Clinton warns of Pakistan nuke risk

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By Nicholas Kralev and Barbara Slavin

UPDATED:

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Thursday that Pakistan has dispersed its nuclear weapons throughout the country, increasing the risk they could fall into terrorist hands as Taliban fighters move closer to the capital.

Her comments came as new satellite images suggested Pakistan is increasing its capacity to produce plutonium, a fuel for atomic bombs.

Mrs. Clinton, testifying on Capitol Hill for the second day in a row, had earlier accused Pakistan's government of abdicating to the Taliban. She was referring to a truce finalized this month that gave Taliban fighters control of a scenic valley just 100 miles from the capital, Islamabad, after two years of fighting.

"Why are we so concerned about this? One of the reasons is nuclear weapons," she told a House Appropriations subcommittee Thursday when asked about the truce. "We spend a lot of time worrying about Iran. Pakistan already has them, and they are widely dispersed in the country — they are not at a central location."

The imposition of Islamic law was part of the truce that gave the Taliban control of the Swat Valley. Within days of the agreement, the Taliban used Swat as a base from which to take control of another valley just 60 miles away from Islamabad.

Pakistan's Foreign Office defended the Swat peace deal even as it deployed about 100 paramilitary troops in an attempt to reverse the Taliban's latest conquest.

"Pakistan continues to play a positive and constructive role in the war against terror. It is victim of terrorism and with its inherent national resilience and strength, the country will succeed both against internal and external threats," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters.

Gunmen attacked the Pakistani force, killing one officer as local officials made an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate yet another truce with the Taliban.

On the nuclear front, U.S. officials said that Pakistan continues to expand and improve its nuclear capabilities, but they conceded that Washington has not discussed the issue with the Pakistanis in depth for several years.