TresSugar

Guard the Nukes! Rate of Nuclear Thefts Disturbingly High

LibertySugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:00:45 -0700

Almost 250 thefts of nuclear or radioactive material were reported last year. The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency explained this week: “The possibility of terrorists obtaining nuclear or other radioactive material remains a grave threat. Equally troubling is the fact that much of this material is not subsequently recovered.”

Experts say health consequences of a dirty bomb are minimal compared to the panic that it would cause. But, there's no need to panic quite yet -all the material stolen last year combined would not be enough to build a device.

Last week, a new commission created by Australia and Japan to bring together officials from nuclear powers and other interested parties, met to discuss the spread of nuclear weapons since the Cold War. In 2009, the commission will meet again in Washington, DC to push for the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, a treaty that still awaits US ratification.

Hopefully, other crises like the financial or climate crises don't cause world leaders to take their eyes off this dangerous issue.

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North Korea No Longer State Sponsor of Terror

LibertySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:00:12 -0700

North Korea just got cut from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. By presenting the isolated regime with the carrot of taking it off the bad-guy list, some in the Bush Administration hope Pyongyang will honor its promise to end its nuke program.

A few days ago North Korea banned inspectors, raising concerns that the deal, only a few months old, would collapse. But after he determined the country had cooperated with verification requirements of the agreement, Bush made the decision to take North Korea off the list.

Before Sarah Palin called Bush's move "wise," John McCain indicated that it was a mistake to take North Korea off the list, unless it clearly showed its commitment to stop pursuing nuclear weapons. If the US wants countries to start acting friendly, must the US treat them like friends first; or, is removal from the terror list something that must be earned unequivocally?

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CIA Director Hayden Says Biggest Threat is a Nuclear Al-Qaeda

CitizenSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:00:24 -0700

Sometimes a news story doesn't allow for any ducking and covering, and this is one of those: the possibility of al-Qaeda acquiring nuclear weapons. While nuclear weapons in countries like Iran and North Korea are worrisome, CIA Director Michael Hayden said yesterday that the agency's top nuclear threat is al-Qaeda.

Hayden said, "There is no greater national security threat facing the United States than al-Qaida and its associates." The concern of course, is that al-Qaeda is more likely to use them. Talking about North Korea's off-again on-again nuclear relationship and Iran's complicated situation, Hayden said with them, "The question is not of capability, but intent."

The intent of course is clear with al-Qaeda. Hayden says, "Bin Laden has said repeatedly that he considers acquisition of nuclear weapons a religious duty. And we know that al-Qaida remains determined to attack our country in ways that inflict maximum death and destruction." It's believed that Osama bin Laden is no longer overseeing the day-to-day operations of al-Qaeda. Hayden added that the best thing the next president could do to help the CIA wrestle with these problems is to step aside and allow the agency to work.

To see the complicated state of Iran's program, read more.

Current intelligence still maintains that Iran's nuclear program is at the "keeping its options open" stage and hasn't stepped up efforts to design weapons. Hayden's remarks however, came the same day that the IAEA presented intelligence pointing to plans Iran has to redesign a missile to contain a nuclear payload.

Do you think al-Qaeda has the means necessary to acquire nuclear weapons - or is this just a hypothetical doomsday scenario?

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Front Page: US to Send $1 Billion to Georgia, New Orleans Residents to Return, North Korea Reassembling Nukes

CitizenSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:01:11 -0700

US to Send $1 Billion to Georgia:
The Bush administration is set to announce $1 billion in aid to help Georgia rebuild after its conflict with Russia last month. The package reflects an increase of support from the administration. In addition, Vice President Cheney has visited the region, and the aid and visit will probably increase tension with Russia.

New Orleans Residents to Return:
Mayor Ray Nagin has given New Orleans residents the go-ahead to return to their homes tomorrow - at their own risk. A curfew will still be in effect, and many homes are without electricity or working toilets. Nagin said, "It's my humble opinion that the city is still in a very, very vulnerable state." 800,000 people are still without power in the state.

North Korea Reassembling Nukes:
North Korea has begun to reassemble its main nuclear facility saying the US has delayed its removal from the list of terror sponsors. In response, Washington has reiterated its condition that North Korea commit to a plan verifying the accounting of the nuclear program submitted in June. The US is talking to North Korean officials to "look for solutions."

