Aohell

Push, But Not Yet Shove

The US wants the UN Security Council to refer Iran for sanctions over its nuclear development. India's holding back. The US is now threatening to scuttle an arrangement to share nuclear technology with India if it doesn't vote to hit Iran with sanctions.

India's holding back because the last time it censured Iran, the government took a beating in constituencies with high Muslim concentrations. They don't want to go through that again. India's also made rumblings in the past about being able to take a permanent seat, complete with veto power, at the UN Security Council. This heavy-handed move by the US can only serve to strengthen those desires in India to have a place in the sun, as far as the major nations of the world go..

So if India doesn't come through for the US, they lose the deal on technology sharing. The US loses backing and credibility for its policies on the world stage. In the aftermath, who would India turn to for nuclear assistance? Not China or North Korea. China's a rival and the North Koreans are nuts. Not Iran or Pakistan for what should be obvious reasons. Israel officially doesn't have weapons, but they're not likely to assist the guys who didn't go against Iran. Europe probably wouldn't go there, either.

But what about Russia? The more I watch things, the more I see Russian maneuvering to build a system of alliances to counter the ring the US is constructing around Russia. Oil and natural gas are at play, and although India lacks those resources, it is nevertheless a strategically located nation with a vast population. And if India leans Iran's way, that can't hurt on negotiating deals to receive petrochemicals from that nation.

The US burned a lot of bridges when it went into Iraq. Now it's desperately trying to build them back because it really can't go it alone in the world.