the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Feb 16, 2004
The CIA recently accused Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan with providing nuclear secrets, technology and parts to several countries. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf admitted that he had knowledge of Khan’s activities for several years.
So how did the U.S. respond to this trading in "weapons of mass destruction?" Did they demand that Musharraf arrest Khan and sentence him to death for selling nuclear secrets? Did they call for Musharraf to resign? Did they threaten Pakistan with war if this wasn’t done?
No. Khan simply stepped forward to admit his involvement. Musharraf pardoned him. And Bush gave a speech about the dangers of nuclear proliferation.
If you could believe the politicians in Washington, they went to war against Iraq based on the possibility that Iraq might have weapons. Yet in this case they have a confession of guilt and intricate knowledge of some of the participants in this trading scheme. But they are satisfied with an admission of guilt from one man and an apology from Pakistan’s leader, who pardons the guilty man.
Of course, Khan was not alone in the business of selling designs and technology for building nuclear weapons. He was part of an elaborate network involving several companies. These companies produced and sold nuclear weapons producing kits, with everything from blueprints to centrifuges, machine needed for enriching uranium. Enriched uranium is a necessary material for building nuclear bombs.
Khan and his partners purportedly gave away nuclear capabilities to countries that are part of Bush’s supposed "axis of evil," Iran, North Korea, and Libya.
The U.S. response is proof of U.S. complicity in the whole thing–just like the U.S. complicity in arming Saddam Hussein at one time, when they wanted him to make war against Iran. Just like they provided him with weapons of mass destruction to use against the Kurdish population in his own country. Just as they were complicit in training and arming Osama bin Laden when he was useful to them in fighting the Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
All the talk about "weapons of mass destruction" is nothing but a lot of hot air. It’s true that there are huge dangers from these weapons. But the very politicians doing the talking are the people who create the danger.