February 24, 2004

Pakistan army gets new missile system

President Pervez Musharraf handed an indigenously produced nuclear-capable ballistic missile system to Pakistan's army Saturday, asserting the country would continue to strengthen its deterrent capability.

Musharraf used the handing-over ceremony to reiterate the country had never and would never proliferate its "hard-earned" nuclear technology.

"Had never and would never proliferate?" That's pretty rich coming from Perv!
AS IF he didn't know anything about the evil machinations of Pakistan's Dr. A.Q. Khan selling nuke secrets and equipment to Iran, Libya and Malaysia!
And what does he mean by "hard-earned?" I don't see him breaking into a sweat over anything but getting caught making nukes by the West. I guess he must mean hard-earned by the people of Pakistan, who have less to eat and must live a lot harder life in order to pay for all of these bombs.

The solid-fuel Hatf-111 (Ghaznavi) missile system that was handed to the Army Strategic Force Command will form an integral part of Pakistan's operational deterrent system, which also includes Shaheen and Ghauri intermediate missiles, Musharraf said.

The Ghaznavi has a range of 290 kilometers (181 miles) and was successfully test fired in 2002 and 2003.
[IOW, This one's for you, India!--Jen]

Musharraf said that during the past four years his government had demonstrated its resolve to strengthen the country's defense.

What cr*p!
Pervez is sounding just like Saddam used to, when he had new bombs.
Pakistan is supposed to be having serious talks with India to settle the Kashmir problem, so where's the big need for national defense and these missiles?
President Bush needs to put the smackdown on Musharraf and Vajapayee and let them know that the USA should have censured Pakistan and India when they went nukeyaler in 1998, but because Bill Clinton lacked a spine, we didn't.
But there's been a new sheriff in town for awhile and neither country should be given a pass for their nukes anymore!