Is it just me or does this scare the pants off of you?

[draggar]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapc...ban/index.html

A group (Taliban) is close to controlling a significant part of Pakistan - a nation with nuclear weapons.

Don't forget, the Taliban supports Al Qaeda.

This is a major issue that the world's leaders (especially NATO) needs to wake up to and pay attention to.

[Carter]

They don't resolve this problem because in Pakistan & Afganistan there is the drug.

After the Afganistan war the production of drugs increase.

The Nato don't make a war for ethic reasons...they make a war for the petrol oil or for the drug.

This is the world we live.

[draggar]

Then India has the right to tell the international community to F-off and go into Pakistan to destroy / secure the nuclear arsenal since they're the first ones at risk.

I hope the US government realizes the dangers in this, too. Too bad Pakistan complained whenever coalition troops fired back at people firing at them from Pakistan.

[jasdon11]

It is scary - but not as scary as there only being one country in the world with nuclear arms...

[draggar]

It is scary - but not as scary as there only being one country in the world with nuclear arms...

I can agree to that - the one nation could easily go on a power trip and take over the world (in many ways). But - when you have a regime that is unstable and unpredictable and supports terrorism, like the Taliban, then you can rest assured that the nuclear weapons would get into the hands of the terrorists.

This is an issue that the security council of the UN needs to look at seriously (but we all know that they won't). The countries most at risk are any NATO nation (especially the US), India, China, Russia. They could also use new weapons obtained to launch a strike to get back into Afghanistan.

Reading the story again, I see that Pakistan had a peace with the Taliban after they took over an area in Pakistan and then they continued the push. This makes me believe one of two things:

1) The Pakistani government doesn't have the ability to secure its own country. This is scary because it could lead to an uprising and a complete overthrow of the government and then who would be in control of these weapons (not just nukes but an army much more powerful than what they could have obtained in Afghanistan).

2) The Pakistani government wants this to happen, they're just putting up the show for the international community which is also quite scary. This would be a 180 degree turn from their stance on the war of terror.

Note: I am saying the Pakistani government, meaning the people who make the decisions in the government, this is nothing against the people, citizens, government workers, and other workers in Pakistan.

[stock_post]

This is bad - but I think in few years Pakistan will be old Afghanistan where it will be the main base for Terrorists (it is now as well) but will move more towards and even changes the face.

And Nuclear war is bound to happen - For sure they will start it and the rest of the world will end it after subcontinent will become unusable for some years.

If India is not attacked first, then it would be Israel or US with a smuggled N. bomb.
(EU may take the first hit as well)
Gulf countries, Russia and Chia are the only ones that are safe from this group.

If China feel any risk they will end this without much damage.
-- and probably the only country that can do something.

The direction they are going is not what is expected of a country.
And I am sure the end will be very bitter

[Gerry]

This has been going on for quite sometime.

I watched a documentary not too long ago on this very region and the problems. It was something about growing up Taliban, a Nat Geo special I believe.

There is one particular region that was a hot spot for travel, vacationing, and tourism that is now under islamic law. I am a little less focused on details at the moment but it was (name?) Valley, I believe.

As for nukes, just have to hope the military (not the militants or the militants in the military) keep control.

I really don't care what the arguments are how we are safer at home. The US efforts globally and in Afghanistan, strikes in Pakistan, war in Iraq has created a larger army of terrorists and those willing to become suicide bombers than ever before, including women and children.

We have created an entire generation of terrorists. Our aggressiveness, force, failure to listen or reach out, slaughter of innocents by means of indiscriminate bombing and strikes has the US in the not so enviable position of the Head of Satan.

And now there is criticism about Obama reaching out and wanting to open up dialogue with Iran, the Taliban, North Korea, and Palestine. Only in free and democratic societies would this criticism even be condoned.

When a child grows up with nothing more than sticks and the stones at his feet, with the hatred being preached he learns to use those playthings as weapons.

Nothing at all has changed except for the sophistication of those playthings.

[Carter]

Agree 100% with you DOC, well said.

Some people need to start to see the world from another point of view.
The Usa are not the world.

[amcdonald]

Does it pose a real threat?? From what I have read this district wasn’t even backed by the Pakistani Military during the time when it was taken over by the Taliban. So one would believe that they took over this region with very little force and Zero Opposition from the Pakistani military. I imagine it would be much different if they tried this with Islamabad.

[mulligan]

I can agree to that - the one nation could easily go on a power trip and take over the world (in many ways). But - when you have a regime that is unstable and unpredictable and supports terrorism, like the Taliban,

Could this sound like the US as well?

[whitebark]

Oh yeah I'm sure the average Taliban soldier is well-versed in nuclear technology, ICBM's, solid rocket fuel, know the launch codes and have the capacity to do anything they want with a nuclear weapon with their madrassa-based education.

