US Congress, Washington DC, USA: Director of ARC Humankind, Paulo Casaca, met US Congressman Trent Franks on April 29, 2016, and presented him the ARC Humankind policy brief, “The Pink Triangle Threat: Nuclear Terror Proliferation: An Assessment.”
Congressman Trent Franks, Arizona Republican Congressman since 2002, has been especially active in the fight against nuclear proliferation, and is an authority in the field. In its recent five points report, ARC Humankind argues that nuclear terror proliferation is the most important impending threat facing humanity today, and emphasizes that this threat has increased considerably, following the accommodative attitude of the international community towards the undercover Iranian nuclear weapons programme. It further states that the contemporary wave of nuclear proliferation was centred in Pakistan, and was developed through the so-called “Khan network” – a mix of state, non-state and multinational fanatics that promoted clandestine nuclear weapons technology across the World – which allowed both Iran and North Korea to develop their nuclear programmes. Although the West disrupted this nuclear network, its existence enabled North Korea to acquire nuclear weapon capability sold by the Pakistan Army, and Iran to come very close to its completion, thereby posing a major threat to regional and global stability. Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear weapons programme in the world today, and recently announced the development of a new tactical nuclear weapons initiative, for deployment along its border with India. Whereas Pakistan has repeatedly shown itself as an irresponsible country, unable to rein-in its Army-controlled, runaway nuclear weapons program, and being the source of most of today’s proliferation, and whereas its nuclear arsenal has been seen as the least secured, a lighter, more diversified and widespread nuclear device capability, implied by the tactical nuclear announcement, significantly increases the present dangers. Given its consistent support to the jihadist and terrorist infrastructure, it is assessed that the possibility of these small nuclear devices being used by these groups to target the West or its forces, is extremely high.
Reporting by
Jim Bellushi
Freelance Reporter
Washington DC
