Is Pakistan exporting nuclear technology?

Fact and Opinions --- Stan’s Packin’

By Jeff Schmidtke

"The Associated Press has reported that, “U.N. investigators are increasingly certain Pakistan government leaders knew the country's top atomic scientist [Abdul Qadeer Khan] was supplying other nations with nuclear technology and designs, particularly North Korea, Libya, and Iran” (Jahn, 2004)." 

Facts.

How much do we know about Pakistan? And who really cares? Well, why would the United States invade a country for the possession of Weapon’s of Mass Destruction (WMD) that were never found, yet allow the state of Pakistan to distribute nuclear technology to Libya, North Korea, and Iran? The Associated Press has reported that, “U.N. investigators are increasingly certain Pakistan government leaders knew the country's top atomic scientist [Abdul Qadeer Khan] was supplying other nations with nuclear technology and designs, particularly North Korea, Libya, and Iran” (Jahn, 2004).

So are Kobe, Scott, and Martha more important an issue to cover? Yes!

Pakistan, alternatively known as ‘the land of the pure’, and once part of British-India became an independent state in August of 1947. The proposal for a Muslim state in India was first enunciated in 1930 by the poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal, who suggested that the four northwestern provinces (Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and the North-West Frontier Province) should be joined in such a state (Quarishi, 1998). After the British parliament decided to transfer power to a single Indian Administration in 1946, the decision to split India into three separate states was made shortly after. British-India would now become India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

As decades passed, and as much of Britain’s aid reached central India, Pakistan began looking toward more world recognition under the western method. With tensions at a constant high concerning the disputed Kashmir border, defense was the priority. Pakistan was keen to understand the power of going nuclear. And after witnessing the nuclear buildup of India’s arms, Pakistan was quick to reply. On May 28th, 1998 Pakistan completed 5 successful nuclear tests in the province of Baluchistan. Widely criticized by the international community, Pakistan maintains that its nuclear program is for self-defense, as deterrence against nuclear India (Story of Pakistan, 1998).

Today, and in an ongoing probe by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), investigators told the Associated Press they expect to complete the query by June, eight months after U.S. officials confronted the Pakistani government with suspicions about Khan, setting into motion events that led the father of Pakistan’s nuclear program to confess last month.

“The Pakistani government has never and will never proliferate," President Musharraf told a meeting of world leaders in January in Switzerland, pledging to prosecute all "anti-state" elements found culpable (Jahn, 2004). President Musharraf and other Pakistan officials have gone on making similar statements since this meeting, and in the past this same figure of speech has been used many times. How can Pakistan and the world in general, which requires punishment by law, pardon Professor Khan after mounting evidence and a confession of proliferating nuclear sales to Iran and North Korea (2 of 3 states within the axis of evil)? The Washington Post writes that Musharraf pardoned Khan in speculation that the scientist would keep quiet on any governmental involvement in exchange for any punishment (2004).

One could possibly say, “Oh, well, Pakistan’s government didn’t know that expensive and high-tech uranium enrichment centrifuge components, which required Pakistani air cargo planes, were being transported to Libya, North Korea, and Iran.” The fact is that more and more reports are ‘barely’ surfacing, which proclaim Pakistan’s direct involvement.

Norm Dixon of Z Magazine writes that Khan had tens of millions of dollars at his fingertips to pay the players in the conspiracy, and could simply pick up a phone and order Pakistani air cargo planes to transport nuclear parts to North Korea, and return with missile parts (2004). Dixon continues to point out that all of this somehow continued, between at least 1989 and 2003, under the noses of Pakistan’s powerful military and intelligence services without them noticing. According to the February 3 Washington Post, Khan’s laboratory was guarded by “two army brigadiers and a detachment from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency” (2004). The March 4 Washington Post writes, “Many doubt the official version that Khan was acting alone, saying it would have been difficult for his actions to have gone unnoticed by Pakistan's military establishment” (2004).

What are the big players in all of this thinking? Who’s making a fuss? Jack Straw, Britain’s Secretary of Defense, doesn’t seem to mind and is quoted saying, "What's important is that we learn the lessons from what has happened and take action to ensure that there isn't such similar proliferation in the future." Straw continues, "What happens to those involved is a matter for the Pakistani authorities and not for us (Pennington, 2004)" Note, Britain is the largest foreign investor in Pakistan, a country of 150 million people, and its fourth largest trading partner (Pennington, 2004).

