NEW YORK TIMES- Asia Pacific.
"Pakistan rapidly Adding Nuclear Arms " US.
During confidential briefings to the Senate,Mike Mullen ,Chairman of Joint
Chiefs of Staff confirmed the assessment of increase in Pakistan's
nuclear arsenal
, avoiding discussion about its strategy or security. While Washington focuses to contain the security of arsenal
of 80 to 100 from falling to Islamic insurgents, Pakistan's drive
for heavy spending on nuclear arms causes concern .
As Pakistan is producing an unknown amount of new bomb grade plutonium for new range of weapons,this further complicates their anxiety.
Although
President Obama had called for a treaty preventing nations from
producing more fissile material, nothing is said about Pakistan's
activities.
According to Bruce Riedel. co- author of Obama's review of Afghanistan=Pakistan policy :
"Pakistan
has more terrorists per Square mile than any place of earth and has a
nuclear programme growing faster than any place on earth "
Obama's
Admin officials informed the Congress that their intent has been
conveyed to Pakistan to ensure the military aid was directed towards
counter terrorism and should not be diverted.. However, public
confirmation about increase in arsenal certainly aggravates Congress
discomfort.,but it is not clear whether this will result in delay or
reduction in aid to Pakistan. . Based on briefings about the further
descent of Pakistan into further chaos Congress has considered to
spend $ 3 billion over next 5 years for training and equipment of
counter insurgency warfare which will be on top of $7.5 billion in
civil
assistance and none were for nuclear program.
The America's
aid to Pakistan nuclear infrastructure has been limited to $100 Million
classified program to help Pakistan secure its weapons from seizure by
Al Qaeda,the
Taliban with insurgent loyalties. But the billions now offered could
free other money for Pakistan's nuclear infrastructure, when Pakistani
officials consider that they are facing budget crunch worsened by
global economic downturn..
Despite their program involving tens
of thousands of Pakistanis including about 2000 possessing critical
knowledge to produce weapons, as per
David Albright
monitoring Pakistan's efforts to buy materials in black market and
analysing satellite photos of 2 new Plutonium reactors within 100 miles
from the area where they are fighting Taliban,Bush admin had turned a
blind eye how this goes on.
The buildup presents to Obama a
potential conflict in diplomacy between two national security
priorities . One is to passage of global agreement to stop production
of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. Pakistan along with India
and Israel have never agreed to this nor have they signed Non
Proliferation treaty.
The other is a huge infusion of financial
assistance into Afghanistan and Pakistan considered crucial help to
stabilise governments with tenuous holds on power in the face of
terrorists or insurgent violence.
Senior Congress members were
insisting Pakistan should assure that the American military assistance
would not be siphoned for more conventional military programs against
India and the accelerated expansion of its nuclear program added
further concern to Congress. SENATOR JIM WEBB specifically
questioned ADMIRAL MULLEN about the reported Pakistan's increases
in its nuclear program and hinting this may be actually adding on
weapons to weapon systems and Warheads.On Mr Mullen's confirmation
he questioned whether we can have any built in guarantee that American
military assistance to Pakistan would be focused on battling insurgency
alone which view was shared by Senator Carl Levan also. He added that unless Pakistan leaders commit, both in deeds and wordsm
that their armed forces and security personnel would fight in
eliminating threat from extremists and until they do so , no
assistance will be effective,.
Pakistan official, merely said
that " it was maintaining the minimum credible deterrence
capability"and warned in linking American financial assistance to
their actions on weapons program.and added their country's nuclear
program is classified.