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What About the Nukes?
Third, potential disaffection in the army increases the odds that mini-Khans might emerge. According to Musharraf, after 9/11 the United States gave Pakistan a choice between signing up as an American ally in the war on terror or "being bombed back into the stone age." He chose alliance. Since joining the U.S. war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Pakistan has received about a billion dollars a year of mostly military assistance. With mounting setbacks, including the reconstitution of Al Qaeda headquarters and training camps in the country's borders with Afghanistan, frustration over fighting "America's war" is mounting among Pakistan's national security establishment. And as the United States and others press the cause of democracy in ways that diminish the traditional role of the army, Pakistani officers' ambivalence about the United States may increase. An International Republican Institute poll earlier this month found that one out of two Pakistanis believe the army should have no role in civilian government. Bhutto's assassination may further erode the prestige and credibility of the army and security services.
Finally, the larger society has a decidedly negative view of the United States. In a 2007 Pew poll, two out of three Pakistanis named the United States as the greatest threat to their country.
From this cauldron of combustibles there is no ready exit. It would be a grave mistake, however, to take comfort from the serene assurances of officials in governments, here and there, about everything being under reasonable control.
Graham Allison is the director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served as assistant secretary of defense in the first Clinton administration and is the author of "Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe."
© 2007
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Member Comments
Posted By: Ghostrider @ 02/01/2008 6:00:41 AM
Comment: WHAT ABOUT THE NUKES ... in the US of A ?
Are the Nukes in the US safe ? after all this is a country .. so over ridden with guns that even skool kids regularly take guns to school and shoot each other with them. This so called civilised nation actually promotes the right to bare arms and has ... thousands upon thousands of rouge groups part taking in military type training, armed with the most sophisticated of military hardware. This is also the nation that bred the likes of Timothy MacVae ..... Heres a novel idea ... instead of u Americans worrying about everyone elses problems .. firstly get your own house in order. Instead of preaching to the likes of Iran about Nuclear weapons ... do something about your own weapons ... and instead of trying to eradicate terror in the world ... try n stop your own young thugs from shooting each other in skool.
Posted By: thebignag @ 01/10/2008 5:44:16 AM
Comment: As a Pakisthani you pride in your nukes are justified. But, remember, the fire in pakistan today was lit by Pakistan itself. It's easy to blame the West for using Pakistan during the cold war. But, you must not forget that Pakistan was a willing partner... The so called FATHER OF Paki nuke was caught peddling the same to all and sundry... SURE the world will take Pakistan's word that the Nukes are secure...
Posted By: fahadashraf @ 01/04/2008 4:02:01 PM
Comment: Well, Pakistan's nukes are not stones scattered on the roads that anyone can steal and use them. Pakistan has a strong and Fool-Proof Nuclear Command and Control system better than any western country like USA or UK etc. etc. These are all imaginary and childish fanatasies created by the West about Pakistani Nuclear Programe. But there are some other extremely serious issues because of which Pakistan is suffering, i.e. "The Useless War Against Terror" . This wasn't our war at all because 9/11 was being conducted under the supervision of USA to attack and invade Muslim countries' resources. So it is in the Pakistan's best interests to withdraw from this war.