India's claim to be a leader or at least an upstanding upholder of the nonproliferation system would be invalidated by looking the other way in the face of Iran's clear violations.

The U.S. gave everything India wanted and got little in return. They framed the deal as necessary to cement a strategic partnership with India, and then this partner turns around and sides with Iran. That's not very strategic.

It is hard to see anything meaningful emerging. The talks weren't a step forward or backwards. The administration overestimated their power and logic and underestimated the problems and they are panicking.

The strategic challenge the Bush administration faced was to convince the rest of the world that Iran is more dangerous than the United States.

[The Bush administration has had difficulty mustering support for the India deal.] The U.S. gave everything India wanted and got little in return, ... They framed the deal as necessary to cement a strategic partnership with India, and then this partner turns around and sides with Iran. That's not very strategic.

I don't understand how the Europeans can guarantee fuel supply if the U.S. isn't explicitly saying it won't impose sanctions on companies that cooperate with the Iranians,