AQ Khan: How to Live Dangerously

In this episode of "Stuff You Should Know," Josh and Chuck delve into the life and activities of AQ Khan, the Pakistani metallurgist who played a pivotal role in developing Pakistan's nuclear program and illicitly proliferating nuclear technology to countries like Iran, North Korea, and Libya. The hosts discuss Khan's early life, his work at a uranium enrichment facility in the Netherlands, and his subsequent efforts to establish Pakistan as a nuclear power. They detail his clandestine network for procuring and exporting nuclear components, his relationships with various countries seeking nuclear capabilities, and the international implications of his actions. The episode also explores the complex geopolitical dynamics that allowed Khan's network to operate for so long, including the United States' complicated relationship with Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan War and the post-9/11 era. The hosts conclude by reflecting on Khan's legacy as both a national hero in Pakistan and a villain in the West, and the broader implications of nuclear proliferation.