Obama warns about nuclear terrorism risk

[rooster59]

Obama warns about nuclear terrorism risk



Hosting world leaders in Washington, US President Barack Obama has urged them to do more to safeguard their nuclear facilities amid fears that groups like ISIL and al Qaeda want to unleash radioactive “dirty bombs”.

“By working together, our nations have made it harder for terrorists to get their hands on nuclear material. We have measurably reduced the risk,” Obama said at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit.

“But, as we discussed at last night’s dinner, the threat of nuclear terrorism persists.”

Obama told the summit: “There is no doubt that if these madmen ever got their hands on a nuclear bomb or nuclear material, they would certainly use it to kill as many people as possible.”

Last month’s deadly attacks in Brussels have fuelled concerns that ISIL could target nuclear plants, steal material and develop radioactive “dirty bombs”.

Nuclear giant Russia boycotted the summit, with President Vladimir Putin unwilling to join in a US-dominated gathering at a time of increased tensions between Washington and Moscow over Ukraine and Syria.

This is Obama’s fourth and final such summit, focussed on efforts to lock down vulnerable atomic materials to prevent nuclear terrorism.

Obama said the required 102 countries had ratified an amendment to a nuclear security treaty that would tighten protections against nuclear theft and smuggling.

He inaugurated the first Nuclear Security Summit nearly six years ago, after a landmark speech in Prague in 2009 laying out the lofty goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.

When Obama leaves office in January, there is no guarantee that his successor, who will be elected in November, will keep the issue a high priority.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-04-02

[Credo]

If Donald Trump becomes president, I think nuclear terrorism will be on everyone's mind. He has refused to rule out the use of nuclear weapons in Europe or the ME.

It seems the Brussels terrorists were hellbent on getting their hands on nuclear materials, so this plan is on the minds of terrorists. I think it is only a matter of time.

[derator01]

A troll post and reply have been removed from view. No conspiracy theories, please.

[AhFarangJa]

While I am happy that this threat is realised, no-one talks of other, simpler dirty bombs. A fanatical Islamist nutjob could wreak havoc by contracting , say, Ebola, then walking through the centre of any European capital for a few days. I am sure they have thought of it already, and much easier than stealing nuclear material..

[Hayduke]

Yes, obviously if these lunatics obtain nuclear weapons (and a delivery system) we've got a vastly more serious problem on our hands.

But...in the meantime...it does give the BO person a 'terrorism' phrase he's comfortable with.

He's more than okay using the term 'nuclear terrorism'...but adamantly refuses to use the words 'Islamic' and 'terrorism' in the same sentence.

Funny huh?

Edited April 2, 2016 by Hayduke

[Bobotie]

See David Cameron is deep in thought about pigs heads again in that photo...

[Bobotie]

While I am happy that this threat is realised, no-one talks of other, simpler dirty bombs. A fanatical Islamist nutjob could wreak havoc by contracting , say, Ebola, then walking through the centre of any European capital for a few days. I am sure they have thought of it already, and much easier than stealing nuclear material..

how about something even easier a fanatical nutjob, steals a couple of Iridium or colbalt sources from their local industrial inspection (NDT) company and straps them to some explosives...instant dirty bomb

[craigt3365]

I watched a BBC special on the 'Stans. In one country, the former USSR left a ton of radioactive material. A lot in holes only a few feet deep. And pics of many that had been dug up and the contents taken. It's a highly radioactive area....so who knows who got it and what they plan to do with it. No guards, no fences, nothing.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18666435

[johnny49r]

Oh thank you great oracle for pointing out the obvious.

[craigt3365]

Oh thank you great oracle for pointing out the obvious.

Obvious, yes, but many countries are doing nothing about it...so good he's trying to make others take action. Notice how Russia declined to participate?

[Bobotie]

Oh thank you great oracle for pointing out the obvious.

Obvious, yes, but many countries are doing nothing about it...so good he's trying to make others take action. Notice how Russia declined to participate?

Russia declined to participate cos they know these summits are just circle jerks...Russia.. when they decide to act..they do...they don't just talk about it

[Yann55]

The expression 'dirty bomb' always boggles my mind ... as if bombs could be 'clean' ...

And before any grumpy-retired-TVF-teacher here gives me a technical explanation, yes, thank you I know what it means.

What I find disturbing is the subtext : 'we are the good guys therefore our bombs are ok, but see ? those bad guys makes dirty bombs, which goes to prove how bad they are' ... well, I don't swallow that Hollywood version of the world wholeheartedly, sorry.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Now?you think about it now?,Where have you been for the last ten years Mr Obama?

