...when he says "Not being a subject-matter expert on the minutiae of the IAEA agreement, I read the published views of a many commentators."
Those who support it are terms stooges of Western world, or USA if you like. Those who oppose are termed anti-development, anti-growth, etc.
If the deal is BAD, they why are so many scientists supporting it? While it is clearly stated that only those placed under IAEA supervision will continue to be under supervision, and ALL others that are outside IAEA purview are used as per discretion of India - for military or civilian use (without depending on external supplies of equipment or uranium). What is the hassle in this? We can build reactors purely for military use. Who stops us? Only if we conduct nuclear tests and use facilities or Uranium that is supplied for energy for this purpose, we are in breach and the NSG can then stop supplying or recall equipment that they supplied. What is the harm?
We have enough capability to overcome the engineering shortcomings and may soon develop thorium based plants. Let us have confidence in our scientists and engineers to deliver and provide them with requisite facilities to work on it, while uranium based plants are used to produce energy.
I think Indian Military and Scientific community are not dumb enough to submit all strategically important facilities to IAEA and affect our nuclear defence capabilities. Let us stop fooling ourselves!
