Nukes worries myth

by Fatima Rizvi

A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist has written an article that does no credit to him or to the prize that he was once awarded. Old age could be a reason for this lapse but dementia has never been mentioned in his context and from all accounts he remains alert and 'all there'. Why then has he written an article that makes no sense and that packs no punch except vague generalizations? At its heart the article strikes at the Pakistan military for collusion with the US to protect their nukes and in for making compromises on the secrecy and security surrounding those nukes. Would anyone in his right mind believe such drivel? These nukes are to be protected from what? A threat that exists only in the mind of the writer---no one else seriously believes that such a threat exists.

He has quoted Hillary Clinton. She has said the right things-- trashing suggestions that insinuate secret understandings and discussions. He has quoted President Obama who, again, has made a balanced statement and refused to be drawn into hypothetical discussions on the security of Pakistan's nukes. The author says that he met President Zardari twice and has quoted him at length but Zardari has rubbished all insinuations and has stated without any ambiguity that that there were no disclosures, discussions or understandings and he has forcefully defended the security arrangements and those responsible for those arrangements. He has quoted Admiral Mullen who has also denied any knowledge of what the author is insinuating. He has mentioned some kind of rapport between Admiral Mullen and General Kayani---they are two men serving the interests of their own countries and nothing else. Who are the others he has relied upon? Ageing has-beens with no responsibility and desperate to retain some kind of importance. Unnamed officials and advisers and some others well known for their habit of airing specific views. None of them is current or can possibly be current on the subject that he is discussing and this includes those who were recently in responsible positions.

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