What, me worry about Pakistan's nukes?

Michael Balter 10/11/2009 08:30:00 AM Politics
Let's see, "militants" can invade the Pakistan Army headquarters and take dozens of hostages, but no need to worry about the security of Pakistan's nukes, right? At least that's what Hillary Clinton is telling us. How does she know?

I guess anything that would be a distraction from Iran's nuclear program--which the C.I.A. still insists is not a nuclear weapons program--is just not something that we should worry our little heads about.

As I have said before, let's worry first about the nations that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, like Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea, before we worry about nations like Iran that have. And someone remind me just why Israel has not signed the treaty? Did God give the Chosen People an exemption? (and before you call me an anti-Semite, remember that I am Jewish.)

Update: I turns out that the police had warned the Army a raid was being planned, according to the New York Times. Yup, really inspires confidence that those nukes are secure.

Ardi update. The Discovery Channel has a very cool and detailed interactive "handbook" to the discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus and what it all means. Check it out here.
Michael Balter

Posted by Michael Balter

I have been a working journalist for more than 40 years, beginning in Los Angeles as an investigative reporter and then in Paris as a travel, food, and science writer. For more than 20 years I have covered anthropology and archaeology writer for Science, Audubon, Scientific American, SAPIENS, and other publications. I have also covered sexual misconduct for The Verge, Scientific American, and others; I write about mental health, especially schizophrenia; and I engage in occasional media criticism. I returned to the USA in October 2017 after 30 years in Paris, and now live in the New York City area, where I currently teach journalism at City College of New York (I previously taught journalism at Boston University and New York University.) For more about me and what I do, copies of my articles, information about my book, and other goodies, please visit MY WEB SITE

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3 Comments

Anne Gilbert said…
The fact that both India and Pakistan have bombs, has been botherimg me for some time. I mean, if one or the other of these countries decides to use them on the other, it could start. . . . well never mind. Iran hasn't even gotten far enough(apparently) to actually manufacture one! This is regardless of whoever is running Iran at the present, deplorable as they may be. So I don't understand why Hillary Clinton isn't equally concerned. After all, she's Secretary of State, and I'm not, so she might actually have some influence on the situation. I sure don't.

As for being an "anti-semite", hey, I know you're Jewish, but some people(not me, though), might try calling you a "self-hating Jew" or something equally silly, for these observations.
October 11, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Michael Balter said…
Thanks for your comment, Anne.

And you're right, some apologists for Israel's brutal policies might call me a self-hating Jew, but you don't hear that intellectually dishonest phrase as much as you once did. Too many Jews are critical of Israel these days. As for me, I don't hate myself, I hate those Jewish leaders who have debased the values of Judaism in defense of the indefensible.
October 12, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Anne Gilbert said…
Michael:

I'm glad you don't hear the "self-hating Jew" nonsenes so much any more, whan any Jew criticizes some Israeli government policies. I guess that's progress of a sort. But I sure don't like to see the Israeli government or any other government, for that matter, act in the inhumane and regressive way it has. That's not good Judaism(as I understand it), nor good Chritianity nor good much of anything else.
Anne G
October 12, 2009 at 7:36 PM
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