Posted on 09/27/2009 8:54:06 PM PDT by LibWhacker
India can now build nuclear weapons with the same destructive power as those in the arsenals of the world’s major nuclear powers, according to New Delhi’s senior atomic officials.
They said India had built weapons with yields of up to 200 kilotons, which would be considered a “proper strategic deterrent” by the global community. A nuclear weapon above 50 kilotons is considered high yield. India’s enhanced capability gives it a considerable edge over Pakistan, its nuclear-armed arch-rival.
India’s declaration came as Iran launched war games on Sunday, testing short-range missiles, just days after announcing it had been building a second uranium enrichment plant. Western governments seized upon this as further evidence that Tehran was in breach of UN obligations.
India’s move follows heated domestic debate about whether its last nuclear tests in 1998 were successful. K Santhanam, a senior scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation, had disputed the thermonuclear test at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan, claiming the yield was lower than had been expected.
The debate has fuelled speculation that India might be getting ready for another nuclear test, a proposition that some in the international security community consider seriously.
A test would also raise tensions with Pakistan and jeopardise a newly signed civilian nuclear deal between New Delhi and Washington.
India, which has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, started developing its nuclear arsenal in 1974. New Delhi is estimated to have manufactured weapons-grade plutonium for at least 100 warheads. Senior Indian officials have insisted that the 1998 tests were successful and deny the need for anything more than computer simulations to gauge the yield of nuclear weapons.
“The May 1998 tests were fully successful in terms of achieving their scientific objectives and the capability to build fission and thermonuclear weapons with yields up to 200 kilotons,” said R Chidambaram, the government’s principal scientific adviser and former chief of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Military experts expressed scepticism about whether such a powerful weapon could be successfully deployed without greater testing.
Pakistani analysts, meanwhile, were sanguine in the face of Indian claims. “The bottom line is that Pakistan benefits from the knowledge that it has enough nuclear assets to ward off the threat of a nuclear attack,” said Shahid ur Rehman, author of a book on the lead-up to Pakistan’s own nuclear test in 1998.
Barack Obama, the US president, appealed at the UN General Assembly for more countries to embrace the NPT. He has proposed that countries, such as India, join as non-nuclear weapons states. India vigorously rejected his proposal in a letter to the president of the UN Security Council.
Additional reporting by Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad
It's beginning.
Ping.
Ping.
While I think that all of this is bluster (especially without any testing), it may be time to give them the alternative - ie., you use nuclear, you will be destroyed by nuclear.
It may not work with this crazy regime, but at least they will only get one chance before they are obliterated. Too bad that those that oppose this regime can’t succeed, but world peace must be maintained... The retaliatory threat needs to be real!
Question please
Years ago we announced the developement of a new weapon/bomb that would kill all life, even a sand flea within milliseconds and not destroy the buildings etc. yet it was denounced as inhumane.
Anyone remember this and if so can you remind of the name of the bomb/weapon.
The neutron bomb.
Neutron bomb. Throws out a gazillion high-speed neutrons that kill you. The blast itself is not so great.
Can’t agree India is a crazy regime. It’s one of the sanest countries in the world, right up there with most countries in the west, imo. But this is very bad; you’re right about that! It took America 6 or 7 years to develop the hydrogen bomb after Trinity. It took the Russians 5 or 6 years. You can bet your bottom dollar Pakistan, Iran, N. Korea will have them within 5 or 6 years. Or less, now that everyone is sharing. Doomsday stuff.
Yes, sorry...did not mean India... Was talking about the crazy regimes (Iran, N. Korea, and other want-a-be’s)... I actually think they are one of the few sane group with nuclear weapons.
0bama is a waffling weakling and the world knows it. Given that he “leads” America, America has become weak. The resulting power vacuum is in the process of being filled.
I don’t know ... any country where they can eat food that
hot can’t be totally sane.
Considering my experience with Indian and Pakistani technicans... the bombs will either fail completely, or ignite the atmosphere.
Either way, it’s best if they never had the bomb
You have to wade through a lot of chaff ( I had a commenter who was trying to be helpful, adding lots of non-backhoe info ) to get to the meat, but this old post of mine has a lot of information buried in it:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/689502/posts
The India-Pakistani Conflict... some background information-
various links | 5-25-02 | backhoe
Years ago we announced the developement of a new weapon/bomb that would kill all life, even a sand flea within milliseconds and not destroy the buildings etc. yet it was denounced as inhumane
Anyone remember this and if so can you remind of the name of the bomb/weapon.
obama and the DEMOCRATIC PARTY
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