US President Joe Biden said Pakistan is “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as it has “nuclear weapons without cohesion”.
He made the remarks while addressing a Democratic Party congressional campaign committee reception on Thursday.
“… And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion,” Biden said.
The US President’s remarks at the reception of the governing party were made in the context of the changing geopolitical situation globally.
The West has expressed concern over the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. Many in the West are worried that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists or jihadi elements.
“Ever since May 1998, when Pakistan first began testing nuclear weapons, claiming its national security demanded it, American Presidents have been haunted by the fear that Pakistan’s stockpile of nukes would fall into the wrong hands. That fear now includes the possibility that jihadis in Pakistan, freshly inspired by the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, might try to seize power at home,” Marvin Kalb, a non-resident senior fellow with the Foreign Policy programme at Brookings wrote last year.
The top US general Mark Milley had warned that a rapid withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan would pose an increased risk to the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
In his speech, Biden said the world was changing rapidly and countries were rethinking their alliances.
“And the truth of the matter is — I genuinely believe this — that the world is looking to us. Not a joke. Even our enemies are looking to us to figure out how we figure this out, what we do.”
There was a lot at stake, Biden said, emphasising that the US had the capacity to lead the world to a place it had never been before.
“Did any of you ever think you’d have a Russian leader, since the Cuban Missile Crisis, threatening the use of tactical nuclear weapons that would — could only kill three, four thousand people and belimited to make a point? In a televised speech in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would “certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people”. He added that he was not bluffing.
Bilawal surprised
Pakistan’s foreign minister said on Saturday he had summoned the US ambassador after Biden’s comments.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he was surprised by the comments. “As far as the question of the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets are concerned, we meet all— each and every — international standard in accordance with the IAEA,” he said.