Musharraf assumes nuclear control

Musharraf assumes nuclear control

news.bbc.co.uk

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has put the country's nuclear weapons under the control of the president, rather than the prime minister.
The president issued an ordinance - which has to be ratified by parliament some time over the next six months - which formalised his control on Friday.

His move comes amid concern abroad that the nuclear arsenal could fall into the hands of Islamist extremists.

The military says that its nuclear weapons security is "foolproof".

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
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I don't know exactly what this will mean in the real of Pakistan politics. What really caught my attention with this report was when it said, "nuclear arsenal could fall into the hands of Islamist extremists."
To me that shows it is not just the western countries that don't want to see that happen.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

While I am no fan of Musharraf I do think that at this stage this is a good thing because should the problem of Islamic extremism or get worse or the coalition finally take military action in Pakistan the control of the country's nukes are or will become crucial . Of course the nukes have to be kept in secure locations where they cant be obtained by the enemy.

Should Musharraf turn out to be another Saddam in order to stay in power which IMO is quiet possible then it wont be so good that he has control of his country nukes.

Well that is my 10 cents anyway.

reply to post by xpert11


Thanks for posting.
Your thoughts are well received. It is just the possibility that they could fall into extremist hands is what is worrying.
As I see it.

A suicide bomber on a bicycle killed five people as he blew himself up outside an army base checkpoint in north-west Pakistan.
Two soldiers and three civilians died, in addition to the bomber.

The attack, which left six injured, happened at the gates of an army services centre in Nowshehra, 120km (75 miles) north-west of Islamabad.

The blast comes hours before President Pervez Musharraf is due to lift the state of the emergency in the country.
bbc

I just came across this, it might be relevent.

reply to post by RedGolem


You know.. this is a very difficult moment for many in Pakistan and most around the world.

Although its specifically difficult and confusing for those in India.
While I was growing up during the 90s as a kid, the news channels would be flooded with incidents involving Pakistani militant attacks on Indian symbols of authority in Kashmir.

Initially the targets were troop bunkers, police stations etc.. one would presume a noble selection of targets for a separatist/freedom movement.

But then the targets slowly changed.. from troop bunkers it went to military hospitals, from police stations to legislative,judicial and executive establishments.
news.bbc.co.uk...

Finally it degraded to even 'softer' targets: Housing Complexes for the families of the army and the police. Members of elected government etc:
news.bbc.co.uk...
news.bbc.co.uk...

and then it leaked out of Kashmir, Indians got a bloody first hand perspective of what was happening in Kahsmir:

Hijacking of an airline: news.bbc.co.uk...
Parliment attack: news.bbc.co.uk...
Bomb
Bomb Blasts:
news.bbc.co.uk...

These guys just would not give up. They kept getting arms, ammunition and training from none other than the Pakistani Military and Secret Services.

*Note: Chronological order of actual news link events may no be in synch with quoted sequence, but the quoted sequence is intended to show the gradual increase and continued attacks by these militants at a variety of targets in India.

Today, a terrorist bombs a Pakistani military outpost. The Pak Army is involved in difficult battles(Swat, Waziristan,Baluchistan etc) with militants, many of which the army seems to be actually losing.

We do not rejoice about this in India. But the pet projects that the Pak military has nurtured for the last two decades are finally maturing into entities that are biting the very hand they ate from.
Sometimes I cannot help but think that they(the Pak Establishment) deserve it just a wee bit...sigh..
The whole thing is coming full circle it seems.

And as for Musharraf assuming control of nukes, well its just another blatant violation of the law. He just wants to keep control. If he had any regard and respect for the law, then he would have left control with the army and his successor.
All this crap about 'preventing it from falling into terrorist hands' is just that..crap and a lame covver story..
Musharraf brainstormed, designed and oversaw militant operations in neighbouring countries for over a decade.
He's just another kind of terrorist. That country is doomed.

I truely feel sorry for the honest, moderate/secular/tolerant, law-abiding and partiotic Pakistani. His/her country is in ruins.

reply to post by Daedalus3


Daedalus
Thanks a lot for your thoughts. Great post.
If it means anything I hope some people in Packston can read what you wrote.

I am extremely concerned about the global nuclear threat that is developing as a result of the rapidly increasing instability in Pakistan . I started a thread on the topic a week of two ago.

Please visit Nuclear Terror Imminent???

reply to post by RedGolem


The fact that Musharraf has to assume control of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal from another branch of government is enough to put the Doomsday Clock at two before Midnight.

From what I can see, the Taliban own Pakistan. If the Pakistani government is overthrown (which I believe will happen eventually,) all laws mean nothing. There will be nothing to prevent the military, or some other group from taking the arsenal by force.

I mean, honestly, isn't it the military that in the end enforces the law of the land? If the military turns against the government, Musharraf would have no power whatsoever.

They don't really talk about this in the news much anymore, but we live in very dangerous times. This issue should still be a front-page news story.

The development that has to do with Pakistan is starting to scare me. I for one have always thought of the Pakistans as terrorists. It surprises me to see that they are afraid of what would happen if their nuclear weapon fell into the hands of one. I am more worried if Al-quaeda topples Pakistan, then, the government would have no resistance against them, as there would be no resistance. An announcement like this shouldn't have been made and the President should have kept secret.

reply to post by Maverickhunter


Maveric
I sure do agree with you also. It sounds to me like Pakistan could fall to a terror group, or a group who is sympathetic to them. I really do hope that will not happen. I do not know what the best coarse of action would be for the government as I am not familiar with the politics in the country.