World May Be Headed for Nuclear Destruction, ElBaradei Says

[rodbarnett]

VIENNA (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Thursday the world could be headed for destruction if it does not stop the spread of atomic weapons technology, which has become widely accessible.

<snip>

Above all ElBaradei echoed President Bush (news - web sites)'s call in a speech on Wednesday for states to tighten up the control of their companies' nuclear exports to proliferators.


ElBaradei, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general, said the world must act quickly because inaction would a create a proliferation disaster.


"The supply network will grow, making it easier to acquire nuclear weapon expertise and materials. Eventually, inevitably, terrorists will gain access to such materials and technology, if not actual weapons," he wrote.


"If the world does not change course, we risk self-destruction," ElBaradei said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=3&u=/nm/20040212/wl_nm/nuclear_arms_elbaradei_dc

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Bush is the trigger

Yes, we've made the world so much safer with our actions...NOT!

[AG78]

2. But smaller...

tactical nucular weapons can't be bad. They're just little ones.

[DemNoir]

3. No time for this nonsense now

Haven't you heard, the gays want to get married!

[UpInArms]

4. you forget that there's

also Janet's boob and Martha is on trial!

[gulliver]

5. Just the time to have a twit like Bush in the WH

The United States could have used the international sympathy and fear after 9/11 to bring the world together. We could have strengthened the policing of terrorist networks and worked to resolve the root causes of terrorism. But we had Bush in the White House.

Seeing Bush on MTP last Sunday I still can't believe how small he is and how much damage he has done.

[ozymandius]

6. Valerie Plame's role was to interrupt nuclear proliferation.

So the Executive office outs a CIA operative, for spite, who was in charge of a network that tracked and interdicted WMD material. The Bush administration cares nothing about limiting proliferation where there is no political or monetary profit to be made.

[ewagner]

7. Gulliver and Ozy

Two excellent points.

My wife keeps marvelling at how much damage Bush* has done is such a short period of time.

Ozy: After seeing Bush* on MTP on Sunday and then seeing his speech yesterday, I find it hard to believe that the man has any understanding whatsoever of the words he read in the speech. He knows nothing but what he is told.

[loftycity]

8. I guess I won't have to worry about retirement then? right?

I'll sleep better tonight..

[Vogon_Glory]

9. I Fear We're In For It

I fear we're in for it. Thanks to deliberate Boosh regime neglect and that of the Banana Republicans who spent the Clinton years attempting to bring down his administration by examining the First Member, a lot of nuclear weapons technology and material has been making its way around the world.

I fear that we are going to see at least one regional nuclear war and we'll probably lose a US city or two from a terrorist attack (And I'm betting that it'll be from lose fissile material lost because of Banana Republican penny-pinching when it came to tracking the sutff).

I expect that the US and most of our friends and neighbors will survive--but we'll be considerably the worse for wear.

[seemslikeadream]

10. Bush told investigators to "back off" Saudis connection to Khan

You may never have heard of Khan Laboratories, but if this planet blows to pieces this year, it will he thanks to Khan Labs' creating nuclear warheads for Pakistan's military. Because investigators had been tracking the funding for this so-called "Islamic Bomb" back to Saudi Arabia, under Bush security restrictions, the inquiry was stymied. (The restrictions were lifted, the agent told me without a hint of dark humor, on September 11).

...A top-level CIA operative who spoke on condition of strictest anonymity said that, after Bush took office, "There was a major policy shift" at the National Security Agency. Investigators were ordered to "back off" from any inquiries into Saudi Arabian financing of terror networks, especially if they touched on Saudi royals and their retainers. That put the Bin Ladens, a family worth a reported $12 billion and a virtual arm of the Saudi royal household, off limits for investigation.

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=312&row=0

[enki23]

11. i have to agree with mr frost...

i hold with those who favor fire

[On the Road]

12. All the Signs Were Right for a Treaty Four Years Ago

Over 100 nations were signatoires. There was near universal international support.

Trent Lott allowed one afternoon for debate, and the airwaves were flooded with right-wing talking heads saying the treaty was "flawed" without giving details. It died with a whimper.

The nonproliferation treaty was the best antidote for the type of reckless spread of technology we're seeing now. If a nuke goes off anywhere in the world, the GOP has blood on its hands.