Will terrorists ever get a hold of nuclear bombs? How can we stop this from happening?

Question

Will terrorists ever get a hold of nuclear bombs? How can we stop this from happening?
My biggest fear about certain smaller countries acquiring nuclear weapons is NOT that those countries could attack their neighbors. Rather I worry that an unstable country with nuclear weapons could sell or give nuclear bombs to terrorist groups. Those bombs could then be used against U.S. interests, against Israel, or against many other countries. They could spread fear, kill countless innocent people, and damage the economy. And after such an attack we may not neccessarily be able to know where the bombs came from in the first place.

How can we prevent such a scenario from happening?

Answer 1

We probably can't. But nuclear nations are jealous of the prestige that nuclear weapons bring and are unlikely to let their tribesmen get ahold of their stuff.

Have a look at the novel 'The Sum of All Fears' and you'll have some idea of what's involved. Some of the situations are pretty silly, but he has the science fairly close. Also read "The Curve of Binding Energy" for a good treatment of terrorists vs. nukes.

Answer 2

Right now the key deterrent to privately owned or small country owned nuclear weapons is concentrating or obtaining the fissionable material. A quick scan of the internet reviles several detailed plans for a fission based nuclear weapon. Rather than develop concentration technologies, a radical group would probably just steal the material from a preexisting warhead. Even simpler is just to distribute the radioactive material with a conventional explosive which in the case of Plutonium, is also highly poisonous. (The so called "dirty bomb") Distribution to the target is not really a problem for organizations that have access to suicidal members. The best defense is here is that for and semi legitimate organization utilizing a nuclear option instantly ends their legitimate operations and places the rest of the world against them. It would be like shooting off their foot to spite their toe. I have no doubt that in the next few years we we see and organization with technical smarts but without any political savvy that will attempt something of this nature. As for radical states, Israel or the US will not allow an uncontrolled state with nuclear weapons capability to exist. Israel has bombed Iran's breeder reactors and would not hesitate to do so again if needed. The US has many Cruse missiles to call upon.

Answer 3

The US is a nuclear terrorist and that is why they don't want others to have the bomb. Yes, even without the Internet I could, given the ingredients make a limited nuclear bomb and perhaps some terrorist group will. I don't think that they will also be able to create a modern system of deployment. If we are so worried about the modern nuclear crises why have we not negotiated with India and Pakistan to fore go their nuclear capacities.

It seems incongruous that a nation with the most nuclear bombs and deployment systems should tell the rest of the world not to do the same. Who made the US the bully in the sandbox?

Answer 4

Buy all of the Nukes that are on the black market now (Russia has "lost" a surprisingly large number).. find and dispose of the nukes that were lost by the U.S (significantly smaller number) Convince every emerging nuclear nation to give up its research and materials to someone who will not use them for ulterior purposes.. then..... Hmmm ok we CAN'T prevent it! period. We just have to hope that then terrorists who had the intelligence to acquire these weapons , also have the intelligence to know that.. nobody wins in a Nuclear situation

Answer 5

Actually few weeks ago there was a story came out of Russia, I think in Georgia (Georgia the country) where they caught a man in under cover operations. This guy apparently tried smuggling weapons grade plutonium and tried selling it in black market. He got busted by under cover agent. They found this small amount of plutonium in his coat pocket.

Weapons grade meaning it is enriched plutonium that can be used to make nuclear detonation.

There are lot of Cold War era nukes in Russia with questionable security. I think its matter of time untill some of it(weapons or radio active materials) leak out into black market some how.

Answer 6

Stop worrying.
If you must worry, then worry about the Meth crisis. That drug (with cheese and other OTC drug combos) are destroying more Americans. If it continues, we might actually need to worry if someone who can push the button has had his fix.
Honestly, we should just allow anyone to buy anything. Right now. Today.
As it is, kids have Pharm parties at the expense of their family members, or they pay high$$ to Mexican Cartels to get it off the street.
When they OD, and are rushed to ER, nobody knows what they have in their system.The FDA can become useful and actually make a profit selling drugs through a reasonable profit. Taxes would go down, and health insurance would drop. ER and doctors would know of addictive behavior and could assume drug use for some patients.

Answer 7

IMO the nation most likely to get nukes and give them to terrorists is IRAN.... If Iran does not allow inspectors in by NOV 2008, I expect their nuclear assets to be taken out.

Answer 8

you can go on yahoo search and get the ingredients needed to make one, so why not? any country with computer technology cab achieve nuclear weapons at anytime.

Answer 9

Yeah, they probably will!! Take away nukes for good... but, there's other very deadly bombs, like biological warheads.. We need Peace!!! And to achieve that, we need to be open to others cultures and beliefs.. The peoples of the world, I believe, are tired of war!!! I am one that is!!

Answer 10

well,in my opinion and in the things happening in the world today, trust and unity in other people are the only thing we can do. we should just spread these words.......i beleive in forgiveness and if everyone would just trust each other,we could prevent these things from happening.