Then, as now, the narrow interests of opposition parties dovetailed into the larger ideological conflict. That rendered the final outcome unpredictable. Then it was USSR against USA. Now it is powerful infighting lobbies both within China and the US slugging it out. President Hu JIntao has indicated China's support for India's nuclear energy aspirations. But political forces committed to China within India are working overtime to scuttle the deal. Is this with President Hu's tacit approval? Or does President Hu not speak for all opinions within the Chinese government? In the US the influential New York Times, voice of America's powerful east coast establishment, has editorially expressed serious reservations about the deal. Meanwhile the Bush administration desperately attempts to clinch it.