Could Terrorists Attack Pakistan’s Nuclear Facilities? They Already Have
This is not confidence-building news. “No one has been able to ascertain the validity of Pakistan’s assurances about their nuclear weapons security, writes the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) on its website. FAS is the organization founded in 1945 by the Manhattan Project scientists who developed the world’s first atomic bomb and then regretted it.
If Pakistan’s nuclear bombs are safe because Pakistan says so, perhaps Hilary Clinton should add that to her pitch. In the meantime, the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point disagrees. In the July 2009 issue of CTC Sentinel, Professor Shaun Gregory writes that “the risk of the transfer of nuclear weapons, weapons components, or nuclear expertise to terrorists in Pakistan is genuine.”
Even more alarming, Gregory confirms that Pakistan’s nuclear facilities have already been attacked at least three times by terrorists in the last two years. These attacks include:
- A November 2007 attack on Pakistan’s nuclear missile facility at Sargodha.
- A December 2007 attack on Pakistan’s nuclear airbase at Kamra.
- An August 2008 attack at the Wah cantonment, “widely understood to be one of Pakistan’s main nuclear weapons assembly sites.”
Because Pakistan’s nuclear warheads can reach neighboring India, the Times of India reports extensively on Pakistan as a nuclear threat. In August the paper featured a news report and a television program on the West Point report. One of its reporters interviewed terrorism expert and CNN analyst Peter Bergen on the subject. “[Gregory] points out something that was news to me … which is that a series of attacks on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons facilities have already happened,” Bergen said.
How many nuclear weapons does Pakistan have? Reports vary. In 2002, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) put the number between 24-48 nuclear warheads. Carnegie puts the number around 55. Hans Kristensen of FAS said Pakistan could have as many as 90 nuclear warheads.
Bruce Riedel, who has been a senior advisor to three U.S. presidents (including Obama) on Middle East and South Asian issues, sums up the reality of the nuclear threat. Pakistan has “has more terrorists per square mile than anyplace else on Earth, and it has a nuclear weapons program that is growing faster than anyplace else on Earth,” Riedel says.
One wonders what gives Hillary Clinton so much confidence?
There’s no way out for Pakistan. They can’t control their own damned people without declaring martial law. It’s why Musharraf took over a decade ago. Failed State. It’s heading that way again. To whom can they turn for help? No one. China? India? Russia? U.S.? Oh, we could help, maybe, but their own people would reject the Great Shaitin. They are alone in the world.
They should just destroy their nukes, but that would be political suicide, because of their fear of India. One day, the nutjobs will get a nuke, and probably set it off in Islamabad.
This is the problem with Muslim nations. They have no friends and lots and lots of enemies. It’s funny how the only nation that will help a Muslim nation is America, the Great Shaitin.
#1, well stated. Pakistan is indeed a few footsteps away from being a failed state and the number of failed states will keep rising. The vast majority of them are Muslim. Throw nukes in the mix of hatred and more anarchy will follow.
I would expect Russia, China, India and the other interested but not hamstrung powers in the region have these sites targeted in the event one facility is over run.
Not the US of course we have Hillary to target those sites with.
I think Musharraf was a better bet then what is in control now.
This illustrates how foreign policy has been more about shooting oneself in the foot then anything else. PC is a mistake when it comes to international affairs. ESPECIALLy given that it is the marxist who push PC under the guise of fairness and equality.
Clinton is a buffoon just like Albright was. besides they just carry out the policies of the POTASS …POTUS
As soon as a nuclear attack of any type (including nuclear detonation, dirty bomb detonation, blackmail), is perpetrated by a Muslim or slamic agent of any sort against the USA, the following nations must be destroyed :
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Pakistan
North Korea
If these evil nations are not destroyed, their schemes to finance, distribute and proliferate nukes will never cease.
Good post.points Annie, and completly not being reporyted by our 4th estate. The attacks discussed by the West Point group were clearly aimed at intimidating the Paks/ISI, and past Pak appeasement deals suggest the threats will work. The Paks truly believe they can submit without being destroyed; Pak corruption is suicidal for them and a direct threat to all of us.
The problem is control, usually if you want a situation to work in your favor you flood it with capital, a certain ruling class of sheiks frequently extract from their wells to do just that. The odds are stacked against us, the players we want cost three times as much with a good chance they’ll throw the game anyway.
This is among the primary reasons I have been clamoring for America to revise its WMD doctrine…
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/americas-wmd-doctrine-would-it-deter-a-nuclear-911/