Putin, Bush Feared Pakistan's Nuclear Bomb: Declassified Transcripts Reveal

• Declassified transcripts reveal US President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin's private concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program (2001-2008).
• In 2001, Putin called Pakistan a "military junta with nuclear weapons," highlighting the army's real power.
• Both leaders privately viewed Pakistan as dangerous regarding nuclear bombs, despite public alliance with Pervez Musharraf.
• Major concern was A.Q. Khan's network, which supplied nuclear technology to Iran, Libya, and North Korea.
• Putin was "nervous" about Pakistani-origin uranium in Iranian labs, a fear shared by Bush, emphasizing global leak risks.

Why It Matters: Declassified talks show Putin and Bush deeply feared Pakistan's nuclear program and potential proliferation.