There is a far greater danger from the thousands of active Russian missiles seeing one accidentally launched than there is from Pakistan. And don't think for a minute that both India and the US don't know the EXACT location of every Pakistani nuclear weapon and have the sites ready to be obliterated at the first sign of real trouble.

Too many people watching and BELIEVING what they see on 24...

[Gerry]

Oh yeah I'm sure the average Taliban soldier is well-versed in nuclear technology, ICBM's, solid rocket fuel, know the launch codes and have the capacity to do anything they want with a nuclear weapon with their madrassa-based education.

As for nukes, just have to hope the military (not the militants or the militants in the military) keep control.

Not often I get to quote myself.

Far be it from me to tag one rouge nation as more of a threat than another.

Consider all the nuclear technology passed on to Iraq (fail - no WMD) and Iran (passed - centrifuge in action) and all that information, guidance, materials as well as uranium was passed on by Pakistani and North Korean sources. Any reason why Chavez is all buddy-buddy with Iran?

Knowledge of technology is not the threat. That is why a "dirty bomb" is more of a threat than a nuclear warhead launched. You would be stunned to learn the number of sources for material that could be used as a real and viable threat. Deadly? Depends on the size of the initial blast. Take a blast as powerful as OK City. The initial body count could range from small to mass casualty. If a nuclear contamination factor is added, the sickness and death toll could raise within a one to two year period.

As for 24 - I have never seen a single episode of this. I am not a Keefer fan. Young Guns I liked.

My knowledge comes from mass casualty drills and certification to handle these threats (Biological and Radiation) and being a member of a rapid response team.

I hope I never use these skills.

[draggar]

Consider all the nuclear technology passed on to Iraq (fail - no WMD) and Iran (passed - centrifuge in action) and all that information, guidance, materials as well as uranium was passed on by Pakistani and North Korean sources. Any reason why Chavez is all buddy-buddy with Iran?

This sounds very familiar... Oh yeah, the Cuban missile crisis.

It should be quite clear to any educated person why Obama is opening talks with Cuba and Venezuela. Sure, there are people out there who are getting up on their soapboxes slamming him for this but I think he is trying to prevent history from repeating itself - only this time with less stable regimes behind the button.

Is what's going on in Pakistan a threat to the US? Right now and directly - no but it could destabilize the region - it could also be risk to the military's efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. No, the US shouldn't jump into this unless asked but this is a situation that India, Russia, an China (at least - maybe even include Japan and South Korea) needs to address.

Knowledge of technology is not the threat. That is why a "dirty bomb" is more of a threat than a nuclear warhead launched. You would be stunned to learn the number of sources for material that could be used as a real and viable threat. Deadly? Depends on the size of the initial blast. Take a blast as powerful as OK City. The initial body count could range from small to mass casualty. If a nuclear contamination factor is added, the sickness and death toll could raise within a one to two year period.

Excellent points. Thank you for posting that.

As for 24 - I have never seen a single episode of this. I am not a Keefer fan.

Same here.

[stock_post]

India will never do anything for sure - the political parties are corrupt and only care for minority votes and - Majority votes are divided and stay that way all the time.

so, sudo secular parties who rule will always try to get elected and they see people only as vote banks but as people.

And as for Russia: If there is a problem like 9/11 - they would have take care of it in a different way. (Accidental firing of a nuke would have happened)
-- The way they dealt with the hijackers is an example of how they handle issues.

China: The only remaining super power.
And I don't think Taliban will dare to touch them.
If US ever pay all the money the owe China.. They will be rich beyond belief.

Japan and South Korea - can not do anything about it.

[HarveyJ]

There is a far greater danger from the thousands of active Russian missiles

QFT

Russia has lost track of thousands of their own nuclear missiles. Whilst the propellant, and even the weapons casings, degrade over time, the fissile material can be reused for other things.
Considering how much of that has gone missing, you do have to wonder where it all is... My money's on organised criminal and/or terrorist groups.

With that said, I actually don't think any terrorist group worth their salt would actually use a nuclear weapon, as they stand to lose a hell of a lot more being the ones to use it first. Used 'defensively' (as in "leave our country or we'll nuke Boston") it works as a good deterrent... And that's what nuclear weapons are best at: being a deterrent.

[afloat.com]

1) The Pakistani government doesn't have the ability to secure its own country.

This, because of the geography of the northern mountainous regions of Pakistan

[stock_post]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/2009042...08599189368500
This a good article but the threat is far dangerous then they are saying it is.

We are very close to a Nebular explosion and that is for sure.
Only question is where and when - it is sooner than many think and the damage will be huge and is never seen before.

[mulligan]

Anybody mind if I just repeat this?

Could this sound like the US as well?

I can agree to that - the one nation could easily go on a power trip and take over the world (in many ways). But - when you have a regime that is unstable and unpredictable and supports terrorism, like the Taliban,