Pakistan Nuclear Weapons - Safe?

What does the rest of the world believe ’safe’ means, especially in terms of nuclear weapons?

Do we think that having a large security force makes them safe? Or perhaps impenetrable bunkers where they are stored? Maybe ’safe’ can be thought of in terms of the state itself, whether or not it is stable and secure?

Regardless of what may constitute safe nuclear weapons, we know that ’safe’ can be easily set aside and caution thrown to the wind. I wonder how many US nuclear weapons have gone missing or being involved in accidents for example? Several have gone down in accidents involving airplanes, but I doubt that any have been stolen. None have been fired from their bunkers (that we know of).

What about Russian nukes? There are many who suspect that nuclear material has gone walkabout from various Russian sites, but there is little evidence to suggest that nuclear weapons themselves have gone missing.

Pakistan is a rather special case though - it was founded as a democracy, was run as a military dictatorship for many years, interspersed with democracy, and is still a military dictatorship (General Musharraf).

CNN’s article points out something interesting:

Lt. Gen. Khalid Kidwai, head of the army’s strategic plans division, told a news conference Saturday that the weapons were protected by a “fool-proof” security system.

Kidwai said there are 10,000 troops assigned to guard the country’s nuclear facilities. Among their ranks are special agents who report directly to the country’s intelligence services, he said.

“Fool-proof” - there have been several such statements over the years about systems that are fool-proof, or that nothing can be researched further etc., Gen. Kidwai might just be letting himself look like that fool. 10,000 troops is fine, if the vast majority of them are moderate muslims.

But what happens if muslim extremists win a democratic election (and subsequently banish all other parties, like many do)? What if muslim extremists attack, and win control of an area/base with nuclear weapons in them? It -IS- something to worry about, especially as the Taliban appear to be located in the northeastern parts of Pakistan, an area that even the Pakistani Army won’t go in.

Recently, Gen. Musharraf has warned the US against sending their troops into Pakistan, and yet at the same time an army base was overrun. We -should- be worried about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons because if any state is on the brink of being overthrown by muslim extremists, it is Pakistan.

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