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Expressindia » Story
<b>US readying for takeover of Pakistani nukes?</b>
Posted online: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 12:00:00
Updated: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 03:17:54 Print Email To Editor Post Comments
Islamabad, January 2: Pakistan government dismissed as âbaseless and ridiculousâ reports that a US Special Forces squad is on standby to âseize or disableâ this country's nuclear weapons in the event of the collapse onuclear weapons in the event of the collapse of the administration after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
"We know how to defend our nuclear assets," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq was quoted as saying by the state-run APP news agency.
He was reacting to a report in British newspaper The Herald, which quoted military sources as saying that a US Special Forces squad and volunteer scientists from the Nuclear Emergency Search Team had orders to take control of Pakistan's estimated 60 nuclear warheads dispersed around six to 10 high-security military bases to prevent them falling into the hands of âIslamic extremistsâ.
The report also said some of the US forces were already in neighbouring Afghanistan to âseize or disableâ Pakistan's nuclear weapons in the event of the collapse of the administration following the killing of Bhutto.
Sadiq rejected the report as âbaseless and ridiculousâ, saying Pakistan has an effective command and control system.
"People circulating such sinister stories are aiming at further upsetting the people of Pakistan, who are still in a state of shock after the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in a dastardly attack on December 27."
A US Embassy official, requesting not to be named, too said, "any such action would be contrary to our long standing military and diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan".
Over the past few weeks, Pakistan has persistently rejected concerns expressed by Western nations about the safety of its nuclear arsenal, saying it has an established command and control system.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/US...i-nukes/256826/
Expressindia » Story
<b>US readying for takeover of Pakistani nukes?</b>
Posted online: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 12:00:00
Updated: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 03:17:54 Print Email To Editor Post Comments
Islamabad, January 2: Pakistan government dismissed as âbaseless and ridiculousâ reports that a US Special Forces squad is on standby to âseize or disableâ this country's nuclear weapons in the event of the collapse onuclear weapons in the event of the collapse of the administration after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
"We know how to defend our nuclear assets," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq was quoted as saying by the state-run APP news agency.
He was reacting to a report in British newspaper The Herald, which quoted military sources as saying that a US Special Forces squad and volunteer scientists from the Nuclear Emergency Search Team had orders to take control of Pakistan's estimated 60 nuclear warheads dispersed around six to 10 high-security military bases to prevent them falling into the hands of âIslamic extremistsâ.
The report also said some of the US forces were already in neighbouring Afghanistan to âseize or disableâ Pakistan's nuclear weapons in the event of the collapse of the administration following the killing of Bhutto.
Sadiq rejected the report as âbaseless and ridiculousâ, saying Pakistan has an effective command and control system.
"People circulating such sinister stories are aiming at further upsetting the people of Pakistan, who are still in a state of shock after the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in a dastardly attack on December 27."
A US Embassy official, requesting not to be named, too said, "any such action would be contrary to our long standing military and diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan".
Over the past few weeks, Pakistan has persistently rejected concerns expressed by Western nations about the safety of its nuclear arsenal, saying it has an established command and control system.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/US...i-nukes/256826/