Panel issues report on terrorists and nuclear and biological threat
A high-powered bipartisan panel this afternoon formally submitted its sweeping report that warns that terrorists are likely to use nuclear or biological weapons in the next five years -- unless the federal government takes concerted action.
Former Senator Bob Graham of Florida, a co-chairman of the commission that drafted the report, said the danger is growing as al Qaeda strengthens and expands its reach.
The other co-chairman, former Senator Jim Talent of Missouri, said that the world is more vulnerable to biological weapons than nuclear because less attention and oversight has been focused on them. He also said the focus needs to be on Pakistan, which he said is at the "epicenter" of the dangers.
"Our challenge is great," Graham said at a Washington news conference. "The good news is our challenge is not inevitable."
The commission is recommending beefed-up efforts to control nuclear and biological materials around the world and diplomacy, backed by the threat of military action, to stop Iran and North Korea from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Advisers to President-elect Barack Obama told the Globe that he already plans to follow through on another recommendation -- naming a top White House official to coordinate the efforts to prevent terrorists from getting and using such weapons.
The commission briefed Vice president-elect Joe Biden and incoming Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano.
UPDATE: Before the private meeting, Biden said that Congress chartered the commission to ask, “Are we doing all we can do, and are we doing it rapidly enough to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their use by a terrorist group?”
“The answer that jumps out very starkly is no, we are not doing all we can or should,” Biden said, according to a press pool report. “And we’re not doing all we can to prevent the world’s most lethal weapons from winding up in the hands of terrorists.”
“This report is more than a warning about what we are doing wrong. It’s a pragmatic blueprint for how to get it right,” he added.
Napolitano chimed in, saying, “The safety of our citizens, the safety of our homeland and the elimination of the threat of global terrorism is our top priority,” adding later “However, the threat of a WMD attack on American soil can be dramatically reduced through a coherent and sustained strategy to improver our vulnerabilities and to adapt to a new and evolving threat.”
“The report clearly shows that the United States must act urgently, deliberately, and in concert with nations across the globe to adapt to the constantly evolving threat of weapons of mass destruction.”
"We intend to be diligent and creative in our efforts and in our measures to protect our homeland," she concluded. "We will act, in the words of the commission, with the urgency called for by the nature of the threat that confronts us. This will be our priority at the Department of Homeland Security. I know that this is the priority of the Obama-Biden administration.”
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To Foon Rhee and the Like: Here we go again,when is it going to stop? Quit pointing fingers and take Responsibility for Our Actions. The world has been at war since the beginning of time? What is going to change by telling everyone to Beware of the next oh so many Years. Get together with these Rapers,Murderors and Radical Extremists and Do away with Them! Whoever they May be? Quit trying to scare the Average Joe and JoAnna and get of Your Combined A---- and Change the World! Just a Brief Thought on the Current Media Mentality! Thank You for the Commentary Option. Marshall
If you think the threat of nuclear annihilation has nothing to do with wealth vs. poverty, think again. Social Darwinism is making this world a bad place.
I'm with Marshall - Thanks for the public forum!
We in fact already have bioterrorism--daily, as anyone can tell you who unnecessarily suffers and perhaps dies for lack of medical coverage, or who has contracted an MRSA or the like in our underfunded hospitals, or who lives in a part of the world (or of this country) where the medical technology available to the wealthier citizens of wealthier nations are lacking. Perhaps if we put our resources toward ending this terrorism of inequality, we could lessen the chances of the more "bad guys--good guys" sort of terrorism too. And I hope, and would like to believe, the incoming administration knows this.
Fear-based governance has become routine "Standard Operating Procedure" here in the "Land of the Free and Home of the Brave". And why not? Such an alarmist approach has "worked" to control the citizens of Israel for sixty years and it has been working to control the frightened Americans since 9-11-01.
This is not change that we can believe in, this is encroaching fascism disguised as "security".
If you think the threat of nuclear annihilation has nothing to do with wealth vs. poverty, think again. Social Darwinism is making this world a bad place.
I'm with Marshall - Thanks for the public forum!
I'm reminded of the story about the boy crying wolf on this issue and how sad of that story ended.If you read that story then there is a very important reason why we should not doubt this threat in the future.Yeah,we think we already know this before with the Bush years but terrorists are on a mission we have a slight idea about their next biggest project.I use that term project to describe the terrorists global and deadliest plan because they think that's their purpose in life.
If you think the threat of nuclear annihilation has nothing to do with wealth vs. poverty, think again. Social Darwinism is making this world a bad place.
I'm with Marshall - Thanks for the public forum!
Congratulations on a job well done. Thanks.
I am from Tome and now teach English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Schumacher hit on the card and villeneuve told to learn old credit and pay four bonds, centrally to result the 1997 golf."
Thank you so much for your future answers 8-). Alano.