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Front Page: Hurricane Dolly Hits Texas, China to Allow Protests, Iran Says No Concessions

CitizenSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:56:59 -0700

Hurricane Dolly Hits Texas:
Hurricane Dolly arrived on the Gulf Coast early Wednesday with heavy rain and winds ramping up before the center of the storm hits towns on the Texas-Mexico border later today. The hurricane will bring up to 15 inches of rain, threatening local levees that gave way 41 years ago in Hurricane Beulah. The National Hurricane Center said Dolly could approach Category 2 strength when it makes landfall today.

China to Allow Protests:
China has announced that protests will be allowed in three specific city parks during the upcoming Olympics. To protest, one has to apply for permission from the city government and police, and stay within the parks. The director of the Beijing committee said the parks are "close to the city proper and the Olympic venues," but didn't know how the application process would work "at this time."
Iran Says No Concessions:
The president of Iran says the country will not back down in its nuclear activities. The US, UN, and EU have instructed Iran to give an answer on the issue within two weeks or face sanctions. President Ahmadinejad responded in a televised speech, "the Iranian people are steadfast [they] will not retreat one iota in the face of oppressing powers."

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Front Page: Rice Warns Iran, China Foils Olympic Terrorists, Six Die at US Consulate in Turkey

CitizenSugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:03:01 -0700

Rice Warns Iran:
The tension between Iran and the US elevated today as Iran tested missiles for the second day in a row. The action prompted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to assert that the US will defend its allies and interests against an attack. At a press conference Rice said, “we will defend our interests and defend our allies. We take very, very strongly our obligations to defend our allies and no one should be confused of that." An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander was quoted as saying, "our hands are always on the trigger and our missiles are ready for launch." Meanwhile, the subject of Iran's nuclear program has led President Bush to count heavily on diplomacy hoping to assuage the mounting situation in Iran that newscasters can't stop describing as "sabre-rattling."

China Foils Olympic Terrorists:
China has foiled plans by five "terrorism" groups aiming to target the Beijing Olympics, as reported by the state media. So far this year, police have detained 82 people in the country's unsettled Xinjiang region who had allegedly been planning to sabotage the Beijing Olympics.

Six Die at US Consulate in Turkey:
Shots were fired outside of the US Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, yesterday, killing at least three police officers, with three assailants killed in a brief gun battle that followed. Officials report a fourth assailant escaped. The attack was the first on a diplomatic outpost in the city since 2003, when attacks on the British Consulate killed 62 people. Turkish and American officials consider yesterday's attack one of terrorism.

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Front Page: Iran Fires Missiles, Polygamy Leader Hospitalized, Darfur Peacekeepers Attacked

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:59:24 -0700

Iran Fires Missiles:
Iran has test-fired nine missiles today, including one capable of reaching Israel. The tests coincide with escalating negotiations over Iran's nuclear program as well as US and UK warships conducting naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf. The tests make this quote from yesterday stand out. A senior Iranian official said yesterday that Iran would respond to any military attack by striking Israel and America’s vital interests around the globe. He said, “In case that they commit such foolishness, Tel Aviv and the US fleet in the Persian Gulf would be the first targets to burst into flames receiving Iran’s crushing response.”

Polygamy Leader Hospitalized:
Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has been taken from jail to a Las Vegas hospital for an unknown medical problem. President of the now well-know FLDS sect, Jeffs was sent to prison after a conviction by a Utah jury last year on two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice. His health has been in jeopardy while in prison because of a self-imposed fast as well as attempted suicide combined with throwing himself against the walls and banging his head.
Darfur Peacekeepers Attacked:
Six members of the joint peace mission between the United Nations and African Union in Sudan's Darfur region have been killed in an attack. A convoy of 40 armoured vehicles ambushed the peace force while on patrol in North Darfur. Reports say that about 17 peacekeepers are still missing. The UN-AU mission struggles against the violence with only 9,000 of the planned 26,000 troops. It's unclear at this point who was behind this attack. Since the conflict began in Darfur five years ago, the UN estimates that 300,000 people have died and another two million have fled their homes.

