NYT slams N-deal, asks Congress to resist pressure to clear it

New York, Sep 9 (PTI) The Indo-U.S nuclear deal was a "bad idea" from the start, a leading American daily said Tuesday and asked the Congress to resist pressure to approve the agreement which it dubbed as "ill-conceived".

In an editorial highly critical of the deal, the New York Times has urged lawmakers to hold off considering the deal at least until the new Congress takes office in January.

"And they must insist that at a minimum, the restrictions already written into American law are strictly adhered to," it said.

"The next president will have to do a far better job containing the world's growing nuclear appetites. And for that, he will need all of the moral authority and leverage he can muster," the paper said.

President George W. Bush, it said, has failed to achieve
so many of his foreign policy goals but last weekend he proved
that he can still get what he really wants.

"The administration bullied and wheedled international
approval of the president's ill-conceived nuclear deal with
India," the Times said.

It criticised Bush and his aides for dismissing warnings
that "breaking the rules" would make it even harder to
pressure Iran and others to abandon their nuclear ambitions.

"The White House will now try to wheedle and bully
Congress to quickly sign off on the deal. Congress should
resist that pressure," it said.

The suppliers' group, the editorial said, gave its
approval after India said it would abide by a voluntary
moratorium on testing but said it does not require any member
to cut off trade if India breaks that pledge.

"That means that if India tests a nuclear weapon, it
could still bypass American suppliers and keep buying fuel and
technology from other less exacting sellers," it added. PTI DS