The growing threat of nuclear terrorism

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The USA and Russia have signed a new treaty on nuclear weapons cuts.

 

 

Nuke treaty signed, but menacing arms issues lurk

AP – 1 hr 25 mins ago

PRAGUE – The nuclear weapons cuts President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed on Thursday would shrink the Cold War superpowers' arsenals to the lowest point since the frightening arms race of the 1960s. But they won't touch the "loose nukes" and suitcase bombs seen as the real menace in today's age of terrorism.

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For example, they are trying to forge agreement among themselves and four other nations — China, France, Britain, and Germany — on how to tackle Iran's continued defiance of United Nations demands that it cease enriching uranium. The West insists Tehran seeks to develop nuclear weapons; Tehran says it is after peaceful nuclear power.

http://news./s/ap/20100408/ap_on_re_us/us_us_russia

 

This development is followed by a warning by a former CIA agent in the national media that the real threat now is nuclear terrorism.

 

Nuclear terrorism is most urgent threat

 

By Valerie Plame Wilson, Special to CNN

April 8, 2010 7:02 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- The story of how I became a national figure in the media is widely known, but few people know what I actually did for the CIA. I was a covert operations officer specializing in nuclear counter proliferation -- essentially, making sure the bad guys didn't get the bomb.

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We know that terrorist groups have been trying to buy, build or steal a bomb.

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Based on my experience in the field, I believe that if governments don't act now to begin eliminating all remaining nuclear weapons, we will witness in our lifetime the use of the bomb by a country or terrorist group.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/08/plame.wilson.nuclear.danger/index.html?hpt=T2

 

Others have suggested this agreement is smart, because it focuses the US nuclear threat on regimes that support terrorism. The political right in the USA, however, is suggesting the agreement weakens the ability of the USA to defend itself.

 

The agreement was signed around noon time in Prague on April 6, 2010. Astrologically, the transit Sun and Moon were strong in MEPs of good houses. Transit Mercury and Venus were conjunct in the 10th house while transit 10th lord Mars was in opposition aspect to 3rd lord Mercury in the 7th house.

 

Thor