Russia, U.S. sign nuclear agreement

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian and U.S. officials signed a key agreement on civilian nuclear power Tuesday that could give Washington access to Russian technology and potentially hand Moscow lucrative deals on storing spent fuel.

The deal, signed on the eve of Dmitry Medvedev's inauguration as president, signals a reversal in policy for the U.S. administration on cooperating with Russia on nuclear issues. Cooperation had cooled in recent years, mainly due to disagreements over how to handle Iran's perceived nuclear threat.

"The U.S. and Russia were once nuclear rivals," U.S. Ambassador William Burns said after a signing ceremony. "Today, we are nuclear partners with unique capabilities and unique responsibilities for global nuclear leadership."

The deal — signed by Burns and Russian atomic energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko — will give the U.S. access to Russian state-of-the art nuclear technology.




Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-05-06-bush-putin_N.htm?csp=34

[Hugin]

1. "will give the U.S. access to Russian state-of-the art nuclear technology"

Just like they used in Chernobyl!! Whee!


:eyes:

[RL3AO]

2. What state of the art nuclear technology could the Russians possibly have that we don't?

[Hugin]

3. A way to re-heat your coffee while it's still sitting on the kitchen table...

Of, course there -are- still a few kinks to work out. We've got our best people on it.

:eyes:

[dantyrant]

4. They have many more warheads than we do.

As such, they have far more refined nuclear fuel. We've been paying them to dismantle their warheads and sell us the fuel for reactors, IIRC.

[hokies4ever]

5. We won the Cold War

Because the Soviet Union couldn't keep pace with our technology. They're crazy if they think that they are the big dogs in nuclear technology.

[woundedkarma]

6. We THOUGHT we won the cold war...

If you ask me, the cold war is back on. Or possibly the beginning of a second cold war.

[Fearless]

8. A lot has changed in 17 years.

[heliarc]

7. "global nuclear leadership" is a fun phrase.

Really, I still don't know what gives us the right in a "world community" to tell other countries they have to stop developing nukes when we won't reduce our arsenal.

I guess Nukes give us the right. Anybody who thinks this isn't imperialism plain and simple is living in a dream world.