U.S. Has Plan to Secure Pakistan Nukes if Country Falls to Taliban

Fox News ^ | May 14, 2009 | Rowan Scarborough

[Free ThinkerNY]

The United States has a detailed plan for infiltrating Pakistan and securing its mobile arsenal of nuclear warheads if it appears the country is about to fall under the control of the Taliban, Al Qaeda or other Islamic extremists.

American intelligence sources say the operation would be conducted by Joint Special Operations Command, the super-secret commando unit headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C.

JSOC is the military's chief terrorists hunting squad and has units now operating in Afghanistan on Pakistan's western border. But a secondary mission is to secure foreign nuclear arsenals -- a role for which JSOC operatives have trained in Nevada.

The mission has taken on added importance in recent months, as Islamic extremists have taken territory close to the capital of Islamabad and could destabilize Pakistan's shaky democracy.

"We have plans to secure them ourselves if things get out of hand," said a U.S. intelligence source who has deployed to Afghanistan. "That is a big secondary mission for JSOC in Afghanistan."

The source said JSOC has been updating its mission plan for the day President Obama gives the order to infiltrate Pakistan.

"Small units could seize them, disable them and then centralize them in a secure location," the source said.

A secret Defense Intelligence Agency document first disclosed in 2004 said Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal of 35 weapons. The document said it plans to more than double the arsenal by 2020.

A Pakistani official said the U.S. and his country have had an understanding that if either Usama bin Laden, or his deputy, Ayman Zawahiri, is located, American troops and air strikes may be used inside borders to capture or kill them.

[null and void]

The plan, but not the will.

[ScreamingFist]

We have a plan for everything.....whether it’s a good plan or not is open to debate.....

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well, the quick version is just to nuke all the Paki nuke sites ourselves.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Send in Jack Bauer

[oldbill]

Scarborough is pretty much always on target, but I’m afraid this is a misfire. And if it’s not, this is not the kind of news that should be out in the open. Don’t you think the Al Queda propaganda ministry would use this to stir up the Pakistani Muslims with the coming American invasion?

We didn’t even know that Pakistan was about to set off a nuclear bomb when they did it some years back. Now we are to believe that we know where every one of their nukes are? I doubt it.

[pfflier]

Well, it used to be a super secret organization, and a super secret plan. Now piglosi and reid will d#&k it up.

[Joe Boucher]

I remember a plan Jimmy Carter once had.
I believe it symbolizes his failed presidency.

[Oldexpat]

These are probably only educated guess’s. This type of planning is routine, but it is also with units that really do achieve secrecy, because their lives depend on it.

[Gritty-Kitty]

Well, as long as we are going to re-deploy to Pakistan in 16 months from the election from that distraction in Iraq to lawfully arrest those right-wingers that really attacked us, we might as well do that too. Yes we can!</sarc>

[blam]

The Indians will have already taken all the nukes by the time American forces arrive. (Maybe with the help of the Israeli’s)

[Dallas59]

This would be International Racism! Hands off Pakistan!/s

[neutronsgalore]

The Indians will have already taken all the nukes by the time American forces arrive. (Maybe with the help of the Israeli’s)

The primary threat definitely is to India. Let them take care of it.

[henbane]

"We have plans to secure them ourselves if things get out of hand," said a U.S. intelligence source. . . .

Does an un-named "intelligence source" trump the Assistant Secretary of State?

Just askin'.

News Update Service
Thursday, May 14, 2009 : 1600 Hrs

International
US has no plans to seize Pakistan's nuclear weapons: Boucher

Islamabad (PTI): The United States has no plans to seize Pakistan's nuclear weapons, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher has said.

Mr. Boucher rejected the suggestion that once the Talibans were defeated, the US would turn its attention to Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

"I think it is silly. Nobody has any basis to make a claim like that," Mr. Boucher told Dawn newspaper. The US, he said, believed Pakistan is capable of defending the nuclear weapons against any move to seize them.

Mr. Boucher said the US wants a constructive, long-term engagement with Pakistan that goes beyond America's need to defeat the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

He said the US believed "Pakistan has a very capable" army which could defeat the Taliban in Swat and other areas.

"But it needs counter-insurgency training, particularly to learn how to keep an area once the militants are cleared," he said.

[Bon mots]

Better yet, just figure out a way to set them all off at once.

[databoss]

the plan is “terminate in place” can you say Bikini Atoll? (x100)

[AnotherUnixGeek]

"We have plans to secure them ourselves if things get out of hand," said a U.S. intelligence source who has deployed to Afghanistan. "That is a big secondary mission for JSOC in Afghanistan."

There was a recent Washington Post article that quoted other un-named US intelligence sources as saying we aren't even sure where all of Pakistan's nukes are. I'm very skeptical about reports that we will somehow be able to seize Pakistan's nukes - they're a huge source of pride to every Pakistani, they move them around in alerts, and they'll fight like rabid dogs to keep us from getting them, even if the alternative is the Taliban.

[Joe Boucher]

You know our govt. has contingency plans for nearly any possible calamity or disaster.

So where are ya currently world traveler?

[kellynla]

BTTT

[Terabitten]

Well, the quick version is just to nuke all the Paki nuke sites ourselves.

We won't have to, India will do it for us. They have nukes too, remember?

India will NOT allow Taliban-controlled nukes to sit next door. If it looks like the Taliban is in a position to take the nukes, expect to see massive Indian intervention, up to and potentially including nukes.

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the Pak government gave India the coordinates and asked India to destroy them. They don't want nukes in Taliban hands any more than anyone else.