President Obama Looking for Assurances from Pakistan on Nukes

President Obama, meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zadari this week, is slated to ask the Pakistani leader for assurances regarding Pakistan’s arsenal of nuclear weapons. Obama’s specific concern is that the arsenal could fall into the hands of Taliban militants and, on that note, Obama will also seek assurances that the Pakistani military will engage in coordinated efforts with U.S. and Afghani forces to remove Taliban extremists from Pakistan. Speaking of U.S. concerns over the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and the upcoming discussions between Obama and Zadari, White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs noted, "I don’t doubt that that will be mentioned."

Gibbs went on to say that "the security of nuclear weapons in Pakistan and the security of nuclear material throughout the world is something that the president thinks is of the highest priority." Obama and his administration are, apparently, especially concerned that extremist sympathizers among Pakistan’s military could clue in militants to the movement of nuclear weapons and materials.

Speaking on the issue, Join Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen told reporters yesterday that he was comfortable with the current level of security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, but was coy in answering questions about his confidence in the continuing security of the weapons. Mullen did say, however, "I know what we’ve done over the last three years, specifically, to both invest, assist, and I’ve watching them (Pakistan) improve their security fairly dramatically over the last three years." On the Pakistani side, the ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, said that the U.S. should not worry about the security of the weapons. Noted Haqqani, "They know we have an effective command and control system in place and that our safety standards are the same as other nuclear capable countries. At no stage have Pakistan's nuclear weapons been unsafe."