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Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program (maybe 40 to 50 plutonium bombs a year)
The Washington Post ^ | July 24, 2006 | Joby Warrick

Posted on 07/23/2006 11:41:56 PM PDT by neverdem

Plant Underway Could Generate Plutonium for 40 to 50 Bombs a Year, Analysts Say

Pakistan has begun building what independent analysts say is a powerful new reactor for producing plutonium, a move that, if verified, would signal a major expansion of the country's nuclear weapons capabilities and a potential new escalation in the region's arms race.

Satellite photos of Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site show what appears to be a partially completed heavy-water reactor capable of producing enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistan's current capabilities, according to a technical assessment by Washington-based nuclear experts.

The construction site is adjacent to Pakistan's only plutonium production reactor, a modest, 50-megawatt unit that began operating in 1998. By contrast, the dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more, according to the analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security. Pakistan is believed to have 30 to 50 uranium warheads, which tend to be heavier and more difficult than plutonium warheads to mount on missiles.

"South Asia may be heading for a nuclear arms race that could lead to arsenals growing into the hundreds of nuclear weapons, or at minimum, vastly expanded stockpiles of military fissile material," the institute's David Albright and Paul Brannan concluded in the technical assessment, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post.

The assessment's key judgments were endorsed by two other independent nuclear experts who reviewed the commercially available satellite images, provided by Digital Globe, and supporting data. In Pakistan, officials would not confirm or deny the report, but a senior Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that a nuclear expansion was underway.

"Pakistan's nuclear program has matured. We're now consolidating the program with further expansions," the official said. The expanded...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: india; pakistan; plutonium; terrorism
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To: defenderSD
That's looking like a bigger mistake every day.

What? The Clinton Administration? Yes, that was one huge mistake that we'll be paying for for decades...

What were Clinton and his advisor's thinking?

Where his next Lewinski was coming from?

Why did they want Pakistan to be nuclear-armed?

Asleep at the wheel would be my guess. Clinton wants a "legacy" and that is exactly what he'll get (at our peril)

21 posted on 07/24/2006 5:04:01 AM PDT by Thermalseeker
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To: neverdem

Good to know that when Pakistan finally gives into Washington pressure to fully implement democracy, Pakistan will turn into an Islamic state, then they have all the goody weapons they need.


22 posted on 07/24/2006 5:32:43 AM PDT by observer5 ("Better violate the rights of a few sometimes, than of all always!!)
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To: Roy Tucker
The writer of the piece assumes the Paks will take all of the plutonium and make bombs out of it.

?

It's more likely they'll move on into breeder reactor technology for the purpose of generating electrical power.

23 posted on 07/24/2006 6:21:06 AM PDT by muawiyah (-/sarcasm)
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To: Cindy; nw_arizona_granny; Velveeta

Let anyone you think would want to know about this, know about this!

Bad but not suprising news.


24 posted on 07/24/2006 6:30:33 AM PDT by little jeremiah
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To: Fitzcarraldo
Extreemly unstable.

Musharaff our supposed ally does not even have his finger on the trigger.

Recently, the military was called in to explain how centrifuges used to enrich uranium and weighing several tons each could have just "disappeared" from a nuclear site.

Musharaff is a puppet placed in his position by the military elite and he can be removed when he no longer is useful.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

25 posted on 07/24/2006 6:36:57 AM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: dennisw

Iran has all they need already from Pakistan having already completed five weapons.


26 posted on 07/24/2006 6:40:20 AM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: Roy Tucker

AQ Khan is in bad shape - chances are he wont live to see the end of this year.


27 posted on 07/24/2006 6:41:33 AM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: expatguy

Iran has all they need already from Pakistan having already completed five weapons.
_________________

Where did you get this information?


28 posted on 07/24/2006 7:04:41 AM PDT by dennisw (Confucius say man who go through turnstile sideways going to Bangkok)
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To: dennisw

Contacts of mine, former associates of AQ Khan.


