Putin not able to track all nukes

Washington Times ^ | May 2, 2007 | Bill Gertz

[Tailgunner Joe]

In his new book, Mr. Tenet states that shortly after the September 11 attacks, Mr. Bush briefed Mr. Putin about a Pakistani nongovernmental group, Umma Tameer-e-Nau. The group, whose members included extremist nuclear scientists, was helping the Taliban and al Qaeda develop nuclear arms.

The president "asked Putin point blank if Russia could account for all of its [nuclear] material," he states in his book, "At the Center of the Storm."

"Choosing his words carefully, the Russian president said he was confident he could account for everything -- under his watch," Mr. Tenet stated, noting that the deliberately ambiguous response tended to confirm reports of nuclear smuggling shortly after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Mr. Tenet said the CIA informed Russian intelligence about former Soviet nuclear scientists who were working with al Qaeda.

Russian officials "refused to delve into any matters related to the security of their nuclear facilities and nuclear weapons, including reports sourced to Russian officials concerning possible theft of Russian 'suitcase nukes,' " Mr. Tenet stated.

The comments contradict Russian government claims for the past 16 years that no nuclear arms were missing.

Alexander Lebed, a former Russian national security adviser, stated in 1997 that Russia could not account for about 80 portable nuclear weapons, a claim later denied by Moscow.

Mr. Tenet disclosed the presidential exchange in explaining detailed intelligence reports from late 2002 to spring 2003 stating that senior al Qaeda leaders were "negotiating for the purchase of three Russian nuclear devices."

The former CIA chief identified the al Qaeda nuclear procurement group as including No. 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahri and Abdel al-Aziz al-Masri, who is described as the "nuclear chief" for the terrorist group.

[Enchante]

"Insights into how decisions are made -- the thought processes and confidences and personal traits of our senior leaders -- are real intelligence jewels," she said. "Our enemies hunger for these kinds of insights. Of all people, George Tenet knows that. He at least could have waited until the president was out of office before baring his soul."

[LZ_Bayonet]

""Insights into how decisions are made -- the thought processes and confidences and personal traits of our senior leaders -- are real intelligence jewels," she said."

Reminds me of the WWII movie that had the uniformed Nazi, apparently with Military Intelligence, trying to study Patton and anticipate his moves.

[Enduring Freedom]

as american president, i would declare to the world the following:

‘should any nuclear device be detonated to target americans anywhere in the world, upon determining the source of the nuclear device:
1. the country of origin, irrespective of whether intended, stolen, etc. will be targeted for immolation by the united states at the rate of 1:100 megatons;
2. in any event, iran and north korea will also be targeted, just because we will be pissed’

i am guessing that this directive, issued by a coherent and respected president on the side of the american people, will serve as a massive deterrent by old commie whores like putin.

[RusIvan]

i am guessing that this directive, issued by a coherent and respected president on the side of the american people, will serve as a massive deterrent by .==

“old commie whores like putin” Funny:).

[Fred]

Could some of these nukes be in, ohhh, I don’t know, lets say, Syria???

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1827889/posts

[bedolido]

Where’s Jack Bauer when you need him? Unfortunately this is a real threat to our country.