Pakistan's Nuclear Security Has Vulnerabilities: US, Reuters India, 3 February 2010

EXCERPT: "The United States believes Pakistan can protect its nuclear weapons but vulnerabilities remain, the director of the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency said on Tuesday. 'We have confidence in Pakistan's ability to safeguard its nuclear weapons though vulnerabilities exist,' Lieutenant General Ronald Burgess said in testimony to the Senate intelligence committee, without providing details on what those weaknesses were... Burgess said the tribal areas in Pakistan continued to provide 'valuable sanctuary' to al Qaeda and others and while attacks on these groups had disrupted some of their activities, they remained resilient. 'Pakistan's military has demonstrated increased counterinsurgency training and doctrinal adjustments but its priority remains India,' he said, referring to the bitter rivalry with its nuclear-armed neighbor. At the same hearing, director of national intelligence, Dennis Blair, pointed to what he said was increased coordination among Pakistan-based militant groups and al Qaeda in their attacks inside Pakistan. 'This tactical coordination across militant networks probably is increasing and is an important factor in the increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan,' Blair said."

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Read the [pdf], US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, 2 February 2010

Related articles:
, AFP, 3 February 2010
Officials warn al-Qaeda "certain" to try attack soon, The Wall Street Journal, 3 February 2010
Mullen terms Pak-Afghan border area epicenter of terrorism, GEO TV, 2 February 2010

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