North Korean Nuclear Roads Lead to Pakistan

George Bush held a quick press conference on Monday morning in which he stated his concerns about nuclear weapons landing in the hands of terrorists as a result of the North Korean government's assertions that it had conducted its first nuclear weapons test.

The North Korean regime remains one of the world's leading proliferators of missile technology, including transfers to Iran and Syria.

The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or nonstate entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States, and we would hold North Korea fully accountable the consequences of such action.

Let's not forget, however, that Pakistan was never held 'fully accountable' after its top nuclear scientist A Q Kahn confessed to sharing nuclear secrets with other countries - including North Korea - and that he was pardoned by Bush's so-called ally, President Musharraf.

In a August 23, 2005 interview with Kyodo News General Pervez Musharraf confirmed that Dr. A.Q. Khan had supplied gas centrifuges and gas centrifuge parts to North Korea and, possibly, an amount of uranium hexafluoride gas.[1]
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The United States government had no choice but to leave the fate of Dr. A.Q. Khan in the hands of General Musharraf, imposing no penalties on the Pakistani government or on individuals. The U.S. government officials explained that in the War on Terrorism it was not their goal to denounce or imprison people, but "to get results." The White House chose not to impose sanctions Pakistan or to demand an independent investigation of the Pakistani Military as US troops were still waging a war in Afghanisthan and support from Pakistan's use of Military bases will almost disappear. "It's just another case where you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar," a U.S. Government official explained.
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The U.S. has refrained from applying further direct pressure on Pakistan for disclosure about Khan's activities largely due to a strategic calculation that such pressure may topple President Musharraf.

The Bush administration is playing a very dangerous game in propping up Musharraf's government which has also been ineffective in restricting the border movements of the Taliban between Pakistan and Afghanistan - contributing untold numbers of insurgents to the increasing violence in that country's war.

Although Pakistan is seen by Bush as an ally in the so-called war on terror, it is actually one of the major countries responsible for fueling the terrorism fires. The United States once again finds itself in the position of protecting an unstable regime which, as history has shown, will most likely become one of its worst enemies in the future. Their experiences with past Iraqi and Iranian governments bears that out.

The only questions left to ask are when and if Pakistan will be placed on the axis of evil list and what will happen then. The longer it is not held accountable, the more of a threat it is - a reality that the Bush administration can no longer afford to ignore.