In recent years, one of the most significant threats to Asian security and the nuclear non-proliferation regime has come from the nuclear smuggling network led and operated by the Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. This network was responsible for providing atomic weapons designs and materials to states such as Iran and North Korea. This article analyses the causes and consequences of the “Khan Proliferation Network”. The findings show that the factors responsible for the existence of this smuggling ring did not result from the failures of Western intelligence agencies but rather from a combination of the security environment that existed in Asia and the broader requirements of American foreign policy with respect to its “grand strategy” in Asia.
