Pakistan's Nuclear Surge
A nuclear surge is the last thing anyone wants to hear about right now. Especially coming from a country in the Middle East. Especially a country like Pakistan. So, for all those in favor of “bombing the hell” out of them, it’s time to take a chill pill and shut up.
Pakistan is making powerful leaps in its nuclear-weapons program, according to Newsweek. Construction on a nuclear site near Khushab, roughly 140 miles south of Islamabad, has accelerated. Once this fourth reactor is operational, analysts say Pakistan can greatly increase plutonium production.
Khushab Reactor What up, Google Earth?
In their defense, Pakistani officials claim this buildup is only a response to a nearby threat: India, a country pushing $50 billion over the next five years into its military. That's a 11.6 percent increase from last year, but, according to sources, most of the money will be going toward its fighter jet contract.
Honestly, Pakistan is going to have to come up with something better than that to validate themselves. It's highly unlikely India will invade. Nothing is really happening in the Kashmir valley, at least not concerning India's air force. Pakistan's increase in nuclear production is unnecessary. This is something the entire planet has to deal with, making it a potentially dangerous situation.
Very dangerous, because apparently Pakistan is also stockpiling fissile material, a.k.a. bomb fuel. With Islamabad able to mine uranium in its own territory, the potential for production is significant.
A U.S. congressional official told reporters that intelligence estimates suggest Pakistan has already developed enough fuel to produce more than 100 warheads and develop between eight and 20 weapons per year, making it the fastest growing program in the world.
And what is everyone else doing about it?
Absolutely nothing.
Why?
Because Pakistan’s cooperation in Afghanistan was a big deal and besides, we can’t just barge in there and say, “Stop it, you nuclear party animals!”
Partyin' eight days a week. Image: criticalalppp.com
Regardless, an impressive nuclear arsenal has weight behind it when you’re talking international politics. It also gets them continued economic aid from the U.S. and Europe, because, you know, we’re not trillions of dollars in debt already.
The biggest issue surrounding this development is the worst possible scenario, and that involves those good ol’ terrorists we all know and love. It’s not difficult to imagine what could happen if any terrorist organization was able to get a hold of some nukes. And, with an increase in development inside a country that’s home to jihadi groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and other major terrorist leaders like, oh, Osama bin Laden, world leaders are looking at each other saying: “Oh, crap.”
With more explitives to follow. Image: ndep.nv.gov
Pakistani leaders are saying that the jihadist scenario is something the West created as an excuse so that it can “defang” the country in its attempt to rise to India’s level of military capability.
Pffft. More like surpassing it beyond belief.
What do you think of this diplomatic dilemma?
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It worries me that Pakistan is buidling its nuclear arsenal but it also worries me that the UK, USA, France etc all have these weapons also.
Right now, they're just tools for international politics. At least, they are for the Western countries like the ones you mentioned. France and the U.S. have actually decreased their nuclear arsenal this year, though I'm not too sure about the U.K. It's unnecessary to have so many warheads at your disposal when one or two can effectively get the job done.
Right now, they're just tools for international politics. At least, they are for the Western countries like the ones you mentioned. France and the U.S. have actually decreased their nuclear arsenal this year, though I'm not too sure about the U.K. It's unnecessary to have so many warheads at your disposal when one or two can effectively get the job done.
Pakistan is extremely fragile, including its government. More nuclear weapons just increase the risk of a nuclear catastrophe. While the government probably has no control, at least at this point the Pakistani military still has control, the question is for how long.
Pakistan is actually pretty stable compared to what many think. The government/ military are closely linked together. You're correct, though, with the increase of a nuclear catastrophe coming from this massive increase in weapons. Pakistan says security around these nuclear plants is impressive... but this is coming from Pakistan, whose military can't boast much outside of hiding terrorists and kicking ass in the Kashmir valley.
My students asked me today in all seriousness "Why don't we use nukes?". I asked them if they had played "Fallout" -- all of them had, and I said "That's why". Then, in true 'me' fashion, I launched in to a more serious reasoning talk about causualties, enviromental issues, civilian versus military targets, and so on until I got a few "Ok, Dana, we get it"s. Young people (including myself, I guess --I'm 27) have only seen the devastation of nukes in video games, movies, and photos.
I recently showed my students a film off of Amazon Instant Video that chronicled the recent earthquake in Japan through the eyes of people recording it as it happened. I have never seen my kids so rapt with "oh wow, I had no idea" sort of sentiment. If we should ever see a bombing like Hiroshima and Nagasaki again, I take some comfort in the fact that it will probably be well documnted making it harder for the youth to misinterpret or ignore its realities.
I agree. As much as I don't want to see it happen, if it does, people will know the horrible effects. I remember listening to stories and watching documentaries about Hiroshima and Nagasaki when I was younger. With all the advanced film technology we have now, I can only begin to imagine a modern documentary about a nuke.
Good luck teaching!
As well as Iran is a danger in the Middle East and the World Trade investment
The real problem for Pakistan is the fact that the army is a seperate entity in some ways, from the ruling political party, and one hand does not know what the other hand is doing. It is the military in Pakistan that has an agenda that is closer to Al Quida's and the Taliban than that of the ruling government and they are only getting stronger. It is the reason Bin Laden was able to "hide" for so long. The government didn't know about him, but surely the military did.
You're correct that the government and military are separate. Both sides are unaware of each other in certain aspects. Government officials, however, are just as much a part of Al Qaeda as the military is. There were very few select individuals witinh Pakistan's government that knew of Bin Laden's existence in Abottabad, which is part of the reason why the U.S. was able to get to him in the first place. Granted, the military has more of a hand in Al Qaeda than the government, that doesn't completely discount higher government officials holding some sort of power within Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorist networks.
Thanks so much for the input!
When military men in khakis rule supreme in a huge state like Pakistan, a weapons build up is all you can expect. With one of the lowest literacy rates, GDP growth & the highest inflation in the region, we surely can't afford such adventures, but you think you can talk sense into a general?
India has a larger army, numerical & economic superiority over Pakistan and remains the greatest perceived threat by the Pakistan army due to both justified and unjustified reasons. So the only easy way to couter that perceived threat is what they have resorted to. Nuclear weapons are a threat to mankind no matter who holds them. Thankfully the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan is very secure and plus it helps make the US and India realize that getting rid of Pakistan won't be an easy job with desired consequences. Therefore its a win win situation for the Pakistani military establishment.