US has 'snatch-and-grab' plan for Pak's nuclear weapons

[cosmicone]

Source: Times of India

WASHINGTON: The US has a contingency plan to "snatch-and-grab" Pakistan's nuclear weapons, if and when the President believes they are threat to either America or its interests, a media report has said, amid strains in bilateral ties.

Plans have been drawn up for dealing with worst-case scenarios in Pakistan, NBC news reported quoting current and former US officials, who say that ensuring security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons has long been a high US security priority even before 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Among the scenarios drawn by the report is Pakistan plunging into internal chaos, terrorist mounting a serious attack against a nuclear facility, hostilities breaking out with India or Islamic extremist taking charge of the government or the Pakistan army.

NBC said the greatest success of the US war on terrorism, the military operation that killed Osama bin Laden in his safe house in Pakistan in May..., has fuelled concerns about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/US-has-snatch-and-grab-plan-for-Paks-nuclear-weapons/articleshow/9505533.cms

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Why wait? Do it NOW!

[no_hypocrisy]

1. This won't end well, and

Pakistan can always make or buy more. Taking away its nukes makes it feel vulnerable to India with its nukes and generally taking away its MoJo.

[Downwinder]

3. Can the economy afford another war boost? If we pick up

Pakistan's nukes, we will have to go get India's too. China won't want those sitting around either.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. "We" get involved if our military merely "guards" Pakistan's nukes.

We would become an alien force in their country. Remember how our military was roundly criticized for going into their country to assasinate Bin Laden? They were ambivalent about Bin Laden but hostile to the fact his murder took place in their country without their permission.

[Downwinder]

7. That operation was designed to antagonize.

They had a safe house with a view for six months. No electricity at the Bin Laden compound. A team of seals could have gone over the wall with no publicity.

Either antagonize or make a show. Too many spooks involved.

[Syrinx]

2. sounds like a sensible plan to me, if it's really feasible

But isn't the Times Of India a notoriously inaccurate news outlet?

[dipsydoodle]

4. Most links on subject go to an Indian source

which to my mind makes them suspect.

[fujiyama]

8. I would take what the paper says with a grain of salt

Besides, I don't see any feasible way of "grabbing" those nukes. It just doesn't strike me as realistic or feasible without risking a full blown out war. It was one thing to sneak in and kill bin Laden, but getting hold of their nukes? The logistics would be a nightmare for one. Plus my guess is that the nukes are distributed throughout the country as well so it would more or less take a full scale invasion.

I'll fully admit that I think it would be great if there was a way to grab them. But the Pakistanis are not stupid and with the distrust they have for the US at the moment, I would figure these facilities are pretty secure and the whereabouts are probably secret to most other than the head of their military and intelligence units. Hell, I'd be surprised if even Zardari knew.

Besides we don't have the money to mount such a mission and we certainly have no resources considering how thin we're stretched. Pakistani nukes are just a shitty geopolitical fact we have to deal with, just like NK - another failed state that throws a fit and tries to extort the world because they can't provide their citizens with anything.

[Horse with no Name]

19. We actually discussed this here a couple of years ago

when Musharraf was still in. I'll see if I can find the link.

[24601]

6. Pure bullshit - we have enough already and it's still cheaper to just

make our own. Aren't we on a "made in the USA" these days anyway?

[Kokonoe]

9. +1000

[atreides1]

10. Why wait?

Do you really think that a mission like this will be without casualties, and there's always the chance that it might fail! But if you're that gung ho about it, you first!!!

[NewJeffCT]

11. No, the only solution is a full-scale invasion!

nothing else will work.

:sarcasm:

[dipsydoodle]

12. Be an interesting snatch to watch

What's the difference between a pick pocket and a peeping Tom ? A pickpocket snatches watches.......

[Botany]

13. The US Military has hundreds of different plans that they ..

.... have studied and they MIGHT be used if and when a need arises. Grain of salt time.

[Hubert Flottz]

14. Pakistan don't need the nukes anymore anyway!

Japan is already nuking India.

[Cool Logic]

15. Isn't "snatch-and-grab" just another term for stealing?

A strategically placed satellite equipped with a sophisticated laser, might be a better option.

[JCMach1]

16. Pakistan continues to disintegrate accrording to my friend from Pakistan

who visits regularly.

[mmonk]

17. If I get annihilated, I'm gonna sue somebody.

[saras]

18. Can we grab them out of the air?

It wouldn't be unreasonable for Pakistan to launch them all at the first sign of an attack - at least not any more unreasonable than any use of nuclear weapons.

[Zenlitened]

20. I sure as hell hope so.

Plans have been drawn up for dealing with worst-case scenarios in Pakistan, NBC news reported quoting current and former US officials, who say that ensuring security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons has long been a high US security priority even before 9/11 terrorist attacks.

NOT having a plan in place would be simply insane.