Where are the most likely sources of nuclear weapons and materials for terrorists?

Question

I can think of the former states of the Soviet Union and our friend "Pakistan" of course.
Shouldn't we do something about that?

Actually the stockpiles in Russia deemed to pose the greatest threat to American security. And they are moslty unprotected.

Answer 1

I agree, that it's in the former USSR. The US was working with the Russians to clean up some of the material. I don't know if that program still exists but it is vital to our national security to make sure that it is all accounted for.

Answer 2

The US. We sell everything and anything to anyone for the right price. We've sold to terrorist groups in Central America in the 60's and 70's and 80's. We have even sold classified material to China in the 80's, Russia from the 40's on. The Middle East Nations are our largest customers. We sell to them, they sell to someone else. Military Commerce.
The former USSR was at one time selling Bomb Grade Uranium to the highest bidder not connected with the US. But now the US is willing to sell the same to our so called friends in the Middle East, who will sell to someone else.
The Technology of the US is out there and can be bought for a price.
A worker in the Pentagon.
A soldier needing extra cash.
A factory worker under government contract.
A licensed Arms Dealer.
THE PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES or any other dishonest employee or government offical.
The list is nearly endless.
The more time given to terrorists, the more they like it, just like Bush. The more time given to his terrorist doings the more he likes it.

Answer 3

I have actually read a bit of what I would call source material on this subject. What do you think all the spy satellites do? All of them arent cameras instead we have some that are like the one used on Mars exploration namely ground penetrating radar. Also there are ones that detect certain nuclear decays. Plutonium isnt inert. Many radiologicals emit radiation in the gamma ray spectrum and are detectable. Dont you think it interesting with all the tons of material lost in the cold war decline of the USSR that no country has been able to accumulate just 8kg. All you need is 8kg of plutonium to make a nagasaki style bomb. People dont realize we were mostly testing this stuff. The two bombs were different Hiroshima was a uranium weapon and not so devastating.

Answer 4

The 'missing' soviet-era weapons (if they ever really existed) are one possibility. Pakistan is on the verge of collapse which could put plenty of nukes in the hands of potential terrorists. The DPRK has explodes something nuke-like, anyway, and could certainly at least provide materials - and is desperate enough to sell to just about anyone. And, of course, Iran has an advanced nuclear program, capable of providing materials, now, and, doubtless, actual weapons in the future.

The key is /which/ terrorists. Pakistan and Iran, for instance, have ties to terroism, but to completely different sets of terrorists. If Al Qaeda nuked Long Island, the nuke would likely have come from (a post-Musharaf) Pakistan. If Hezbolla sets off a dirty bomb in Tel Aviv, it would likely have come from Iran.

Answer 5

For years, terrorist enterprises have been in a position to acquire 'pirate' nuclear cloth. The plan could be to detonate a 'grimy' bomb in a notably populated area. Such weapons have quite small explosive ability, yet can unfold radioactive an infection over a extensive area.

Answer 6

Former Soviet Union resources that entered the black market in the 1980s.

India and Pakistan have limited nuclear capability, and neither is strongly developed enough to sell. It's much cheaper and more effective to buy older European or even obsolete American nuclear weapons technology (designs) than to copy from Pakistan or India.

As for nuclear grade weapons fuel -- that's the hardest. But hundreds of pounds (more than enough for several large bombs) go missing from US and European plants every year.

Answer 7

I don't see a problem in Russia at the moment. I think the premier Mr. Putin is on top of it. Few years ago yes but not now.I

I'm more worried about terrorists using a dirty bomb (i.e. from medical radioactive waste) at the moment. A so-called radiological weapon which uses a conventional explosive device to spread radioactive material over a city.

Answer 8

I agree that it is the former Soviet Union. It seems to me that Bush and Kerry both agreed that was the greatest threat to Nation security, during the Presidential debates. Bush who "won" the election has done nothing to secure these loose nukes, I wonder if Kerry would have?

Answer 9

You can say that but we were selling places like Iraq dual use technology for years that could be used to build a bomb.

Great Britain tried to provide Iraq with nuclear material, But were caught and turned back!

Pakistan has the bomb don't they, and that is where Osama is, isn't it?

Answer 10

A pakistani scientist that was running a blackmarket nuclear business, and of course, any country that decides to fund a "friendly" terrorist group to cause problems for an enemy state, so they can effectively attact them without causing diplomatic strain.