Posted on 07/23/2006 11:41:56 PM PDT by neverdem
Plant Underway Could Generate Plutonium for 40 to 50 Bombs a Year, Analysts Say
Pakistan has begun building what independent analysts say is a powerful new reactor for producing plutonium, a move that, if verified, would signal a major expansion of the country's nuclear weapons capabilities and a potential new escalation in the region's arms race.
Satellite photos of Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site show what appears to be a partially completed heavy-water reactor capable of producing enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistan's current capabilities, according to a technical assessment by Washington-based nuclear experts.
The construction site is adjacent to Pakistan's only plutonium production reactor, a modest, 50-megawatt unit that began operating in 1998. By contrast, the dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more, according to the analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security. Pakistan is believed to have 30 to 50 uranium warheads, which tend to be heavier and more difficult than plutonium warheads to mount on missiles.
"South Asia may be heading for a nuclear arms race that could lead to arsenals growing into the hundreds of nuclear weapons, or at minimum, vastly expanded stockpiles of military fissile material," the institute's David Albright and Paul Brannan concluded in the technical assessment, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post.
The assessment's key judgments were endorsed by two other independent nuclear experts who reviewed the commercially available satellite images, provided by Digital Globe, and supporting data. In Pakistan, officials would not confirm or deny the report, but a senior Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that a nuclear expansion was underway.
"Pakistan's nuclear program has matured. We're now consolidating the program with further expansions," the official said. The expanded...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
You guys would kill over whether or not something was called "dhoti" and "kurta" or "shalwar", "pajama" and "kamiz".
Did I forget to put my -/sarcasm mark in my tagline?
More likely for export after they put a "Made in Pakistan" sticker on it.
According to the CIA Fact Book, Pakistan's GDP per capita (PPP basis) is $2,400 and India's is $3,300 which strikes me as correct from having visited both countries. Hait's is around $1,700.
You need to adjust your estimate for India's relative wealth by a factor of 6 times and of course they are 6-7 times larger than Pakistan.
Well, throw him in jail and hasten the process.
Suffice it to say these guys are all rag pickers (except for the Swiss).
Our ALLIES and Friends???
Dont Fn think so.
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posioned by RAW or Mossad or CIA??
People I know suspect the Pakistan's Intelligence - he is not even allowed to see his family now.
ISI?? You sure? Mush sure knows how to cover his tracks...
Doesn't his daughter in London have the inside news on what when down between Khan and others involoved, including Mush ol'boy?
His daughter has no information, she was not really that close to his dealings here - she is now though prohibitated from seeing him as are any family members.
This simple fact alone should leave the West wondering what Pakistan is trying to hide.
Khan does hold the key to Iran's nuclear program, but that being said, there are others in his organization that hold pieces as well - pieces that when combined make the whole.
BTW, you should learn to never let Indian nationalistic ambitions (keep Pakistan down for example) get in the way of your own good sense (e.g. improve life for poor people everywhere).
No need to go further.
just as well we can always find a source that says 9/11 was orchestrated by US Govt.! So, it doesnt mean all sources are right. Maybe its time you learn about realities of today's world rather than fart from your la-la fantasy land. We all know Pak is going to use this plutonium for their 'Islamic Bomb'!
Pakistan is not much of a modern society and isnt much of a big time energy consumer. They wont have offered to sell us electrcity if they hadn't had surplus power.
"BTW, you should learn to never let Indian nationalistic ambitions (keep Pakistan down for example) get in the way of your own good sense (e.g. improve life for poor people everywhere)."
What a meaningless comment. No nation can rise to greatness without nationalistic ambitions. The catch is to channelize it in the right direction (as we are well doing now). And we will improve our lot regardless of the Paki scums comming in our way every now and then.
BTW India is already a regular participant in the G8-summit. Ever imagined Haiti, Pakistan or even Switzerland part of that group? We are the second fastest rising economy. This where we stand today.
Apparantly you haven't thought through this "nuclear exchange between Pakistan and India" business. The trick is if you fire and they don't you die anyway due to fallout. The other trick is if they fire and you don't, you die, and so do they.
The best use of nukes is against people half a world away ~ not the guys next door.
That's why we are busy at work on all sorts of "exotic weapons" these days ~ so we can use them on Canadians /sarcsm.
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