Watchdog pledges ‘demanding’ oversight of nuclear sub deal

Watchdog pledges ‘demanding’ oversight of nuclear sub dealWASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the global nuclear regulatory agency pledged Wednesday to be “very demanding” in overseeing the United States' planned transfer of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, amid complaints that the U.S. move could clear the way for bad actors to escape nuclear oversight in the future. It would be the first transfer by a nuclear-weapon state of nuclear-powered submarines to a non-nuclear state. Nuclear-powered submarines move more quietly and for longer than conventionally powered ones. Critics express concern that bad actors could use the loophole as cover, pointing to the U.S.-Australia deal as precedent, to divert nuclear material into a weapons program. “So the process starts now.”The architects of nuclear nonproliferation accords left open a loophole for use of nuclear material for some non-explosive military purposes, with nuclear naval propulsion in mind.