Bush Cancelled Nuclear Weapons Protection in Russia

[JPZenger]

This item was at the very end of a long Washington Post article on October 26th about nuclear proliferation. It was brought to our attention by the "Top 10 Idiots List." George W. has killed a program to make sure that nuclear weapons in Russia are protected against terrorists because the Russians wouldn't promise liability protection against American companies. Which is more important, avoiding a nuclear attack or avoiding a lawsuit against George W.'s friends?

Here's the excerpt:

"...Kerry said it would take 13 years to secure Russia's bomb ingredients at the current pace.

"The big gorilla in the basement is the material from Russia and Pakistan," said Robert L. Gallucci, dean of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and a classified consultant to the CIA and Energy Department laboratories. "This is the principal, major national security threat to the United States in the next decade or more. I don't know what's in second place."

Securing the materials is laborious, expensive and dangerous work. Bush decided to let two of the major programs lapse because Russia declined to accept a change in the agreement that would shield U.S. firms from liability for worker safety.

Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.)...said acidly, "I wonder if has been advised that ... the liability issue is preventing destruction of enough plutonium for about 10,000 weapons?"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62727-2004Oct25_5.html