By Praveen Swami, Diplomatic Editor

The Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based nuclear watchdog, has obtained satellite images showing that a row of cooling towers at Pakistan's secret Khushab-III reactor has been completed. This suggests the plant could begin operation within months, allowing Pakistan substantially to increase its stockpiles of weapons-grade plutonium.

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Work at Khushab III has forged ahead even as Pakistan struggles to cope with floods that have inflicted damage estimated at £27 billion–and amid mounting concerns over the long-term security of the strife-devastated country's nuclear arsenal.

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I believe the U.S. and the U.K. sent a lot of money and help to Pakistan after the recent flooding disaster. I wonder how much of that went to the benefit of the homeless refugees and how much went to the nuclear program? We don't even know if the Pakistanis are "on our side" after the recent closing of the Khyber Pass border crossing point which enabled the Taliban to destroy millions of dollars worth of NATO fuel and supplies.

We can't ever be sure which side the Pakistani Intelligence service ISI is working for, and we've been worried for a long time about the security of the existing Pakistani nuclear warheads.

Our relationship with Pakistan makes about as much sense as keeping a cobra as a house pet does.