Father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb punished through national humilliation: Rice

AFP via Spacewar ^ | Oct 03, 2004 | N.A.

[Qaz_W]

Disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan has been punished by being nationally humilliated, US national security couselor Condoleezza Rice said Sunday. Rice was asked on CNN to clarify President George W. Bush's statement during his debate late Thursday with Senator John Kerry that "the A.Q. Khan network has been brought to justice."

Khan, the father of his country's nuclear bomb, publicly confessed in February to leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

But Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who insisted the proliferation was carried out by a handful of scientists without government involvement, has given Khan a conditional pardon.

And Pakistan officials have refused agents with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's atomic watchdog agency, access to interview Khan to discuss the international black market he used to run.

Khan is "a particular kind of figure in Pakistani lore, a national hero, and Musharraf has dealt with what is a very difficult situation" by "making certain that he's out of business," said Rice.

Khan has lost privileges "to travel and the like," said Rice, and "a number of countries are pursuing prosecutions" of network members, she added, mentioning South Africa and at least one unnamed European country.

"A.Q. Khan, in a sense, has been brought to justice because he is out of the business that he loved most," said Rice. "And if you don't think that his national humiliation is justice for what he did, I think it is. He's nationally humiliated.

[Qaz_W]

Is this a harbinger for next hearing that Osama Bin laden :

Is a particular kind of figure in Saudi lore, a national hero, and Crown Prince Abdullah has dealt with what is a very difficult situation by making certain that he's out of business. Osama Bin Laden, in a sense, has been brought to justice because he is out of the business that he loved most and if you don't think that his national humiliation is justice for what he did, I think it is. He's nationally humiliated.

[billorites]

"the A.Q. Khan network has been brought to justice."

A caning was more what I had in mind.

Or, at least, a pink belly.

[Spirited]

This is what Bush views as "justice" for the lot?
I guess if we can overlook the Clinton/China connection we can overlook whatever else,too.
God, help us.

[Kornev]

Did they at least give him a wedgy?

This is the consequence for losing several of our cities? A bad name to some?

[USMMA_83]

Wow Condi. looks like somebody broke your legs and gave you a talking to....I guess what happened in the Iraqi prison was tourture if you accept that Mr.AQ Khan has been nationally humilated and that's the price for selling nukes the world over.

[Finalapproach29er]

More gutlessness.

If the US was serious, this guy would be sleeping with the fishes.

[Diogenesis]

Humiliation? What a joke.
From AQ Khan to Berger to the spies at CIA and State Dept,
rest assured that this administration continues to do ...... NOTHING.

[Mr. Goodcrank]

I'm bewildered by this "conservative" administration. I can understand such hogwash coming out of the mouth of a Jimmy Carter or Ramsey Clarke. Neal Boortz observed that even President Bush, in the debate, characterized child killing, head severing, suicide bombing fanatics as a "group of folks"! sKerry!

[Qaz_W]

And so am I at the most egrerious case of proliferation of nuclear weapon realated technology to some of the strangest regimes in the world, North Korea. Libya, Iran and possibly Syria.