Tag Archives: nuclear

Osama bin Laden’s death is a victory as well as vindication over the terror and pain that his actions had spawned over the years. Al Qaida has been dealt a significant blow. People of all walks of life, age and creed will remember this moment of justice rendered.

At the same time, finding that bin Laden had been hiding in the heartland of Pakistan and living in a fortified house within the vicinity of a prime Pakistani military academy raises serious questions. This comes after a long list of other security concerns that have befallen the country, including high-level assassinations, terrorist acts, and nuclear proliferation activities. It also revives uncertainties on the extent to which the government is in full and effective control the country. Such lingering concerns are neither good for Pakistan nor for the region. With the immense challenges and complexities facing Pakistan, its leadership and stability are both vitally important.

Pakistan’s support has been crucial in battling many of the threats mentioned above. In particular, Pakistan’s assistance is needed in the fight against nuclear terrorism. If Pakistan were to fail in this fight, it would be everyone’s failure as well. But the signs are troubling. Pakistan is on a nuclear upswing and has been building additional nuclear weapons by boosting its plutonium production capacities. It is in the process of commissioning a third plutonium production reactor, starting construction of a fourth reactor at Khushab, and is completing its reprocessing plant at Chashma. By the end of this decade, Pakistan is poised to have the world’s fourth largest nuclear arsenal. Continue reading >