Posted on 06/15/2006 9:25:05 AM PDT by FerdieMurphy
Pakistan has refused US demands to talk to Abdul Qadeer Khan, whose black market network sold nuclear technology to Iran and North Korea
The security ring surrounding Abdul Qadeer Khan’s sprawling mansion at the foot of Margalla hills in Islamabad has visibly tightened in recent weeks.
Uniformed soldiers with machine guns block all access to the property and scrutinise every passing vehicle.
Mr Khan, the "Father" of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, has been under house arrest since February 2004 when he confessed to operating an international bazaar for nuclear technology, and spends his days confined with his Dutch wife, Henny, inside his well-protected home.
The iron front gate is completely covered to ensure that no one sees him taking his evening stroll in his lush green garden. Even his daughter, Ayesha Khan, has been stopped from entering the house and his fleet of antique cars languishes unused.
Pakistani military intelligence officials visit him. A long list of others would like to but are forbidden. That list is headed by the Americans, for Mr Khan is perhaps the only man outside Iran who knows precisely what nuclear technology the Tehran regime has received, and what it plans to do with it.
The United States has repeatedly asked the Pakistani authorities for permission to interrogate him, but is always rebuffed. Pakistan recently announced that its investigation into the whole affair was closed.
Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the congressional sub-committee on non-proliferation, said: "The A.Q. Khan network has been described as ‘the Wal-Mart of private-sector proliferation’. Its handiwork has helped deliver to us two of the most threatening security challenges we face: North Korea and Iran."
Like other congressmen, Mr Royce expressed deep concern that Mr Khan remained "off-limits to foreign investigators" even though Pakistan receives $700 million (£379 million) in aid from the US was designated a significant ally in the War on Terror. "The US and the international community should expect more from Pakistan’s Government," he said.
A senior Pakistani official said that the US continued to press Islamabad for more information on Mr Khan’s network, "but we have told them in no uncertain terms that he is off-limits".
He insisted that Pakistan had shared all it knew with the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as putting questions to Mr Khan on behalf of US investigators. Pakistan should be trusted with the investigation and anything else would be violation of national sovereignty, he added.
Mr Khan has confessed to passing nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian President, claimed last month that his country was conducting research on a more advanced P-2 centrifuge. Mr Khan’s deputy, Buhary Seyed Abu Tahir, has told interrogators that the network probably supplied three samples of the P-2 centrifuges, even though Tehran insists it has only received drawings of the machines.
Documents discovered by the IAEA suggest the Khan network might also have given Iran information about how to make the hemispheres of uranium metal needed for nuclear weapons.
But Washington believes the Khan network may still be active. The US Congress has been told how Swiss police recently foiled a plot to ship 60 tons of specialised aluminum tubes — used for building parts of a centrifuge cascade to enrich uranium — through Europe to Pakistan.
According to Andrew Koch, a defence expert, this involved using a middleman in Britain who was not previously known to be a Khan associate. The tubes, which he said could have ultimately been sent to Khan network customers, were eventually seized in the UAE by government authorities.
The US State Department will not comment on the case but a senior Western diplomat said that while there was no formal request for direct access to Mr Khan, the US believed the case was far from over. "We still want to know more about his network. There are many questions which have remained unanswered," he said.
The renewed international attention on Mr Khan has put President Musharraf’s Government in an awkward situation because the scientist is still revered by Pakistanis as a national hero whose birthday is celebrated in mosques and whose portrait hangs in public places.
The Pakistani Senate recently backed unanimously a resolution appreciating the contribution of Mr Khan and his associates in developing the country’s nuclear programme and ruled out handing him over to the Americans.
The Mossad should take him out.
Much more complex situation (regarding Khan) then either you understand or at the very least try and suggest -
We could always nuke him and tell Pakistan he was playing with something and had an accident.
Just a matter of time...
Our friends, the Pakis. [/saracsm]
It will become simpler (in terms of the decision what to do) when Musharraf inevitably falls.
Agreed.......with the harm this guy has done, he should definitely wake up dead.
Not at all - Musharraf has done about as good a job as can be expected of him since 2001 - That is the reality -
Without Msuharraf (or his like mind) in power in Pakistan - There would be no simple answer whatsoever as to what course of action to take there (let alone dealing with Khan).
What does this convoluted sentence mean?
If the situation is complex, expand and explain. you'd be surprised at how easily most of us can understand complicated issues, especially when the person doing the explaining knows what the hell he's talking about.
You'd be surprised how many of us don't have the luxury of time to always take someone step by step in explaining a complex situation (when the resources needed to understand it are already out there for those so wishing to be more informed).
As for my reply back to you...It was clear. You either don't understand the complexities of which the Musharraff Gov't is dealing with.....OR perhaps you do but you simply choose to ignore such complexities and make irrelevant posts about 'so much for Pakistan being friendly / ally'.
The realities are Musharraff has dealt with and continues to deal with a very multifaceted situation within his own Country. Khan is merely one piece of this situation.
Suggesting because everything we'd like to see happen within Pakistan (regarding Khan to the autonomous border regions) doesn't happen means Musharraff / Pakistan is not an ally is just intellectually empty.
I agree that the situation is multifaceted and complex-- but I also believe that a strong and trusted ally facilitates a meeting between us and the entrepreneur who gave two of our greatest current enemies nuclear secrets, in order to simply come to a full understanding of the depth of said secrets.
Is Pakistan an ally???? Sort of.
I agree that the situation is multifaceted and complex-- but I also believe that a strong and trusted ally facilitates a meeting between us and the entrepreneur who gave two of our greatest current enemies nuclear secrets, in order to simply come to a full understanding of the depth of said secrets.
Is Pakistan an ally???? Sort of.
While Musharraff is in office they will continue to be - The reality is we (and I certainly do) wish Pakistan would do more regarding the border regions (NWFP and the Fed Admin tribal areas specifically) though to some degree the Pak's simply don't have the capabilities of being all that effective there -
but I also believe that a strong and trusted ally facilitates a meeting between us and the entrepreneur who gave two of our greatest current enemies nuclear secrets, in order to simply come to a full understanding of the depth of said secrets.
Sure - And Musharraff is considered an ally by this Administration (clearly) - Now read between the lines all you want -
Well, Musharreff is certainly the definition of "rock and a hard place." I wouldn't want to be in his sandals.
Yes explain to me.
Take your time.
what makes you think Mush will fall?
He took over pak in a bloodless coup. The military-ISI combine rules pak and he leads them. Why would he fall as long as they continue to rule pak? He is taking care of all the vested interests. Killing Indians, supporting Jihad in Kashmir and afghanistan, bribing the generals in Pak and recieving American aid and weapons in return for a superficial show of support. There is no reason for him to fall.
"Not at all - Musharraf has done about as good a job as can be expected of him since 2001 - That is the reality "
WRONG! That you believe this is the proof that this administration has successfully brainwashed the American public into thinking that Mush is an ally doing the best he can. He only serves his ownself and his vested interests. Why should he catch OBL when he keeps getting billions in aid as long as OBL is not caught?
This administration has incentivised him to not catch OBL instead of to catch him. They have no incentive to catch him or the Taliban. But then I think even Dubya needs OBL to be at large. If Pak became a peaceful place devoid of Jihad both Mush and Dubya would lose their jobs.
Fyi.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.