Pak has 25-50 nuclear weapons: Report

The Times of India ^ | July 27 | Staff

[PghBaldy]

NEW YORK: Pakistan currently has between 25 and 50 nuclear weapons, mostly relatively simple uranium arms with "modest" yields around the size of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a journal claimed on Thursday.

The Nature magazine's claim followed media reports that satellite photos of Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site have shown what appears to be a partially completed heavy-water reactor capable of a 20-fold increase from its current nuclear capabilities.

[SusaninOhio]

I won't be surprised if one of these days the Palies and the rest of the ME crazies will blow each other to smithereens.

I'm glad I saw the Holy Land a long time ago when life was a bit simpler - I never want to leave the US again.

[jw777]

Thanks to AQ Khan, I'm sure they aren't the only Muslim country with nukes.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

From The Global Beat, February 2004:

PAKISTAN'S BOMB
The televised public confession by Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, may signal the end to nearly a decade of Pakistan's dissemination of nuclear secrets to potential rogue states. A memorandum by David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security notes that Pakistan was ready to sell Saddam Hussein plans for a nuclear weapon before the outbreak of Desert Storm in 1991. Pakistan allegedly also considered selling nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. While it is hard to imagine Khan selling secrets without the knowledge of Pakistan's pervasive intelligence apparatus, the U.S. faces a dilemma: if it comes down too forcefully on President Musharraf or Khan, Islamic extremists will be strengthened. If Musharraf is killed or overthrown, Pakistan's knowledge of how to make the bomb will be available to any group who holds a grudge against Washington.
•ISIS memorandum on Pakistan's nuclear operations
•Photocopy of an alleged intelligence document implicating Khan
•Were Malaysian factories producing "dual-use" equipment for Libya's nuclear program?

[technomage]

We must face the inevitable:

Eventually a nuclear weapon(s) is going to be used again. Let us only hope that it is not on our soil.

[TexasCajun]

Didn't India & Pakistan officially join the nuclear club during Slick's know-nothing, do-nothing administration?

[camas]

how about that broad (O'Leary???) that declassified all Q docs that told how to build a bomb. this was one of clintons first acts.

[RightWhale]

Some are sure to be used because they were built with belligerent intent. If they had a purpose such as balancing a specific enemy stockpile they might never be used, but when the enemy is diffuse and balance is not possible some will be used. The danger is that the big stockpiles might be drawn in even though no one wants that.

[PghBaldy]

Yes. 1998, although India had "peaceful" nukes in 1974 or so.

[PghBaldy]

Hazel. Here's a liberal link which downplays it http://www.brook.edu/views/op-ed/schwartz/19960924.HTM
Here's a conservative link in which David Horowitz describes her and her views http://www.salon.com/news/col/horo/1999/06/07/scott/index1.html
Here's another conservative view on her racism, sexism & security recklessness
http://www.opinionet.com/article.php?id=2364 The last link is important for anyone thinking of not voting Rep this year, or 2008.

[redgolum]

Musharaff has at best partial control of Pakistan, and they have 30 nukes laying around.

Remember also, the first bomb was called "The Islam Bomb".

[jw777]

didn't hear about that, but, it is not surprising considering LORAL and the Chinese, DPRK and i'm sure whatever Sandy Bergler stole had something interesting in it.

[Quix]

Of course, the world should know, these lil ol nukes are merely to be used warming the heroine/poppy processing huts up high in the mountains.

Nothing to fear.

Walk on by.

/sar

[camas]

see post 10 above

[StormEye]

"Didn't India & Pakistan officially join the nuclear club during Slick's know-nothing, do-nothing administration?"

No. They were nuclear armed long before he came along.
I'm quite sure of the exact time, but they've been nuke armed since Nixon was president.

[GOPJ]

Pakistan's a flash point. All sides are told what they want to hear -- Pakistan gives a little here, takes some there - it works - for now. Pakistan has the nukes, North Korea, the delivery system. Iran's doing strategy... Will China go with us? Russia's still a swing. That's my take. Anyone?

[StormEye]

Should be "not quite sure." Excuse my typing please.

[backhoe]

An old post of mine- lots of background info:

The India-Pakistani Conflict... some background information-
various links | 5-25-02 | backhoe
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/689502/posts

[Cementjungle]

All this makes me real glad I don't live in a big city any more. It's just a matter of time I'm afraid.

[jw777]

I think you are right on. I don't think any of the countries are with us in a true sense. I think there is an effort by all of those countries, together, to bring us to our knees and then they will end up fighting it out, if we don't turn them to glass, first.