Biden Says Musharraf Has Control of Nukes

Nov 04, 02:13 PM

Current Headlines: U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential candidate, says Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf would stay in control of that country's nuclear arsenal.

Appearing Sunday on CBS News' Face the Nation, the Delaware senator said in response to a question that even if there are riots following Musharraf's seizure of emergency powers, Pakistan's nuclear weapons are adequately guarded.

I believe they are, Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said. But look, Musharraf has pretty firm control of the military. The military has pretty firm control of the nuclear arsenal. And right now what they have, to the best of my knowledge ... their nuclear weapons and the delivery systems, that is, the missiles, in separately. They are in separate places guarded by their military.

However, Biden added that he worried about the total degeneration of that country and who knows what will come out of the military as well if this thing gets really out of hand.

If the country's radicals gain control -- Musharraf said he acted to save the country from militants -- "they are going to obviously have control and be able to marry those two things, the actual nuclear weapon and

the missile to deliver the nuclear weapon. Right now I believe the military has full and firm control of

both of those."

Biden also questioned the effectiveness of continued U.S. military aid to Pakistan and Musharraf's operations against the Taliban and al-Qaida along the western border.