Even a 1 kT ADM could take out an entire city block and kill tens of thousands of people immediately, with tens of thousands more suffering from the radioactive effects of the fallout from such an explosion.
Posted on 06/22/2004 2:02:30 PM PDT by Smogger
The threat of a terrorist attack using nuclear weapons is "real and imminent", the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said today.
Mohammed al Baradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said it was a "race against time" to prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear materials.
His words echo repeated warnings by Tony Blair of the danger posed by an alliance between rogue states and terrorist groups such as al Qaeda.
Mr Baradei raised the spectre of terrorists being able to assemble a "dirty bomb". He said there was a real risk of uranium or plutonium falling into the wrong hands.
"We are actually having a race against time which I don't think we can afford," he told the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace conference in Washington. "The danger is so imminent... so the sooner that we start, the better for everybody involved."
In a separate intervention, US Senator Sam Nunn urged President Bush to raise concerns about the safety of nuclear material in Russia when he next meets President Putin.
Quibble, quibble: should that not be "ex-Senator" or "former Senator" Sam Nunn? This is the first quote from former Senator Nunn I've read since he retired. Wonder if his emergence lends credulence to the rumor that he is on Kerry's list of possible VP picks?
Mecca.
The UN should send Mr.Blix to help out to find these nukes... :o)
You know the terrorists don't give a fig or a grape about Mecca. They operate under the cover of Islam, but they are not Muslim. Besides that, Muslims don't practice idolatry, so wouldn't be religiously attached to any particular place. They would be upset, probably annoyed, but they would continue on in their muslimhood. But keep making the suggestion; there may be a prize for the 100,000th who makes the suggestion.
Nuke who? This enemy is spread all over the world in little cells. Conventional attacks will work just fine if our country will just do it. I'd like to see them launch about 50 coordinated attacks in one day all around the world at cells like they did today in Fallujah.
Must be why the Rat party is attacking their President and America since they think America is the imminent threat.
They probably do, every day, we just don't hear about them. Like Bush said, we won't be aware of most of the action. Bombing a building in Fallujah would attract attention, so would have to be acknowleged.
Yeah, yeah, as if we could be so lucky. ;-)
If he knew that to be the case, I'm sure GWB would call a MAJOR press conference ASAP!
JG - Was that your question today about the lack of media attention on the real torture? I heard Scott call on a 'Jeff', and that sounded like it could be one of your questions. ;-)
Are we really sure about the connection to Iraq... I mean, no offense, but Saddam doesn't seem the type to share his power with religious extremists like Osama because he is power hungry.... sure, other countries that already have religious leadership seems like a done deal, but Saddam already has had many flexes of muscle against Iraq's religious leaders... maybe they both hated America, but I don't think Saddam had a personality that would have sided with Osama... he's far too suspicious if you ask me.
Hey Mr. Wilson...Were you looking for yellow cake or the yellow gold in your investment portfolio?
Good point. What the administration should do however is periodically provide estimated results of number killed in covert attacks if they are occurring. This would help them gain support as well as help demoralize the enemy.
Body count might be interesting, but we learned in Vietnam that body count doesn't mean you are winning.
Even a 1 kT ADM could take out an entire city block and kill tens of thousands of people immediately, with tens of thousands more suffering from the radioactive effects of the fallout from such an explosion.
Right now we have very little news on body count. I think it would help moral and garner support. Plus this is much smaller enemy than Vietnam.
Another problem with body count in the present war is that terrorists are relatively scarce. We might find the number to be discouraging.
"THE PRESIDENT CONVINCED THE COUNTRY with a mixture of documents that turned out to be forged and blatantly false assertions that Saddam was in league with al Qaeda," claimed former Vice President Al Gore last Wednesday.
"There's absolutely no evidence that Iraq was supporting al Qaeda, ever," declared Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism official under George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, in an interview on March 21, 2004.
The editor of the Los Angeles Times labeled as "myth" the claim that links between Iraq and al Qaeda had been proved. A recent dispatch from Reuters simply asserted, "There is no link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda." 60 Minutes anchor Lesley Stahl was equally certain: "There was no connection."
And on it goes. This conventional wisdom--that our two most determined enemies were not in league, now or ever--is comforting. It is also wrong.
Read the entire article. Better yet, buy the book.
Look what just 19 of them did. The point is that this administration can share with the public progress being made (if they wanted to) while not revealing covert plans.
They do share. I agree that they could be a little stronger in the PR dep't.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.