Posted on 08/10/2007 7:20:40 AM PDT by F15Eagle
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. military intelligence officials are urgently assessing how secure Pakistan's nuclear weapons would be in the event President Gen. Pervez Musharraf were replaced as the nation's leader, CNN has learned.
Key questions in the assessment include who would control Pakistan's nuclear weapons after a shift in power. The United States is pressuring Musharraf, who took control in a 1999 coup, not to declare a state of emergency as he faces growing political opposition.
Three U.S. sources have independently confirmed details of the intelligence review to CNN but would not allow their names to be used because of the sensitivity of the matter.
The sources include military officers and intelligence community analysts.
The assessment is part of a broader review of the military and security situation in Pakistan.
Officials say that Pakistan and its nuclear weapons are always a high intelligence priority for the United States.
The current review is a result of recent developments in that country, including the prospect that Musharraf could still declare a national emergency that would give him sweeping powers.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I’m sure we are constantly assessing these scenarios...but it is very wrong to be hearing about it, especially through CNN or the NYT.
Let’s face it, they’ll “report” it whether they’ve actually heard something about it or not. They’re just doing what they can to help terrorism thrive and flourish.
I have said on this forum many times, if Musharraf falls, we have to go in to Pakistan (covertly is best) and take out their nukes. The folks his government would fall to are the Taliban-like extremist who would love to get their hands on these weapons. We cannot permit this.
Musharraf needs to start transfering the nukes to US custody.
It’s rather common knowledge. Scenarios are gamed out all the time. Everybody knows about the SIOP (Single Integrated Operational Plan) which requires constant updating so that various scenarios have been thought through, as much as is reasonably possible.
ping for Cindy
More leaking, probably from the CIA. Maybe the CIA should just issue press credentials to all of its analysts. And the MSM could provide them health benefits and a pension plan, as with their other employees.
Notice the Rhetoric post B. Hussein Oblamas screwed up comments.... Civil war in Pakistan and a coup against Musharaff will be very bad news for us...
Thanks to idiot Obama.
That would certainly be nice. Of course Dr. Khan already let the cat out of the bag to the Saudis, Iran and North Korea. Assuming all he gave them was “knowledge”.
We grab them. Best way to control them.
Mushy has been dangerously perched on a coup, that’s for certain. I predicted they’d try to assassinate him years ago and the very visible public attempts started not long after that time. Roadside / buried bombs, etc.
And now we have this missile fired at his plane in the past 30 days. Even before the recent comments.
A very important place given all their madrassas pumping out jihadist-type mentality.
mushy’s issues well predate any comments made by Obama. Naive to think the trouble he is having today are the result of comments Obama made, what?, 10 days / 2 weeks ago.
How many assassination attempts has he survived?
Well obviously your not supporting that Obama’s comments helped the situation any right?
So in other words would you agree that Obama’s comments were being used to embolden enemies of Musharaf ...
or are you being hypnotized by the young junior Senator?
fyi
I recall Bill Gertz (groan) having discussed this question with someone on teevee during 2002 or early ‘03......he was saying that Musharraf and our military had made arrangements take care of this matter quickly should a situation arise....IIRC the arrangement was to sieze or destroy them, whichever would be required and prudent. FWIW, I’ve always seen Gertz as sort of a rightist version of S Hersh, as his revelations and predictions tend to go nowhere. Anyway, 5 years and the evolving sitrep from within Pakistan probably has greatly reduced the options to just sieze them :(
IMO we MUST somehow neutralize the “islamic bombs” and the missiles immediately if the balloon goes up any further that it is already. There is no grace period, real or imagined (as there is elsewhere such as Iran) with Pakistans nukes.....they’ve got them, they work, and they can deliver them.
I'd hope he wouldn't pay too much attention to U.S. "pressuring." Obviously, this is a critical and delicate situation with huge stakes for the U.S. as well as Pakistan and the whole region.
But this presumption that the U.S. has "the answer" is not well supported by experience. I'd just about as soon urge Musharraf to use his own best judgment and tell him that we hope we will be able to continue to work with Pakistan, however things play out.
Our heavy-handed "advice," IMO, is not worth a thimble-full of warm spit.
(If we are so freakin' smart, how come we thought we could knock down a statue of Saddam and then sit back and watch democracy flower in Iraq?)
Since the only true democracy near that area is in Israel, I wondered how anyone could believe it, quite honestly. Middle East fundamental islam and democracy don’t mix.
In Malaysia / Singapore it’s more benign, but those are a different people.
Yes it could get ugly quick. The only viable option is a sub strike from the Indian Ocean. And that kind of option won’t be used until after they initiate a launch that detonates somewhere.
The nukes can be transferred back to China where they would be perfectly safe. They may be there already.
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“And that kind of option won’t be used until after they initiate a launch that detonates somewhere.”
I’m hoping against the writing on the wall that this won’t be the case, but I fear that you are right.
I don’t see us ever making a first-strike in the nuke option these days because nobody will believe it’s proper.
World War II was something else. Now we’re in second-strike mode I think.
Nothing. If they want nuke war they will have it eventually. No one will be pleased.
LOL. Uh, yea that must be it.
I'd think the attack on the mosque, and the bombing of camps, his attempts with the judge, among other things have provided plenty of 'emboldening'. So in a word, no, I don't think that Obama's words (ill-advised though they may be) had any significant impact on how 'emboldened' his enemies are. They were before and after the comments, committed to the overthrow of Musharraf's western allied government, in order to install an Islamic state. The madrasses (sp?) are teaching the same thing before and after Obama's comments.
But if you have something demonstrable to suggest otherwise, present it. Eating my own words has, over the years, become nearly second nature.
Would it be possible to use JDAM’s and obliterate the weapons themselves?
anonymous source = no source
LOL... OK I am overly observant... My comments specifically were to point out how dangerous the Democrats are in their assesment of how to fight the GWOT.... In other words.. Musharaf in his precarious position as the Pakistani President under threat from rebels in his own country rebels some loyal to UBL who are using the rally of jihad against the west to recruit and fund them, those terrorists could use Rhetoric like that of the ignorant Junior Senator to begin a rallying cry to launch a coup...
I also believe that the Rhetoric of the Democrats with their quagmire and defeatism politics launched only months after our initial launch of OIF is a major factor in why our efforts in Iraq have met with so much resistance...
Freedom of Speech and talking of alternative approaches by our military should only be allowed if it supports a positive outcome and victory. Anyone petitioning for defeat in the name of their political ambitions is guitly of treason.
It would not suprise me if the process has already has started( the USA securing the nukes ) considering the unstable situation going on in Paki. Everyday that Mr. Musaraff has is bought TIME.
As bizarre as this might sound, a Dutch lady has her finger on the trigger in Pakistan at the moment
A Dutch lady? Please explain.
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