Colonel Gaddafi pressurises General Zia-ul-Haq to supply Libya with nuclear weapon

(From left) Haig, Weinberger and Kirkpatrick: Difference of optionMany voicesNot surprisingly, America's Nato allies and Japan are in a quandary over the Reagan Administration's foreign policy or, rather, the total lack of it. Faced with the confused jumble of signals emanating from Washington, the allies are beginning to wonder whether the US Government's chaotic foreign policy so far will not be a repeat of what it was under former president Jimmy Carter.What is certain is that the causes of the confusion under Carter and now under Reagan, are markedly similar and essentially boil down to a difference of opinion within Reagan's staff and cabinet. Casper Weinberger, in charge of defence, has been bombarding Reagan with memos urging him to take a tougher line with West Germany's Helmut Schmidt over the stationing of missiles in Europe.Meanwhile, three senior officials in the defence department, Fred Ikle, John Lehman and Richard Perle, who successfully opposed Carter's SALT-II treaty are now actively pursuing the same line with Reagan.The trio have been trying to convince Reagan to delay a decision on negotiations with the Soviets on strategic arms till the US has worked out a comprehensive policy that would give the Russians absolutely no advantages.Meanwhile, the Secretary of State, Alexander Haig, has been undermining the efforts of America's United Nation's Ambassador, Jean Kirkpatrick, to work out a compromise over Israel's bombing of an Iraqi nuclear reactor while Bill Brock, the Administration's trade negotiator, has lashed out strongly at Haig's trade policies.Essentially, however, it is Haig's failures coupled with Reagan's lacklustre attitude towards a firm foreign policy that is worrying US allies the most. Last fortnight, there were strong rumours that Haig was likely to be removed from his post, leading to another possible hiatus before the Reagan Administration's foreign policy takes on more concrete shape. With a new government in France and both Schmidt and Britain's Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher under considerable domestic fire, the consequences of the delay could be disastrous for the United States.A worrying fall-outIsrael's destruction of Iraq's nuclear reactor in June has produced what could be a frightening fall-out. Libyan strongman, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, according to intelligence sources, has once again started applying pressure on Pakistan's General Zia-ul-Haq to supply Libya with a nuclear weapon.The pressure was in the form of a confidential letter delivered to Zia last month reminding the latter of the secret agreement between the two countries signed in April 1980. The agreement, according to sources, contains Pakistan's commitment to provide Libya with an enriched uranium plant in exchange for supplies of unenriched uranium and $I,500 million to finance Pakistan's nuclear project.Pakistan, however, had gradually pulled out of the agreement by refusing to allow Libya access to its nuclear facilities and instead turned to Saudi Arabia for finance, even though Libya had paid for a delivery of uranium bought from Niger last year. Libya's latest effort to force Pakistan to honour its original agreement, however, is more serious as far as India is concerned.According to sources, Gaddafi's letter to Zia contains one important addition to the original agreement. This time, Libya has agreed to finance a sophisticated air-defence system around Pakistan's nuclear installations. By doing so, Gaddafi is playing on Zia's fears that India might do to Pakistan what Israel did to the Iraqis last month - an eventuality that Zia must be seriously worried about.Yankee come backThe popular slogan of 'Yankee Go Home' is being turned around in many parts of South-east Asia, where, recent moves suggest that the new slogan is 'Yankee Come Back'. Pressure on South-east Asian states to encourage an increased American military presence is currently being spearheaded by Singapore. Sinnathamby Rajaratnam, Singapore's first deputy prime minister, has been openly backing the move and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew also discussed the possibility at a recent meeting with President Reagan in Washington.Following the talks, Singapore's old airport is being converted into a military base with extended runways capable of handling American B-52 bombers. Similar airfield expansions are being conducted in Indonesia's Natuna island, north-east of Singapore.Meanwhile, armed forces in Asean countries are being equipped with American rifles and other military equipment as standard issue. In the Philippines, close military ties with the US exist already. The new trend follows closely on the heels of recent plans to evolve a military pact among the Asean countries, all of which have increased the size of their armed forces in recent months.The moves are naturally being viewed with concern by the Soviets, who could lose whatever foothold they have in the region if the US increases its military presence in the region.Disturbing the balanceThe United States is understandably worried at the latest opinion polls in Greece which confidently predict a clear victory in the coming general elections for socialist leader Andreas Papandreou. In his pre-election speeches, Papandreou has been demanding that Greece should cut its formal ties with the West, expel the United States from their military bases in the country, and actively pursue a non-aligned policy.With a socialist government already installed in France, the US would naturally find it difficult to deal with another one in Greece, especially if the new Government decides to pull out of the country's Nato obligations. But latest reports indicate that George Rallis, the present prime minister, and his New Democracy party, are trailing far behind the socialists in pre-election polls.In fact, Rallis tried to restore his party's popularity by suspending talks with Washington on extending the agreement on four US bases in Greece - an obvious bid to show voters that he was not bowing to Washington's influence. It is clear, however, that the electorate of Greece is desirous of change and Papandreou's expected victory could shift the strategic balance in the region.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 13, 2013 15:57 IST--- ENDS ---

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Colonel Gaddafi pressurises General Zia-ul-Haq to supply Libya with nuclear weapon

Israel's destruction of Iraq's nuclear reactor in June has produced what could be a frightening fall-out. Libyan strongman, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, according to intelligence sources, has once again started applying pressure on Pakistan's General Zia-ul-Haq to supply Libya with a nuclear weapon.

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