[AhFarangJa]

Sucking up to Iran is one guess

[craigt3365]

Oh thank you great oracle for pointing out the obvious.

Obvious, yes, but many countries are doing nothing about it...so good he's trying to make others take action. Notice how Russia declined to participate?

Russia declined to participate cos they know these summits are just circle jerks...Russia.. when they decide to act..they do...they don't just talk about it

Right. Only 102 countries participating. Russia deciding they are too good for it.

And you're right. Russia does just act. For better or worse...easy to do when you've got no political or press freedom.

[craigt3365]

The expression 'dirty bomb' always boggles my mind ... as if bombs could be 'clean' ...

And before any grumpy-retired-TVF-teacher here gives me a technical explanation, yes, thank you I know what it means.

What I find disturbing is the subtext : 'we are the good guys therefore our bombs are ok, but see ? those bad guys makes dirty bombs, which goes to prove how bad they are' ... well, I don't swallow that Hollywood version of the world wholeheartedly, sorry.

I don't know of any "good guy" who's planning to put a dirty bomb in the center of a big city. Last nuclear bomb was a long time ago. Remember?

[wabothai]

The nights of the round table, of whom most have nuclear weapons.

[arjunadawn]

Such a curious OP byline when the concurrent international story is "Obama edits Hollande's remarks" from the White House audio and video feeds of the meeting "...islamist terrorism..." was so noticably edited that this action has equaled the gravity of the nuclear statement in papers around the world.

Its a curious thing to present such an apocalyptic scenario while editing other world leaders' remarks as to causation; indeed France is in the thick of things, the French perspective is palpable. Its true the Obama administration has an unofficial policy of editing the cause of terrorism from all government documents and speeches, and reducing jihad causation to a sterile, non descriptive, canned term "terrorism." The problem is, this does not empower people to manage the threat; thus, the threat grows. When the threat being offered from Obama and others is that of nuclear terrorism, Obama's censorship of Holland's remarks is more than troubling, its terrifying.

http://nypost.com/2016/04/02/white-house-doctors-video-to-remove-islamic-terrorism-quote/

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/paris-attacks-isis-release-chilling-6865388

Edit: Regarding fear of nuclear terrorism Hollande offered “the roots of terrorism, Islamist terrorism, is in Syria and in Iraq.” Which the WH later edited to a sterile, useless, non-attributable "...terrorism..." (The obverse of language/symbols is the mind's concepts/apprehension/context of them).

Edited April 2, 2016 by arjunadawn

[Grouse]

The expression 'dirty bomb' always boggles my mind ... as if bombs could be 'clean' ...

And before any grumpy-retired-TVF-teacher here gives me a technical explanation, yes, thank you I know what it means.

What I find disturbing is the subtext : 'we are the good guys therefore our bombs are ok, but see ? those bad guys makes dirty bombs, which goes to prove how bad they are' ... well, I don't swallow that Hollywood version of the world wholeheartedly, sorry.

I don't know of any "good guy" who's planning to put a dirty bomb in the center of a big city. Last nuclear bomb was a long time ago. Remember?

Do you really understand the issue? You understand the difference between fusion, fission and dirty bombs? Just checking

[Dumbastheycome]

Measurable?

And how many times have I heard self proclaimed ex military US citizens vehementally state " Just nuke em all !"

Propaganda precedes actional intent too often !

Never forget that extremism is not limited to nominated threat!

Thus the saying"Watch your back"! "

[Guest]

I'm afraid and pretty certain that we'll, the world will experience some sort of nuclear bomb in this or the next year.

Most likely the first one is going to be a dirty bomb. The terrorists will get some radioactive material and distribute it to a city centre with an explosion. That type of bomb is something what a modern society should be able to clean within few months. After all, there are a living societies in places where the real nukes have exploded.

What I'm mostly afraid, is that when the dirty bomb explodes, it might open the Pandoras box. If the dirty bomb explodes in Moscow, Russia might retaliate with an real nuke to the Daesh base. That becomes the real problem. Same applies to any other country which decides to use nukes agains other entities.

Nukes has not been used against the enemies for decades, for a good reason. Nukes allow countries to wipe out the civilizations of other countries, literally in 30 minutes.

If a nuke is used, let it be dirty bomb, fission or fusion bomb (which is actually a boosted fission bomb), it is really bad news.

[JHolmesJr]

Clear message from putin to a US president on his way out....youre out in 8 months, why should i waste my time with you?

Well played...he really is a great chess player.

[Guest]

Clear message from putin to a US president on his way out....youre out in 8 months, why should i waste my time with you?

Well played...he really is a great chess player.

No, Putin is not a great chess player, as he is often displayed.

