The Real Threat Of Nuclear Smuggling :: essays research papers

The Real Threat of Nuclear SmugglingThis reading was based on the controversy over the threat that nuclear export poses. It begins by going over the view of each side in a briefmanner. It states that some analysts dismiss it as a minor iniquity whileothers find the danger to be very real and probable. This reading stands mainlyfor the belief that nuclear smuggling is a real danger. The analysts that findthis lie with to be a problem say that nuclear smuggling presents grave and seriousbecause even though the percent of these image of smuggling is less than that ofdrugs for example, the law-enforcement type officials are also less experiencedat stopping shipments of an item such as uranium than they are in seizingmarijuana or hashish.These same analysts grow also found that even a small leakage rate of anytype of nuclear real(a) can have extremely vast consequences and dangers. Theysay that although secrecy rules make precise numbers impossible to get, Thomas B.Cochran of the Na tural Resources Defense Council in Washington, D.C., estimatesthat a bomb requires amid three and 25 kilograms of enriched uranium orbetween one and eight kilograms of plutonium. A Kilogram of plutonium occupiesabout 50.4 cubic centimeters, or one seventh the volume of a standard aluminumsoft-drink can.In addition to this, analysts have found that protective covering is much to lax ineven the supposedly " just about protected locations". For example, the Russian storesin particular suffer from sloppy security, poor inventory management andinadequate measurements. Then there is the virtually nonexistent security atnuclear installations that compounds the problem. The main reason for this lackof security is that pay and conditions have worsened and disaffection has becomewidespread. So with an alienated workforce measly from low and often latewages, the incentives for nuclear theft have become far greater at the very timethat restrictions and controls have deteriorated.Aga inst this background, it is hardly surprise that the number ofnuclear-smuggling incidents-both real and fake-has increased during the fewyears. German authorities for example, reported 41 in 1991, 158 in 1992,241 in1993 and 267 in 1994. Although most of these cases did involve materialsuitable for bombs, as the number of incidents increases so does the likelihoodthat at least a few will include weapons-grade alloys.In March 1993, concord to a report from Istanbul, six kilograms ofenriched uranium entered Turkey through the Aralik border gate in Kars Province.Although confirmation of neither the incident nor the degree of the uraniumsenrichment was forthcoming, It raised fears that Chechen "Mafia" groups had