NYTimes reports today that Australian Prime Minister John Howard has called for expansion of the country’s capability to produce and export unranium … for economic interests. At a time when urnaium enrichment in countries less ally-friendly to the US, this development potentially adds more sleepless nights in the White House. Howard is quoted as saying, “For Australia not to reap greater income from its vast uranium deposits would be akin to Saudi Arabia not exploiting its oil”. Further, he declared that Australia could become an “energy superpower.â€?
Australia have no intention (publically or officially) to confront Washington’s policy on limiting the enrichment club to a handful, but wish to benefit economically from it’s rich uranium deposits. When countries like North Korea decide to enrich and test, one questions thei intent. When Australia now comes to the party under economic rationale, do we not ask the same question?
I don’t think President Bush will lose much sleep over Australia’s selling of uranium. NK’s president, on the other hand, is a certifiable nutcase.