not as clear as they should be or fail to include key provisions to reduce the adverse nonproliferation consequences, for all practical purposes:
- NSG states should not and will not likely engage in "full" nuclear trade with India;
- NSG states should and very likely would terminate nuclear trade with India if it resumes testing; and
- India's compliance with it pre-2005 nonproliferation commitments and the implementation of bilateral trade with India will be reviewed on a regular (probably annual) basis by the NSG.
Why? Most states will try to remain consistent with U.S. law, policy, and the U.S. interpretations of its bilateral trade agreement with India. Collectively, these bar the transfer of enrichment, reprocessing, and heavy water technology to Indian national facilities, the Hyde Act also mandates a cutoff of U.S. trade if India resumes testing, and according the State Dept's January 16 responses to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. fuel supply assurances will be invalid if India tests for any reason. See .
Linkage Between India's Commitments and the Waiver
The connection between India's nonproliferation statements and the NSG decision to allow nuclear trade and its possible termination of nuclear trade should have been clear and unambiguous. Yet, Paragraph 3 of the NSG statement undeniably says the "basis" of the India specific waiver includes its July 2005 pledges and the Sept. 5 statement by India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, which include a pledge to maintain India's nuclear test moratorium.
Following the NSG's reluctant approval of the statement on India, several states delivered national statements that clarify their views on how the NSG's policy on India shall be implemented. Among the states that delivered statements were: Austria, China, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.
Japan noted that the exemption for India was decided on the condition that India continues to observe its commitments, especially its nuclear test moratorium pledge. Japan noted that if India resumed testing, "the logical consequence is to terminate trade." Most of the other statements also made this point.
Germany, and perhaps others, added that it expects India to take further nonproliferation and disarmament measures, including "entry into force of the CTBT and a termination of fissile material production for weapons."
Therefore, if India tests, the NSG would immediately meet in an emergency session (as already allowed for in the NSG guidelines) and the widespread expectation would be for all NSG states to terminate nuclear trade immediately. And despite the Indian government's false representations to its public and parliament, neither the United States nor other responsible nuclear suppliers are going to feel obliged to respect earlier fuel supply guarantees or help find some other country to supply India with nuclear fuel if India tests for any reason or violates its safeguards commitments.
Permanent Safeguards: Paragraph 2.a refers to India's March 2006 "separation plan" which says India will put at least 8 additional nuclear power reactors under safeguards by 2014. The inclusion of this language was resisted by Inda, which has still not formally filed the list of facilities its will actually put under safeguards with the IAEA.
Paragraph 2.b of the NSG statement on India also refers to the maintenance of facility-specific safeguards in accordance with IAEA standards and practices including Gov. 1621, which means that the safeguards agreement puts India's materials and facilities under indefinite safeguards that Indian cannot legally terminate unilaterally. The Government of India has suggested to its parliament that this is not the case.
Enrichment and Reprocessing Transfers: International safeguards cannot prevent the replication or possible use of sensitive fuel cycle technologies transferred to India for "civilian" purposes for use in its military sector. The NSG should have explicitly banned such technology transfers. India Paragraph 3.a in the NSG statement on India maintains that Paragraphs 6 & 7 of the current NSG guidelines will continue to apply. This means that NSG states must continue to exercise "utmost restraint" with respect to transfers of sensitive dual use technologies and enrichment and reprocessing technologies to India or any other state.
In addition, in the course of the NSG meeting, the United States confirmed that participating NSG governments expressed assurances that they did not intend to transfer enrichment or reprocessing technology to India.
Review of the Implementation of the Statement: Paragraph 3.c and 3.e require NSG suppliers to report on their nuclear transfers to India and consult regularly on India's implementation and compliance with India's its nonproliferation commitments and bilateral nuclear cooperation with India.
India and the NSG: In Paragraph 2.f, the NSG statement notes that India has pledged to harmonize its export policies with that of the NSG and that India commits to adhere to all NSG guidelines. But contrary to India's demands, India may not "participate" in future NSG decisions or the development of future guidelines. Instead, India may be consulted by the NSG chair regarding future policies. One of those policy discussions will soon be aimed at establishing clearer limitations on the transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology, including a ban on any transfers to non-members of the NPT.
Posted by: john frum ||
09/06/2008 18:53 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
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