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Front Page: Voters Led to Polls in Zimbabwe, N. Korea Blows, al-Qaeda Figure Dead

CitizenSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:00:10 -0700

Voters Led to Polls in Zimbabwe:
As the Zimbabwe election dawns, any voter turnout could be credited to fear. Marshals are rounding up and leading voters to polling stations, with reports that voters fear punishment or even death if they can't produce the red-tipped finger that signifies a vote. One woman says, "I've got no option but to go and vote so that I can be safe." Not just a vote, a vote for current President Robert Mugabe, as a man concurs, “I voted for Mugabe because I didn’t want to risk my life.” Voters are being told to copy down the serial number on their ballot so that it could later be confirmed that they voted for Mugabe. Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai (who dropped out on Sunday) said, “today is not an election. Today is a shameful humiliation, another tragic day in our nation’s history.”

North Korea Blows:
A huge explosion rocks North Korea as the country demolishes its nuclear cooling tower, one day after agreeing to release the details of it's nuclear program. The tower was the largest visual symbol of the problematic program; its destruction is seen as "a significant and very important step," according to a State Department official.

al-Qaeda Figure Dead:
The US military reports that a militant killed earlier this week has been identified as the leader of al-Qaeda in Mosul. The man whose goes by the name Abu Khalaf had planned and executed many attacks before being shot and killed by US troops during a raid in Mosul. For the past month, US and Iraqi forces have been battling to drive al-Qaeda from the city, which US and Iraqi officials say is al-Qaeda's last urban stronghold in Iraq. Mosul has seen several large attacks in past days, directed toward local anti-Qaeda leaders.

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Front Page: North Korea Declares Nuclear Program, Iraq Bombings, Immigration Raid

CitizenSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:02:25 -0700

North Korea Declares Nuclear Program:
North Korea has submitted for inspection the long-awaited declaration of the extent of its nuclear program. Immediately after the move, the Bush administration announced it would remove the country, formerly on the "axis of evil" list, from the list of states who sponsor terrorism, as well as lifting commercial restriction on the country. President Bush said, "this can be a moment of opportunity for North Korea. If it continues to make the right choices it can repair its relationship with the international community."

Attack Kills 33 in Iraq:
At least 33 people have been killed in two massive bombings in Iraq today, including 18 people hit by a car bomb in the northern city of Mosul. The US military gave initial reports from Mosul saying that another 71 civilians and nine policemen were wounded. The second attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, killing the mayor and 14 senior members of an anti-Qaeda group. US commanders have said that Mosul is the country's last urban stronghold of al-Qaeda.
Immigration Raid Leads to 160 Arrests:
Federal immigration agents raided a used clothing plant in Houston, leading to 160 arrests, 70 percent of whom were women. The raid was the largest ever in the area, and the second major raid in Houston in the past two months. Two hundred immigration agents were involved in what was part of a yearlong investigation. A lawyer for the company said, “We want to abide by the law, and we're going to abide by the law. If we have an illegal employee, we don’t know it. No way. Tell us what the law is, and we’ll obey it.”

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Does Syria Have the Bomb? UN Experts Begin Investigation

CitizenSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:00:16 -0700

Syria is getting a secret probing from UN experts in search of a hidden nuclear program. After the discreet aerial bombing of an alleged Syrian nuclear site by Israeli jets in 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is sending a four person team to inspect. Although Damascus has repeatedly denied such claims, Israel and the US claim that the installation was a nascent nuclear reactor.

In April, Washington released photographs showing what they believed to be North Korean experts inside a reactor closely resembling one in Yongbyon, North Korea. Syrian officials claim that the site bombed by Israel was an unused military facility but deny it had anything to do with a reactor.

The IAEA has criticized both Israel and the US for delaying sensitive information and engaging in an act of war before inspectors had a chance to inspect any evidence. They have also asked Syria for complete transparency when they make their inspection. The IAEA visit is promoted as a fact-finding mission, though if inspectors uncover evidence of a nascent nuclear program, it could mark the start of a massive investigation similar to the agency's five-year probe into Iran's activities.

Do you think the US and Israel acted appropriately, especially if Israel is involved in secret nuclear programs of its own? Is Syria developing nuclear weapons?

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