On September 18, I posted that that four former executives of Japanese company, Mitutoyo Corp, were found guilty of illegally exporting devices that could be used in producing nuclear weapons. That is true, but from the perspective of actually trying to prevent such things from happening there is more to the story. And, as is usually the case, the redoubtable reporter Mark Hibbs had the story first; back in January, to be precise. Here is some of what he wrote in the January 15 issue of Nuclear Fuel:
Content Type
Questioning President Musharraf’s hero?
We wonder how Dr Khan feels about this. Even though it was Pakistani President Musharraf who relieved Dr Khan of his job and put him in house arrest in February 2004, Musharraff has always been protective of him. In the past, he said, He is my hero. He always was and still is, because he made Pakistan a nuclear power
(Shopping For Bombs, p 214). That helps explain why Musharraf has steadfastly refused to allow Dr Khan to be interrogated by outsiders.
Dr Khan – Educator of the Year
Dr Khan is a man of many talents; not all of them appreciated. But it should be noted that he has done his part for the Pakistani educational system. In that regard we take our hats off to Ms Noreen Mushtaq D/O Mushtaq Ahmed. She is one of the three women who swept all top three positions in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) annual examination 2006, the result of which was announced by the University of Balochistan (UoB) Quetta this past Saturday. Ms Mushtaq is a student at the Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan College of Education in Quetta.
Khan and the Butter Factory
On May 6 2007, The Washington Times published an article by editor at large Arnaud de Borchgrave, talking about the common link between North Korea, Iran, and Libya. That would be Dr Khan's network, of course. Or as JRR Tolkien memorably put it in the Lord of the Rings, One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
Khan and Clearstream?
In two previous posts, I’ve mentioned press reports about Dr Khan and Syria, one saying there may have been a connection, the other saying no way.
Khan’s network just keeps going and going and going…
The Jerusalem Post ran an article September 20, which may very well be the first article, linking whatever it was in Syria that was attacked by Israel in early September, to wider nuclear proliferation concerns. The article by Yaakov Katz stated:
This week, Khan's name again made headlines – this time over suspicions that his black-market ring was behind the supply of nuclear technology and material to the facility that Israel – according to foreign news reports – bombed two weeks ago in northern Syria.
BASIC calls for suspension of US arms sales and military assistance to the Persian Gulf and Middle East
The proposed sales would support authoritarian governments in the Arab world
Khan to Musharraf: Let’s make a deal
Hmm, your former employer has made you a patsy, fired you from your job, hung you out to dry, and ruined your reputation. What do you? Well, if you are former CBS anchor man Dan Rather, you do what any red blooded American would do. You hire a lawyer and sue the bastards.