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rootofnewt) wrote2002-03-01 01:43 am
rootofnewt) wrote2002-03-01 01:43 am
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when i was a college student studying in moscow, there were headlines about violence, corruption, and missing resources every single day. the only one which managed to send a chill down by spine was the one about a couple score or so missing suitcase nukes.
portable nukes, that is. something that could, on a non-windy day, not damage more than part of downtown DC. DC is a small city, but on a windy day (or a rainy one), the damage would be far more widespread. naturally, in the collapse of the soviet union, records were lost, the chain of command disappeared, responsibilities transferred... and quite a few live nuclear weapons disappeared into the black market.
while in moscow, there were fears that these devices could be used in terrorist activities by those who have little to lose--namely, chechen separatists. even so, i don't think anyone truly worried. it was just another little eddy of violence in the hurricane of that country's past, present, and future.
so, when i read this tonight, i wasn't surprised by the thought that Al-Quaeda might have obtained--or tried to obtain suitcase nukes. it's not far-fetched. i've been thinking this for awhile--even pre-september.
i'm just shocked that our government acted on the possibility in this manner.
portable nukes, that is. something that could, on a non-windy day, not damage more than part of downtown DC. DC is a small city, but on a windy day (or a rainy one), the damage would be far more widespread. naturally, in the collapse of the soviet union, records were lost, the chain of command disappeared, responsibilities transferred... and quite a few live nuclear weapons disappeared into the black market.
while in moscow, there were fears that these devices could be used in terrorist activities by those who have little to lose--namely, chechen separatists. even so, i don't think anyone truly worried. it was just another little eddy of violence in the hurricane of that country's past, present, and future.
so, when i read this tonight, i wasn't surprised by the thought that Al-Quaeda might have obtained--or tried to obtain suitcase nukes. it's not far-fetched. i've been thinking this for awhile--even pre-september.
i'm just shocked that our government acted on the possibility in this manner.
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-- Andi, NOT a luscious mango . . .
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yet although there are various precautions around the conferences now, it could easily happen. we're sadly used to such bombings. (my mum used to work at a school in a town which seemed to have its schools periodically bombed. she just got used to checking her car for car bombs before getting in)
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