U.S. Seeks to Rid World of 'Dirty Bombs'

[maddezmom]

VIENNA, Austria - Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham (news - web sites) announced a $450 million plan Wednesday to rid the world of the "dirty bomb" threat by keeping nuclear materials out of terrorist hands.


Abraham said the Global Threat Reduction Initiative would remove and secure high-risk nuclear materials that pose a menace to the international community.


Since the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, concerns have grown that terrorists might be trying to acquire material for a so-called "dirty bomb" — a device that uses conventional explosives to spread low-level radioactive material over several city blocks.


Abraham said the objective was to collect, secure and dispose of dangerous radioactive materials from around the world.


"Where 100 years ago authorities had to worry about the anarchist placing a bomb in the downtown square, now we must worry about the terrorist who places that bomb in the square, but packed with radiological material," Abraham told an International Atomic Energy Agency conference on nuclear safety.

~snip~
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=716&e=3&u=/ap/20040526/ap_on_re_eu/dirty_bombs

Wow, the misadministration is in Terrya overtime. :eyes:

[wtmusic]

1. OK, but they should be spending 10X that much

and not embarking on costly imperialistic adventures

[chelsea0011]

2. Just curious

But what do other people think when the US vows to clean up WMD's in the world while we are the country with most the WMD's? Do they say WTF...we ain't paying any attention?

[silverpatronus]

11. i can tell you what they say...

'you first'

[w4rma]

3. Have the nuclear waste dumps in IRAQ been secured yet?

Last time I read anything on this, these waste dumps had been ransacked for anything that looked like it was worth something.

[maddezmom]

4. ah, not yet

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/22/politics/22NUKE.html?ex=1085803200&en=6d8ea50ffe92ec8b&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE
The repository was an object of widespread looting by villagers after the American-led invasion last year. The villagers were for the most part apparently interested in using the barrels that hold the uranium for activities like cooking and storing water. They simply dumped out the uranium sludge and took the barrels. Although most of the barrels and all but a small amount of the uranium were recovered, the episode was an embarrassment to the United States and left traces of radioactive contamination throughout the village.

[izzie]

5. But we have most of them. What does this mean?

-------

[exploited]

6. Does "dirty bomb " include the depleted uranium tipped

... bombs and bullets that the US have been using to spread low-level radioactive material over Iraq & Afghanistan. Baghdad already glows in the dark but perish the thought of it ever happening in a major US city.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0515/p01s02-woiq.html

It's fucking hypocrisy. Another example of how an American life is valued higher than that of any other human on the planet.

In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first. (But that's just another example of fucking religious mumbo jumbo that starts wars in the first place... right? /sarcasm)

[priller]

8. That's dirty AMMO

That's different. Dirty bombs are the work of evil terrorists. Depleted uranium is righteous and terrible sword of Bush's conquering crusaders!!!

[bemildred]

7. Ah, yes, The War On Dirty Bombs (TWODB). nt

[Triana]

9. they could start with the one in the White House (n/t)

[On the Road]

10. Are They Kidding?

After the administration has tried to re-ignite the source of the material (nuclear power), refused to even discuss the existing nonproliferation treaty (which has excellent control mechanisms), and even started new initiatives on building a new generation of small nuclear arms.

I couldn't even make the case with a straight face: trying to outlaw a terrorist weapon whose danger to the US is relatively limited while refusing to set controls on weapons like small arms and landmines that actually kill tens of thousands every year -- just not in the US.

How can anyone take this seriously? Especially with that idiot Spencer Abraham making the case?

[0007]

14. The mere picture of Spencer Abraham sets me off to the bending end.

The Secretary of Energy Abraham is the biggest phoney in the history of the U.S. - Also the dumbest sonuvabitch in the U.S.

[Just Me]

12. Change begins (hello) at HOME!!! n/t

[SOS]

13. Absurd

1. Which Bush cronies get the $450 million contract?
2. Bush defunded Nunn-Lugar. A grotesque mismanagement which endangers every American.
3. Radioactive materials are used in everything from food processing to medical offices. This jackass thinks he can collect, secure and dispose of every scrap in the world?

[meow2u3]

15. If the Bushies really are serious about getting rid of dirty bombs

they can resign and then turn their asses in for a lethal injection!

[struggle4progress]

16. Any bets on what acually happens?

I expect them to grab the press buzz, then never really fund the program.