His country is going broke. His people are unhappy and he has to implement restrictions of freedom of press and the freedom how his people are allowed to express themselves.

Putin should be displayed as a person, who is hugely selfish and as a person who don't really care a bit about the people who he should take care of and lead.

Putin is a mess. He have 'cleared out' the opposition for years. The danger of Russia is that there seem not to be any person, anymore alive, who could take over the reign from Putin, once he expires.

That's a real thread from the country, which holds huge amount of nuclear weapons.

[arjunadawn]

Clear message from putin to a US president on his way out....youre out in 8 months, why should i waste my time with you?

Well played...he really is a great chess player.

No, Putin is not a great chess player, as he is often displayed.

His country is going broke. His people are unhappy and he has to implement restrictions of freedom of press and the freedom how his people are allowed to express themselves.

Putin should be displayed as a person, who is hugely selfish and as a person who don't really care a bit about the people who he should take care of and lead.

Putin is a mess. He have 'cleared out' the opposition for years. The danger of Russia is that there seem not to be any person, anymore alive, who could take over the reign from Putin, once he expires.

That's a real thread from the country, which holds huge amount of nuclear weapons.

The things you note above can also be true; Putin can be a great chess player and he has personal qualities that are deplorable. Conflating one for the other does not disprove JHomesJR point. His aims may be contrary to yours, or mine, but he has out-mastered the US/West on nearly every recent issue I can recall.

[Guest]

Putin has, for far too long portrayed as a great mind, who knows how to use others for his will. I was one of the people, who was both afraid and exited of his intellectual possibilities. I was disappointed. He was nothing but a bluff.

Putin is nothing more than a abusive bull, whose real wish is to get even more power to himself. He suffers the Napoleon syndrome, because nobody in the free world, take him seriously. Poor boy.

If he wishes to get power, he should actually listen to what Russians are saying. Russians are crying for better life, which is not happening at the moment.

[hawker9000]

Oh thank you great oracle for pointing out the obvious.

LOL. Yeah, the great world statesman speaks ... I'm sure the other leaders present were enthralled.

[daveAustin]

The expression 'dirty bomb' always boggles my mind ... as if bombs could be 'clean' ...

And before any grumpy-retired-TVF-teacher here gives me a technical explanation, yes, thank you I know what it means.

What I find disturbing is the subtext : 'we are the good guys therefore our bombs are ok, but see ? those bad guys makes dirty bombs, which goes to prove how bad they are' ... well, I don't swallow that Hollywood version of the world wholeheartedly, sorry.

It doesn't matter who uses it... if the queen manufacturers one it's still a dirty bomb. But who gives a smeg, it's just a word... you can't call it a nuclear bomb because it ain't and simply calling it a bomb doesn't account for the fissile materials wedged in there. Would you be happy if the world renamed it a 'non-nuclear non-conventional bomb' just to be all PC? Jeez, some of you guys have too much time, I swear. [emoji6]

[Steely Dan]

In other news the farmer warns about the risk of foxes in the henhouse after he himself has left the door wide open.

[grumpyoldman]

In other news the farmer warns about the risk of foxes in the henhouse after he himself has left the door wide open.

Scintillating right whinger wit ! At least the door wasn't left open for planes into buildings on U.S. soil.

[craigt3365]

Clear message from putin to a US president on his way out....youre out in 8 months, why should i waste my time with you?

Well played...he really is a great chess player.

No, Putin is not a great chess player, as he is often displayed.

His country is going broke. His people are unhappy and he has to implement restrictions of freedom of press and the freedom how his people are allowed to express themselves.

Putin should be displayed as a person, who is hugely selfish and as a person who don't really care a bit about the people who he should take care of and lead.

Putin is a mess. He have 'cleared out' the opposition for years. The danger of Russia is that there seem not to be any person, anymore alive, who could take over the reign from Putin, once he expires.

That's a real thread from the country, which holds huge amount of nuclear weapons.

The things you note above can also be true; Putin can be a great chess player and he has personal qualities that are deplorable. Conflating one for the other does not disprove JHomesJR point. His aims may be contrary to yours, or mine, but he has out-mastered the US/West on nearly every recent issue I can recall.

Every issue? Really? Freedom of press (non existent). Economic growth (negative). Weak institutions (133 out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index). Social cohesion (some reports show as many as 50% of professionals want to leave the country). Standard of living (well below Western standards). Inadequate health care (and serious health issues related to smoking, drinking, etc, and mortality rates for men have risen 60% since 1991, and are now 5 times that in Europe). Massive corruption in the government (the world bank say corruption eats just shy of 50% of GDP!!!)

Etc,etc, etc....Putin's doing a great job.