US firm, Indian CEO admit weapon, nuclear-linked export violations

[The Green Bean]

US firm, Indian CEO admit weapon, nuclear-linked export violations WASHINGTON, March 14 (AFP): A US company and the Indian head of an international firm have admitted to violating laws on export of weapons technology and nuclear power testing equipment to India, the US Justice Department said Thursday. Parthasarathy Sudarshan, the Indian CEO of Cirrus Electronics with offices in the United States, Singapore and India, pleaded guilty in Washington Thursday to a charge of shipping restricted weapons technology to the Indian government. He admitted exporting controlled microprocessors and electronic components to Indian state entities involved in developing ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles and fighter jets. In the second case, Minnesota company MTS Systems Corp. was fined 400,000 dollars after it pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with submitting false US export license applications over proposed shipments to India, the Justice Department said. The company admitted to two misdemeanor counts of ?false certification or writing? by omitting critical information linked to test equipment for nuclear-power plants. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)

This really pisses me off. This is not even front page news even though this is effectively a violation of the non-proliferation treaty by a US company. When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil. Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

US firm, Indian CEO admit weapon, nuclear-linked export violations WASHINGTON, March 14 (AFP): A US company and the Indian head of an international firm have admitted to violating laws on export of weapons technology and nuclear power testing equipment to India, the US Justice Department said Thursday. Parthasarathy Sudarshan, the Indian CEO of Cirrus Electronics with offices in the United States, Singapore and India, pleaded guilty in Washington Thursday to a charge of shipping restricted weapons technology to the Indian government. He admitted exporting controlled microprocessors and electronic components to Indian state entities involved in developing ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles and fighter jets. In the second case, Minnesota company MTS Systems Corp. was fined 400,000 dollars after it pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with submitting false US export license applications over proposed shipments to India, the Justice Department said. The company admitted to two misdemeanor counts of ?false certification or writing? by omitting critical information linked to test equipment for nuclear-power plants. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)

This really pisses me off. This is not even front page news even though this is effectively a violation of the non-proliferation treaty by a US company. When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil. Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

Pakistan already did that, in case you forgot, you can also include North Korea and Libya on that list all thanks to your national hero.

Not to say that I condone this, the fine isn't enough, jailtime is warranted.

 

[ahurtt]

There's no such thing as a US company any more. Corporations don't hold any allegiance to any country. They just pick one to set up shop in wherever they feel they can make the most money.

Anyway, anti-big-corporation sentiment aside, I'm not so sure what you're so pissed off about. . .the parties involved are being punished. I'm not sure what more you can ask. Test equipment for nuclear power plants is hardly enriched uranium. . .

 

[Exterous]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

This really pisses me off. This is not even front page news even though this is effectively a violation of the non-proliferation treaty by a US company. When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil. Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

Which treaty do you refer to? The nuclear non-proliferation treaty? Because that says:

agree not to transfer "nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices" and "not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce" a non-nuclear weapon state (NNWS) to acquire nuclear weapons

It doesn't apply since India already has nuclear weapons but it WOULD apply to Iran. Or perhaps you were referring to another Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

Besides the fact that:

Washington and New Delhi had signed a pact in 2005 for export of US nuclear technology to India(yahoo news)

I am not aware of any 'treaty violation' that warrants your anger

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: Exterous

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

This really pisses me off. This is not even front page news even though this is effectively a violation of the non-proliferation treaty by a US company. When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil. Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

Which treaty do you refer to? The nuclear non-proliferation treaty? Because that says:

agree not to transfer "nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices" and "not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce" a non-nuclear weapon state (NNWS) to acquire nuclear weapons

It doesn't apply since India already has nuclear weapons but it WOULD apply to Iran. Or perhaps you were referring to another Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

Besides the fact that:

Washington and New Delhi had signed a pact in 2005 for export of US nuclear technology to India(yahoo news)

I am not aware of any 'treaty violation' that warrants your anger

Clearly you've missed the point where India, Pakistan and Israel are NOT part of the treaty and are not regarded as part of the group of nuclear weapons state as per the treaty.

Pakistan should sign a nuclear tech treaty with Iran and North Korea if there is an American deal to sell weapons. It's currently only meant for civilian purposes and it's too bad it's not worth getting in the wrong side of America by doing the same with Iran apart from the fact that we probably don't have the civilian tech that would benefit Iran anyways.

And it does violate the treaty except nobody's going to do anything about it because they are all hypocrites who use treaties and international organizations as tools against other weaker countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N...n-Proliferation_Treaty

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean
When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil.

OK, Mr. Sudarshan is evil. Happy now?

Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

Ever heard of an a$$hole named AQ Khan? Just curious...

1) Iran is on the list of known state sponsors of terror, and they're currently being monitored by every major power in the world for their UN security violations -- so the rules change dramatically.

