Article

2005-09-11 Afghanistan/South Asia

Give Pakistan civilian nuclear technology! Or Else!

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Posted by john 2005-09-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 This means that as long as the ban is in place it has to make even nuclear electricity stealthily

Nonsense of course. As Burns testified to the Congress this week, Pakistan's civil nuclear programme is a joke. The nuke reactors in Pakistan were never intended for power generation.

Posted by john 2005-09-11 07:11|| 2005-09-11 07:11|| Front Page Top

#2 On one hand, it would seem the sensible approach is to do what China has done: pebble bed reactors.

That type of reactor is far less expensive to build, produces a goodly amount of electricity, is clean, and cannot be directly used to make enriched fuel for nuclear weapons. It is indeed a sensible solution for civilian nuclear power. It is not as powerful as a US reactor, but most uses don't require that much juice.

However, the electrical power it produces *itself* is a problem. Enriching nuclear material needs an egregious amount of electricity. And, of course, these birds would use the entire output *not* to provide electricity for civilian use, but to process nuclear material for nuclear weapons.

That is, though their economy needs more electricity, it doesn't need *that* much more electricity, as least as far as its governmental priorities go. The people can do without, as long as it helps them make their bombs.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-09-11 14:14|| 2005-09-11 14:14|| Front Page Top

#3 Besides the pebble bed (South African technology) the Chinese are importing light water reactors from America and heavy water reactors from Canada.

Posted by john 2005-09-11 14:20|| 2005-09-11 14:20|| Front Page Top

#4 The Pakistani ambassador needs to be told that there will be no equality of relations relative to India until such time as the Islamic people of Pakistan accept that western civilization has a right to exist and view the United States as a long-term friend and ally. Based on what I have read about Pakistan on Rantburg over the last few years, I would say it's not going to happen in his lifetime -- or his grandchildren's lifetime. If you embrace the 7th century, be happy living in the 7th century.

Posted by Darrell 2005-09-11 16:41|| 2005-09-11 16:41|| Front Page Top

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