Giving true faith and allegiance to the Communists and the Mullahs, Representative "Baghdad" Jim McDermott (D-Wash) has gone on record calling for rejection of the strategically critical Indo-US nuclear and defense cooperation treaty. In his view, it would no more than a "hiccup" if the deal went into the tank. McDermott co-chairs the House India Caucus, and complained that there wasn't enough Congressional debate concerning the arrangement. The agreement was signed last July, and is a vital component in the Coalition maneuver to isolate the Persians on their Second Front.

Publicly, Baghdad Jim focuses on what would be a glitch in trade and business relationships, while knowing full well the implications of obstructing our overall strategy in the Global War on Terror. He is but the latest example of an American left that wants defeat at all costs. McDermott's views are so nutty and dangerous that fellow Democrat Representative Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), said that,

...nixing the deal could ruin an important budding relationship between the United States and India.

Meanwhile, it appears that the Indian Communists' effort to derail the pact is falling short. Last week, AT reported on an attempt by the Communist members of Parliament to shut down the ruling government, and to force early elections in order to block negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Hindustan Times reported via the Global Security Newswire yesterday that K. Subrahmanyam, a senior Indian nuclear analyst, thinks that the Indian government is making progress on the nuclear trade agreement despite Communist opposition. Subrahmanyam said,

"I think the deal is on track. I do not think the deal is off-track. I think the government is proceeding broadly according to schedule."

Also, Anil Kakodkar, chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, met with the IAEA, but did not say if he planned to discuss the upcoming talks with the agency so that India would be certified to import nuclear fuel and reactor technology. He did say however, that the safeguards agreement will not be "complicated," and would be based on existing international arrangements.

It appears the ball is now back in the US Congress. The Times said the US lawmakers must approve the deal before the end of February 2008, or else the issue would fall by the wayside because of the focus on the 2008 Presidential election. Rest assured that McDermott and the rest of the American left will do their utmost to kill this vital warfighting alliance.