Clinton Downplays Threat to Pakistan Nukes

(AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday showed extremists are a growing threat in the nuclear-armed American ally, but she contended they don't pose a risk to the country's atomic arsenal.

Clinton, in London on the second leg of a five-day tour of Europe and Russia, also joined British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in warning Iran that they would not wait long for the Islamic republic to convince the world that its nuclear intentions are peaceful.

Before stops in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Clinton pledged continued U.S. support for the Northern Irish peace process and said those who continued to exacerbate tension and violence "are out of step and out of time."

With her British counterpart, Clinton said there was nothing to suggest that Pakistan's nuclear weapons could fall into terrorist hands despite Saturday's audacious Taliban attack on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi that highlighted security weaknesses.

Clinton said extremists were "increasingly threatening the authority of the state, but we see no evidence that they are going to take over the state. We have confidence in the Pakistani government and military's control over nuclear weapons."

Miliband told reporters at a joint news conference with Clinton that although Pakistan faced a "mortal threat" from extremists, there was no danger of its nuclear weapons being compromised.

He scolded those who might raise the suggestion. "I think it's very important that alarmist talk is not allowed to gather pace," he said.

The Taliban have launched a series of increasingly bold attacks on military and political targets in Pakistan in recent months. The latest came Saturday, when militants dressed in military fatigues attacked the army headquarters, taking dozens of hostages. The 22-hour siege ended Sunday when commandos stormed the building. At least 19 people died in the standoff, including three captives and eight of the militants.

Miliband said he and Clinton had spent much of their time discussing the conflict in Afghanistan, the situation in neighboring Pakistan and the crisis over Iran's nuclear program.

They deferred comment on the Obama administration's review of how to handle Afghanistan, particularly following allegations of fraud in the presidential election in August. But they were firm on Iran, which is defying international demands to come clean about its nuclear ambitions.

Clinton warned Iran that the world "will not wait indefinitely" for proof it is not trying to develop atomic weapons. Iran insists it has the right to a full domestic enrichment program that it maintains is only for peaceful purposes such as energy production.

She said a recent meeting in Geneva in which Iran and six world powers resumed nuclear talks was "a constructive beginning, but it must be followed by action." Miliband added that Iran "will never have a better opportunity to establish normal relations with the international community."

Before leaving London, Clinton met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Chequers, the prime minister's country retreat outside London, and stressed that the trans-Atlantic "special relationship" remained strong.

(AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

On arriving in Dublin for a brief stop before heading for Belfast, Northern Ireland, Clinton met Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen (left) and urged communities in Ireland and Northern Ireland to follow through on the peace process.

There's a deadlock between Northern Ireland's rival Catholic and Protestant leaders over transferring responsibility for Northern Ireland's justice system from British to local hands.

"The step of devolution for policing and justice is an absolutely essential milestone," Clinton said. "Clearly there are questions and some apprehension, but I believe that .... the parties understand that this is a step they must take together."

On her way out of Dublin, Clinton stopped at Bewley's cafe for a coffee to go, drawing large crowds on Grafton Street, a pedestrian boulevard.

Clinton planned to address the Northern Ireland assembly on Monday and said she would provide lawmakers with "as much encouragement and support as I can."

Cowen said that he believed progress on the matter would be achieved "in the coming days."
By Associated Press Writer Matthew Lee; AP writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report

[mrjustice1]

Most of us here are NOT very understanding and are NOT helpful toward resolving conflict. Instead, many clearly and repeatedly, show there lower-than-intelligent needs for continuing their hate-and revenge.

Change now so you won't destroy yourself and others!

[ibsteve2u]

All of the assurances about the safety of the Pakistani nukes are predicated upon the idea that those tasked with their physical security have zero - zilch - vulnerability to either the call of Islam or threats to their family/village. (If they were Republicans, I'd throw in the lure of money.)

Since we are assured that the Pakistani nukes are perfectly safe from any and all threats, then anybody who considers the possible means of flipping their guards would be forced to assume that some key component or the nukes themselves are not actually in Pakistan.

Otherwise, I do not see how anybody could make such guarantees.

[cbsblogger]

Israel has nukes. They've refused to sign the NPT. They've demonstrated consistent aggressive criminal behavior against their civilian neighbors.

Why aren't they put on the sanction chopping block along with Iran? Fair play is about fair play and objective analysis. Israel and Iran are both irrational and unworthy of possessing nukes. We need to hold both to the same standard if we wish to have any credibility in the world. Anything else is absolute absurdity and hypocrisy.

[sjc_1]

The one scenario that IS frightening is the Islamic Brotherhood. If Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and even Turkey decide to become allies and share nukes, then we could be in for quite a Crusade.

[ToolMangler1]

If that happens, it may start WWIII..

[stuart-johns2]

And where are all our allies in the Afghan War? Don't hear much about them.

[ToolMangler1]

That is why there are Bombings in other Nations friendly to 'us'. It is a "divide and Conquer" war. They know they can't defeat the USA face to face because we have 'allies'. So! They attack the 'allies' at home and make it look 'home grown'. This makes the populace want 'their troops home' to protect them just like here in America.
They love 'Cindy Sheehan', she is fighting their war for them.....
She just doesn't realize that she is being 'played'...

[stuart-johns2]

Yeah right, Hillary. Get right. If there is no threat, what the hell are we over there for and why is Obama (rightly so) shifting focus to Pakistan and Al Queada.

[ToolMangler1]

Read that as.
"It is because we are keeping the Taliban hopping that they cannot gain sufficient control of Pakistans infrastructure to obtain the Nukes"

[pensacola8-2009]

The CIA has security liaisons with all countries that have nukes with a specific mission to safeguard them.

Pakistan Nukes are very safely guarded.

Secretary Hillary Clinton gave a reliable report.

The extremists in Pakistan compare to our militant evangelicals who dig tunnels and store large caches of weapons, dried foods and gold in Texas and other sanctuary states for soldiers of fortune. Some have KKK ties and others just like feel powerful among amateur anarchists ranting and raving about the Rapture.