2) The U.S. has no way of controlling every private company on its soil. In this case, the company was caught and punished for their role, and they'll be monitored much more closely in the future. Research Technology Protection and Export Control are VERY difficult to regulate 100% in a nation of our size, and in a nation with as much freedom as we have. The same freedoms that give each and every one of us our liberty also make us vulnerable to incidents such as the one described in the OP - but that is the price we must pay for having our wonderful freedoms, and I wouldnt want it any other way.

If this were to occur betwen Pakistan and ANY nation, I'd expect to see the companies involved punished accordingly, and then monitored closely in the future by the Pakistani government as well.

In order to continue living in free societies, we have to expect to see those freedoms abused from time to time. When they are, we should do everything in our power to punish the offenders accordingly, and revise our systems on a continuous basis in an effort to prevent more of the same type of violations in the future.

What would you have us do? hang them in the market square, or stone the CEO to death?

Originally posted by: The Green Bean
Pakistan should sign a nuclear tech treaty with Iran and North Korea if there is an American deal to sell weapons.

Please do. Then, once you've thrown your hat in with other declared state sponsors of terrorism, please come back here and let all of us know how well that works out for you in the long run...

Got sanctions?

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: ayabe

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

US firm, Indian CEO admit weapon, nuclear-linked export violations WASHINGTON, March 14 (AFP): A US company and the Indian head of an international firm have admitted to violating laws on export of weapons technology and nuclear power testing equipment to India, the US Justice Department said Thursday. Parthasarathy Sudarshan, the Indian CEO of Cirrus Electronics with offices in the United States, Singapore and India, pleaded guilty in Washington Thursday to a charge of shipping restricted weapons technology to the Indian government. He admitted exporting controlled microprocessors and electronic components to Indian state entities involved in developing ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles and fighter jets. In the second case, Minnesota company MTS Systems Corp. was fined 400,000 dollars after it pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with submitting false US export license applications over proposed shipments to India, the Justice Department said. The company admitted to two misdemeanor counts of ?false certification or writing? by omitting critical information linked to test equipment for nuclear-power plants. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)

This really pisses me off. This is not even front page news even though this is effectively a violation of the non-proliferation treaty by a US company. When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil. Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

Pakistan already did that, in case you forgot, you can also include North Korea and Libya on that list all thanks to your national hero.

Yep they sure did. Amazing how fast he forgets the exploits of AQ Khan.

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

There would be a new Pakistani parking lot.

 

[piasabird]

This should be considered a War Crime and punishable by hanging in the Federal Prison, or by Firing Squad. They hanged someone a while back, but I cant remember what it was for.

Maybe we need to bring back crucification since this is easter time.

 

[Exterous]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

Originally posted by: Exterous

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

This really pisses me off. This is not even front page news even though this is effectively a violation of the non-proliferation treaty by a US company. When someone else is suspected of any illegal weapons trade let alone related to anything nuclear he is automatically deemed evil. Perhaps America needs to first secure its own assets before pointing fingers at others. What would happen if a Pakistani firm started sharing "civilian nuclear secrets" and ballistic missile technology with Iran?

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/14/welcome.htm

Which treaty do you refer to? The nuclear non-proliferation treaty? Because that says:

agree not to transfer "nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices" and "not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce" a non-nuclear weapon state (NNWS) to acquire nuclear weapons

It doesn't apply since India already has nuclear weapons but it WOULD apply to Iran. Or perhaps you were referring to another Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

Besides the fact that:

Washington and New Delhi had signed a pact in 2005 for export of US nuclear technology to India(yahoo news)

I am not aware of any 'treaty violation' that warrants your anger

Clearly you've missed the point where India, Pakistan and Israel are NOT part of the treaty and are not regarded as part of the group of nuclear weapons state as per the treaty.

Pakistan should sign a nuclear tech treaty with Iran and North Korea if there is an American deal to sell weapons. It's currently only meant for civilian purposes and it's too bad it's not worth getting in the wrong side of America by doing the same with Iran apart from the fact that we probably don't have the civilian tech that would benefit Iran anyways.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N...n-Proliferation_Treaty

No I saw that. However, the treaty would still apply to the US IF India was a NNWS country - whether or not India signed the treaty. India IS NOT A NNWS country so there is no violation there

Are you talking about nuclear weapons sales? If so, I highly doubt the US will sell nuclear weapons to anyone, let alone India.

And it does violate the treaty except nobody's going to do anything about it because they are all hypocrites who use treaties and international organizations as tools against other weaker countries.

How so? The pillar of non-proliferation states that the US can't help a NNWS country to acquire nuclear weapons production technology. India already has this so that does not apply. The only controversy is that India wants to say when the plants can be visited to make sure the production is not being diverted to nuclear weapons production - however the HEAD of the IAEA has praised the deal as "it would also bring India closer as an important partner in the nonproliferation regime" so I don't give the controversy much creadance there either