The Atomic Bazaar: Dispatches from the Underground World of Nuclear Trafficking

William Langewiesche investigates the global threat of nuclear weapons production and the spread of nuclear technology from wealthy nations to poorer ones. As unstable and undeveloped nations acquire nuclear capabilities, state-sponsored nuclear activity has become increasingly dangerous. The book also examines the risk of non-state terrorist groups manufacturing and deploying such weapons. Langewiesche recounts the history of Abdul Qadeer Khan, a scientist involved in nuclear development and trade in the Middle East. Khan orchestrated the theft and sale of centrifuge designs that contributed to Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and sold nuclear plans to North Korea, Iran, and other countries. The book then explores the potential for nuclear terrorism in concrete detail. Drawing from events spanning Hiroshima to the present, Langewiesche presents an account of nuclear proliferation as a critical global concern.