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Turning the Tide on Nuclear Security
The most tangible and urgent danger facing the developed world today is arguably the threat of terrorists obtaining nuclear material. Highly enriched uranium could be used to craft a crude fission device of significant magnitude. Plutonium or low enriched uranium could be used for a “dirty bomb” spreading radiation and panic.
The possibility of so-called “loose nuclear material” falling into almost anyone’s hands was driven home by this piece in the Washington Post earlier this week. And, thank goodness, it is a threat taken seriously by the Obama Administration which has made securing all of this material over the next four years a top priority.
Loose nuclear material, nuclear nonproliferation, and overall disarmament are on the agenda today as 15 heads-of-state meet at the United Nations Security Council. U.S. President Barack Obama chairs the historic meeting which is expected to pass a meaningful resolution. (UPDATE: The resolution passed unanimously. Full text here.)
Today’s action is just one step in a long path to lower nuclear dangers around the world. The U.S. decision to drop a missile defense plan to be based in eastern Europe has already lowered tensions. (One wag said we are getting a good deal of benefit for giving up a failed system intended to defend us against a threat which no longer existed.)
This new atmosphere will likely be beneficial to talks between the United States and Russia to drastically cut their strategic nuclear arsenals. Something both sides desperately want to do, but in the real world can only accomplish in tandem.
And if a U.S.-Russia deal can really be reached, watch out. Big global change could be in store.
All the other nuclear powers in the world, when asked why they won’t reduce their arsenals or cooperate more on nonproliferation, say, “Why should we when the U.S. and Russia won’t reduce theirs?” Well if that roadblock is cleared, all kinds of new agreements and arrangements will be on the table.
Imagine the possibilities if this is the context for the global summit on nuclear security being held by President Obama in Washington, DC next March. We may very well look back on September of 2009 as the moment when the nuclear tide finally began to turn.
(More from the Stanley Foundation on nuclear security here.)
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