New Nuclear Nightmare

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “Agenda of Nuclear Talks Leaves Out a New Threat,” describes the summit President Obama will be having this week to enforce the security of existing nuclear weapons and weapons-grade material and a new development, the production of more nuclear material by Pakistan.

Apparently, steam has been observed coming from the cooling tower of a current plant in the country, suggesting this unfortunate turn of events. Pakistan, a country hosting major Al Qaeda training camps, represents one of the worst locations for this production to be occurring. Pakistan, however, is reacting to its ongoing fear of an Indian attack, and the nuclear arms race between the two has become worse since the United States, in effect, recognized India’s right to nuclear arms without the sanctions usually imposed for this occurrence.

The summit meeting President Obama will be holding represents the largest gathering of world leaders since FDR called one to found the United Nations. The  President has rightly noted that the procurement of a nuclear weapon or nuclear material by a terrorist group is the largest threat to our national security in the short-, medium- and long-term future.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s increased production of nuclear material makes the securement and locking down of this material even more difficult. Even though the conference was not called to address this issue, the article paints a rightly ominous tone regarding its  overall impact.