What Pakistan’s Bomb Could Not Buy

kaalchakra #10 It is always refreshing to read your balanced, realistic posts. This one is no exception.

Acquisition of nuclear technology has been a definite boon for Pakistan (and of course, India). Author should not offhandedly dismiss the many important advantages -

* Pakistan`s nuclear status has significantly reduced the probability of India escalating a loalized conflict into a full-fledged war.

*It has greatly, tremendously enhanced Pakistan`s stature within the Islamic world (and inside the general Islamist mind).

*It has boosted the concerns and strengthened the beliefs of those who have been arguing that ``Pakistan cannot be ignored.``

*It has been a source of tremendous national pride for many Pakistanis.

You just cannot put enough value on such advantages. Each can be priceless.

NONE of the problems the author lists can be directly blamed on nuclear bomb.

A.Q. ``Walmart`` Khan`s problems relate to his character, rather, to lack of one and what amounts to the same thing- to his blind Islamism.

Kargil was an expression of Pakistani army`s ideological commitment made and existing long before any nuclear bomb was acquired.

Pragmatism is a virtue. Besides, destruction of Iran`s nuclear ambitions may not necessarily be a net negative for Pakistan.

All of society`s ills cannot and should not be blamed on the bomb. It is not the bomb`s fault that AQKhan is who he is, Musharraf does what he chooses to do, and the state`s infrastructure is in the shape it is in, and so on.

Re: # 10



``Pakistan`s nuclear status has significantly reduced the probability of India escalating a loalized conflict into a full-fledged war.``

On the other hand it emboldened PA(which already does not have any civilian checks) to commit (mis)adventures like kargil.One of these adventures will one day result in an all out war and will cost pakistanis dearly.

#8 precisely.

... and the good professor as usual leaves out explaining HOW `not` detonating would have helped Pakistan !

PPS to #6: And Special Thanks to Indian politicians for persuing the bomb, thus leading to the Post-Bomb Situation below. Particular mention to Mr. Advani, who single-handedly did more for the defense of Pakistan than any Pakistani defense minister ever could have.

God bless these strategic thinkers in delhi. With enemies like these, Pakistan needs no friends. :-)

Pre-Bomb Situation: Indian politicians could order an attack on Pakistan with overwhelming odds and without any risk to themselves sitting in Delhi.

Post-Bomb Situation: Indian politicians cannot order an attack on Pakistan without running the risk of being incinerated themselves.

Case closed.

PS: Not that this will end Prof. Hoodbhoy`s eternal ranting about the bomb.

Re: # 6 takhmad

continued...


case reopened once upon a time, there was a country between iran and half incinerated india.

Sanjay,

If you accept the contention that a handful of nations/states ( which not coincidentally have inflicted the maximum amount suffering on other nations/cultures) can be trusted to have nukes and the rest should be content to accepting voluntary castration, India and Pakistan should sign the NPT and foreswear nukes.

Regards

Though the article/argument may not go well with the ultra-nationalists on both sides of the border, both the countries have lost more than what they have got from the Nuclear Explosions of 1998. It was a mistake on the part of PM Vajpayee-the nuclear tests were not required at all.

Only if India, after the explosions, had signed the NPT immediately and later Pakistan ,after conducting its own explosions, was forced to follow suit, then India would have gained a huge international advantage.

But that was not to be. And the Nuclear Bombs are no more than the millstones around the necks of both the countries today, as pointed out by Prof.Hoodbhoy.

Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy`s analysis is logical and straightforward as usual. Unfortunately, the semi-literate defenders of the ``ideological frontiers`` of Pakistan do not have the brains to understand these simple arguments.

``The most obvious fact is that testing the Bomb speeded up the subcontinent’s arms race``

i think the large scale military aquisitions of both nations in recent times has more to do with their newfound economic prowess rather than their changed nuclear status.

i agree with your remaining views in the article.

And its well written btw :)

good article mr. hoodbhoy as always
ur rite ... pakistan should stop wetting itself with dreams of standing up to india military-wise
it should wake up, then grow up
and then maybe have a cup of coffee with india
:)