29 posted on 07/24/2006 7:45:31 AM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: expatguy

Thanks much .....


30 posted on 07/24/2006 8:08:33 AM PDT by dennisw (Confucius say man who go through turnstile sideways going to Bangkok)
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To: USMMA_83

Pakistan got the Plutonium weapon designs in the 90's, but they had HEU in the late 80's. While HEU weapons do not have the yield of the implosion, they still make a big enough bang to ruin a lot of people's day.


31 posted on 07/24/2006 9:32:19 AM PDT by Mr. Quarterpanel (I am not an actor, but I play one on TV)
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To: Gengis Khan
This is just great. Pakistan is briskly increasing their arsenal size while we are capping our nuclear strength with the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Its ok, Gengis. Pakistan wouldnt keep so many warheads for itself to use on its enemy - India. This production is export to its friends - Iran, North Korea. Lets see what the b*tches who opposed nuke-deal coz its leads to proliferation will say now. I pretty sure its the commie Chinese who gave this plant tech to pakistan, yet we dont see a single condemnation statement from the international community. But when India attempts to get similar tech, that too legetimately by making deals with US, France, Russia; and NSG, opening our nuke facilities to IAEA, we get poked in the eye and is denied. Anyway, I am sure the international community will face the consequences of this coz its very likely Pakistan will be selling this to Al-Qaida sometime soon.

32 posted on 07/24/2006 10:13:38 AM PDT by An_Indian
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To: defenderSD
What were Clinton and his advisors thinking?

X42 spent the 8 years of his presidency thinking with his little head.

33 posted on 07/24/2006 10:17:06 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: muawiyah

Pakistan has surplus electrical power.


34 posted on 07/24/2006 10:28:59 AM PDT by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan

LOL! we still have to convince some of these Americans about what Pakistan is going to do with so much plutonium? LOL!

Its so weird, gengis, that just like ostriches, the international community and anti-proliferation lobby hides its ugly head when Pakistan and its master China indulge in balant poliferation while us, India, get our eyes poked and is told to shut the f up for asking nuke tech in return for caping our arsenal, allowing IAEA inspections and following anti-proliferation laws.


35 posted on 07/24/2006 10:38:27 AM PDT by An_Indian
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To: USMMA_83

You got a source to that?


36 posted on 07/24/2006 10:39:03 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: familyop

But are we building a defensive ballistic system? And if not why? Especially when we know what Iran is doing and if they ever get nukes from someone else?


37 posted on 07/24/2006 10:45:55 AM PDT by red irish (Gods Children in the womb are to be loved too!)
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To: Gengis Khan
Right ~ Pakistan is so rich in electrical power that all its homes are airconditioned (not).

It's one of the poorest places on Earth ~ kind of like a Haiti with semi-white guys dressed in dhottis.

38 posted on 07/24/2006 2:34:28 PM PDT by muawiyah (-/sarcasm)
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To: An_Indian

" we still have to convince some of these Americans about what Pakistan is going to do with so much plutonium"
No you dont! dont you get it? Its all going to help fight terrorism. </sarcasm>


39 posted on 07/24/2006 2:51:12 PM PDT by Arjun (Skepticism is good. It keeps you alive.)
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To: muawiyah

Obviously you dont know jack about Pakistan just like you have no idea about much of the topic you bother to comment on.

1.) Pakis dont wear dhotis.
2.) Electrical power != Rich and air conditioned homes
3.) Pakistan's Kalabaug dam project generates enough hydroelectric power for most of Pakistan.
4.) A few years ago Pakistan offered to supply their surplus electrical power to India.
5.) Pakistan produces hardly any electricity from nuclear reactors.
6.) They are rich enough to have nuclear technology.
7.) Haiti doesn't have nuclear technology.

As for Pakistan's breeder technology. Chinese breeders are hardly up to the mark. So that will have to wait.


40 posted on 07/24/2006 3:25:53 PM PDT by Gengis Khan
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