Nuclear Pakistan

The U.S. must work to counter a bigger threat

Two Washington think tanks revealed last week that they believe Pakistan may be producing 20 nuclear warheads annually, which could put it third in the world, after the United States and Russia, by 2020.

The research institutions are the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Stimson Center.

With U.S. and international diplomacy having focused primarily on the Iran nuclear-sanctions deal, the Syrian civil war and the Israeli-Palestinian dispute in recent years, the ongoing frosty relationship between India and Pakistan has not received major world attention. Pakistan cancelled last week the latest scheduled round of talks with India, citing India’s insistence on discussing the sensitive Kashmir issue. Pakistan remains the only nucleararmed Muslim majority state.

The United States, for its own reasons, has been reluctant to push either side toward peace. With Pakistan it has been the need to retain that country’s cooperation as the U.S. seeks to withdraw its final troops from Afghanistan, where the Taliban maintains a relationship with Pakistan. With India, it has been the need for the United States to improve long-term relations there, particularly in the commercial realm, where more U.S. arms may be sold.

The situation between India and Pakistan is dangerous. Both have nuclear arms. They and Israel are the only three nuclear powers that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Neither India nor Pakistan is a model of stability. Pakistan’s civilians and military continue their internal tug of war for preeminence. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has a record of anti-Muslim actions and his government’s authority is being challenged by various elements.

The problems between these two countries are not insurmountable, but they could benefit from greater U.S. attention.