We hear a lot about how Iranian madmen are on the verge of achieving nuclear weapons, and that nothing less than WWIII is threatened if they do. But what about other nuclear and weapons programs? Let's take a look at a bit of background that may be helpful in illuminating connections between the US, India, and Iran on this issue.

India (unlike Iran), a non-signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), was sanctioned for conducting nuclear tests in 1998. Yet in recent years, due to many considerations in international power politics--including US hopes of using it as a counterweight to China--India received a "one-time exception" to receive fuel from the Nuclear Suppliers Group. A few incidents and facts should be recalled here:

--In 2004-05, India voted against Iran (twice) at the International Atomic Energy Agency under enormous arm-twisting by the US.

--India is in the process of increasing its conventional arsenal (including a 10-year defense deal with the US, and deals with Israel and Russia). The US also sells arms to India's arch-nemisis, Pakistan.

--India still has only eight of its 22 reactors classified as "civilian." There's no guarantee India will not use its fuel to develop more weapons. Certainly Pakistan and China should assume it will.

--India, Pakistan, and Iran are negotiating a "peace pipeline," a large project to supply themselves with natural gas and tie the region together. The US is undermining the process by calling, in no uncertain terms, for India to cut ties with Iran.

In August of this year, India and the US agreed on a historic nuclear deal which would give India access to long-denied nuclear technology to build nuclear power plants. Fortunately, the deal has run into difficult weather both internationally--since it blatantly undermines the NPT by effectively rewarding India for non-compliance--and more importantly, in India itself. Even though it initiated the proceedings, the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party is now opposed to the deal on narrow technical grounds. The Left parties supporting India's coalition government from the outside have threatened to withdraw support as well.

The turmoil in Pakistan, resulting in Musharraf's recently declared state of emergency, once again demonstrates the essential volatility of the South Asian region. One cannot enhance peace, security, and democracy by undermining efforts at regional and global reconciliation. --Sankaran Anand