Pakistan frees A.Q. Khan...and the world's a little less safe

The New York Times has the story...A.Q. Khan, Pakistani scientist and proliferator of nuclear weapons material and technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran, has been release from house arrest by the Pakistani government. Our reaction was predictably concerned:

In Washington, officials condemned the move. While it is almost
inconceivable that Mr. Khan would again be actively involved in Pakistan’s
nuclear program, which has created an arsenal of roughly 100 weapons, there was
broad concern that he could reactivate an international black market network
that was only partly dismantled.

“He’s still a proliferation threat,” said Robert A. Wood, the spokesman for
the State Department. “We’re very troubled by this.”

Khan himself was defiant and unapologetic:

Washington’s concerns were defiantly dismissed by Mr. Khan, who, beaming
and smiling, was thronged by supporters and television cameras outside his
residence in an affluent neighborhood upon news of his release.

“Let them talk,” he said. “Are they happy with our God? Are they happy with
our prophet? Are they happy with our leaders? Never, so why should we bother
what they say about us?” Mr. Khan added, “I would be more worried about what you say about me, not what Bush says or what Dick Cheney says.”

For a good analysis of why this is a big deal, check out Michael Anton's post on the NewMajority scroll.