Colin Powell is quoted saying in the February 26th Post, "I think (Musharraf) took a bold step, the right step to uncover it all and not hide from the reality of what Khan had done." Powell continued, "And it's important to note that the amnesty he was given is a conditional one, meaning he has to meet conditions of the amnesty, which means full and open disclosure, and we're learning a lot from that.” Other U.S. officials have also backed Straws stance and said the pardon is an internal Pakistani matter.

So we’ve got a Pakistani scientist (with likely Pakistani knowledge) selling nuclear technology, proliferating it to enemy states of America, receiving no punishment, and acquiring no real coverage or concern in the American media. We’ve received comments that both Jack Straw and Colin Powell don’t seem bothered. We’ve found strong evidence that Musharraf is a liar, and that his business and military ethics are 2-faced.

Ok, let’s recap… Pakistan is selling our enemies components to make WMD’s, and we don’t care. Let’s compare. Iraq, with no army and no nuclear weapons or other imminent threatening WMDs is invaded on the pretense of these weapons, its pronounced sale of these weapons, and their falsely reported link to al-Qaeda. Pakistan’s known behavior… and nothing.

And Opinions.

Considering our loyal relationship to Britain for its loyal relationship to us, we are too busy shaking deals to care. Given that a large surplus of aid comes from America to Pakistan, then back in to England from trade with Pakistan, to then largely be used in the US markets… we are stuck. Basically, the United States has made the decision to take its chances with smaller, weaker nations (Libya, North Korea, and Iran) than to disrupt the economic flow of its pals and this rogue, nuclear and Muslim nation.

Many will defend Pakistan on the basis of their role in this ‘War on Terror’. Arresting hundreds of assumed al-Qaeda members has hit the top of the list when defending Pakistan. Access of its land given in both the Afghani and Iraqi wars will also be mentioned in Pakistan’s defense.

America does not believe in death, it believes in money. When invading Iraq, it was not out hatred for Saddam (considering Rumsfeld has shared many laughs with the man), but rather out of jealousy. Saddam was in charge of an extremely wealthy nation whose oil restrictions we were tired of dealing with. The decision was made, I believe well before 9-11, to take it over and exploit the oil for our American corporations.

However, the decision to take military action is not so easily done when your resources are now spread so thin, or when the economic deficit hits 600+ billion a year. Pakistan knows this and they are dealing with it very strategically. It’s an extremely weird and twisted relationship, one that is being taken advantage of more and more.

Could it be that Pakistan is playing the double agent? Perhaps this state is conducting black market conspiracy by selling technology, then selling out. Pakistan playing the role of an undercover CIA agent state? Making the deals to insure (this time) that future finger pointing is accurate, giving the war moguls in the Pentagon more and more field trips. This may sound outlandish… but people are getting away with undeniable acts of terror, and no one is doing anything about it.

I’m sure we could squeeze in about 45 minutes of actual news about this… somewhere between Kobe, Martha, Scott, Michael, Janet, The Dean scream, The Passion, Viagra, Enzyte, Microsoft, Luxury (fuel inefficient) vehicles, 5 star hotels, Ditech, Zyrtec, Tylenol, Nexium, and fat filled fast-food restaurants to discuss the potential implications of illegal sales of nuclear technology to enemy states.

In conclusion, I believe this untold story sheds significant light on the workings of the main stream media, and the bizarre mechanism of foreign policy. I think the lack of coverage, or care for that matter, is an insult to our heroic soldiers fighting for ‘their’ lives in war-torn Iraq. An imminent situation buried, and untapped oil fields a priority. You decide.

References.

Dixon, N. (2004). Pakistan: How Washington Helped Create a Nuclear Rogue State. Z Magazine [On-line]. Available: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=32&ItemID=4995

Jahn, G. (2004). Pakistan Knew of Nuclear Black Market. The Associated Press [On-line]. Available: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38593-2004Mar7.html

Jelinek, P. (2004). Senator’s Complain About Pakistan Scientist. The Associated Press [On-line]. Available:

Penningtone, M. (2004). Britain and Pakistan Hold Nuclear Talks. The Washington Post [On-line]. Available: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29374-2004Mar4.html

Story of Pakistan (1998). Pakistan: A Nuclear Power [On-line]. Available: http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A091

Quarishi, R. (1998). The History of Pakistan [On-line]. Available: http://www.unigroup.com/PTIC/body_history.html