A lot of bombshells for one's money
US mag US News & World Report has an interview with former U.S. Air Force Secretary Thomas Reed, who has a book to plug.
Always supposing he is right, here are some of the warheads he lets off in the interview:
"China in about 1982, under Deng Xiaoping, decided to proliferate nuclear technology to communists and Muslims in the third world. They did so deliberately with the theory that if nukes ended up going off in the western world from a Muslim terrorist, well that wasn't all bad. If New York was reduced to rubble without Chinese fingerprints on the attack, that left Beijing as the last man standing. That's what the old timers thought".
Shades of this: "At the Moscow Conference of Communist Parties in November 1957, Mao contradicted Khrushchev's line that no one could win a nuclear war. He said that such a war would not be the end of the world, because half its population would survive. From other statements by Mao, it is clear he thought that a large part of the Chinese population would survive an atomic war". So much for that nice Mr Deng.
And Pakistan:
"Under Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto, the country built its first functioning nuclear weapon. We believe that during Bhutto's term in office, the People's Republic of China tested Pakistan's first bomb for her in 1990".
So much for that nice Mrs Bhutto.
"For their part, the Chinese admitted to having conducted hydronuclear and radiation effects tests for France".
Previous received opinion was that the two sides had fallen out in '58. The Israelis had weapon grade plutonium capability courtesy of Dimona by '65, by the way.
Always supposing he is right, here are some of the warheads he lets off in the interview:
"China in about 1982, under Deng Xiaoping, decided to proliferate nuclear technology to communists and Muslims in the third world. They did so deliberately with the theory that if nukes ended up going off in the western world from a Muslim terrorist, well that wasn't all bad. If New York was reduced to rubble without Chinese fingerprints on the attack, that left Beijing as the last man standing. That's what the old timers thought".
Shades of this: "At the Moscow Conference of Communist Parties in November 1957, Mao contradicted Khrushchev's line that no one could win a nuclear war. He said that such a war would not be the end of the world, because half its population would survive. From other statements by Mao, it is clear he thought that a large part of the Chinese population would survive an atomic war". So much for that nice Mr Deng.
And Pakistan:
"Under Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto, the country built its first functioning nuclear weapon. We believe that during Bhutto's term in office, the People's Republic of China tested Pakistan's first bomb for her in 1990".
So much for that nice Mrs Bhutto.
"For their part, the Chinese admitted to having conducted hydronuclear and radiation effects tests for France".
Crikey. I suppose testing at Muroroa Atoll is no longer an option. (Incidentally, one of the French spooks nicked by our Kiwi brethren for the Rainbow Warrior bombing is now head of HR for the Paris fire brigade. Bit of a comedown really).
And there's more:
"In the wake of the Suez crisis in 1956, the French and the Israelis initiated a joint nuclear weapons program that resulted in a test in the Algerian desert. At that test in 1960, two countries went nuclear with one shot".
And there's more:
"In the wake of the Suez crisis in 1956, the French and the Israelis initiated a joint nuclear weapons program that resulted in a test in the Algerian desert. At that test in 1960, two countries went nuclear with one shot".
Previous received opinion was that the two sides had fallen out in '58. The Israelis had weapon grade plutonium capability courtesy of Dimona by '65, by the way.
Labels: 'People's Republic' of China, arms and the man
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on Saturday, January 03, 2009 at 11:45 am.
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Always room for a dissenting voice to the received wisdom, Mr. C. :)
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