klipgeit
02-15-2008, 01:53 PM
Nuclear Overview
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/images/dot_red.gif
Introduction
South Africa is the first and only country to construct nuclear weapons and subsequently voluntarily abandon its weapons program. In 1993, then-South African president F.W. de Klerk revealed in a speech to parliament that South Africa had pursued a "limited nuclear deterrent capability," to counter a perceived Soviet threat in Southern Africa. In the 1970s and 1980s South Africa constructed six gun-type (javascript:openGlossary(%27http://www.nti.org/h_learnmore/nuctutorial/chapter02_05.html','chapter02_05','height=900,width=610,scrollbars=yes')) nuclear weapons. Less than a decade after completion of its first nuclear weapon, South Africa dismantled its weapons program—facing diminishing security threats and in an effort to shed its pariah status. Since that decision in the early 1990s, South Africa has been instrumental in promoting nonproliferation globally.
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/SAfrica/Nuclear/index.html
SA did dismantle the facility for one reason only.
Not to give the ANC government the ability to use it.
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/images/dot_red.gif
Introduction
South Africa is the first and only country to construct nuclear weapons and subsequently voluntarily abandon its weapons program. In 1993, then-South African president F.W. de Klerk revealed in a speech to parliament that South Africa had pursued a "limited nuclear deterrent capability," to counter a perceived Soviet threat in Southern Africa. In the 1970s and 1980s South Africa constructed six gun-type (javascript:openGlossary(%27http://www.nti.org/h_learnmore/nuctutorial/chapter02_05.html','chapter02_05','height=900,width=610,scrollbars=yes')) nuclear weapons. Less than a decade after completion of its first nuclear weapon, South Africa dismantled its weapons program—facing diminishing security threats and in an effort to shed its pariah status. Since that decision in the early 1990s, South Africa has been instrumental in promoting nonproliferation globally.
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/SAfrica/Nuclear/index.html
SA did dismantle the facility for one reason only.
Not to give the ANC government the ability to use it.