US News

Obama: Nuclear terrorism is "gravest danger" to US

Jul 16, 2008, 17:47 GMT

Washington - Barack Obama Wednesday charged that the Bush administration has failed to confront the threat of nuclear terrorism and vowed that if elected president, he would lead the effort to corral errant nuclear materials and stay one step ahead of biological and cyber threats.

Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, aimed to bolster his credentials on national security with the gathering organized by his campaign - billed as a summit on 21st Century threats at Purdue University in Indiana.

While Obama is seen as strong on major domestic issues such as health care and the economy, polls show the electorate believes Republican Senator John McCain, a downed Navy pilot in Vietnam, is stronger on security and military issues.

Obama called nuclear terrorism 'the gravest danger we face.' He called President George W Bush to task for spending nearly 1 trillion dollars on the war in Iraq, which had no active nuclear programme, while 50 tons of highly enriched uranium at civilian nuclear facilities around the world often is 'poorly secured.'

'Now, we worry - most of all - about a rogue state or nuclear scientist transferring the world's deadliest weapons to the world's most dangerous people: terrorists who won't think twice about killing themselves and hundreds of thousands in Tel Aviv or Moscow, in London or New York,' Obama said.

Obama vowed to 'lead a global effort to secure all loose nuclear materials around the world' during his first term as president, to further negotiate with Russia to achieve 'deep reductions' in global nuclear arsenals and to pressure the US Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Obama charged that the nuclear, biological and cyber threats of the 21st century 'have been neglected for the last eight years' under Bush.

The Bush administration can point to some successes, including its role in securing Libya's 2003 agreement to dismantle its nuclear weapons and North Korea's recent overtures to follow suit. The White House has kept up steady pressure for years to get Iran to dismantle its uranium enrichment programme.

Under Bush, the US has supported efforts to denuclearize former Soviet states, and the president also launched the Proliferation Security Initiative, an international agreement to cooperate in the interdiction of illicit transfers of missile and weapons of mass destruction technology.

Obama also spoke of the threat from bio-terrorism, saying he would launch a government-wide effort and a partnership to invest 5 billion dollars over three years to forge an international effort to 'interdict dangerous bio-weapons' around the world.

The vulnerability of computer information networks that are the 'backbone' of the economy, national security and 'our personal well- being' would become a top priority for Obama as president.

'I'll declare our cyber-infrastructure a strategic asset, and appoint a national cyber advisor who will report directly to me,' Obama said.

The Indiana 'summit' on security included top experts on nuclear non-proliferation, bioterrorism and cyber security such as former Democratic Senator Sam Nunn, who heads the nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative, and has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate.



COMMENT

blog comments powered by Disqus

Latest Headlines in US

Older Talkback

page: 1 

Obama is a stupid, stupid childJul 16th, 2008 - 19:21:05

'Obama: Nuclear terrorism is 'gravest danger' to US'

So you are going to chase your tail in endless negotiation with evil monsters who want to get an atomic bomb to wipe out their sworn enemies? Namely the USA and Israel?

Obama is an islamist appeaser and appeasing evil only gets you more evil.

Report this comment

Obama is a dirty liarJul 16th, 2008 - 19:29:32

'Obama called nuclear terrorism 'the gravest danger we face.' He called President George W Bush to task for spending nearly 1 trillion dollars on the war in Iraq, which had no active nuclear programme, '

Again, the lies get repeated by the press so often they become accepted as truth. From CNN:

500 tons of uranium shipped from Iraq

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States secretly shipped out of Iraq more than 500 tons of low-grade uranium dating back to the Saddam Hussein era, the Pentagon said Monday.

The U.S. military spent $70 million ensuring the safe transportation of 550 metric tons of the uranium from Iraq to Canada, said Pentagon spokesman Brian Whitman.

The shipment, which until recently was kept secret, involved a U.S. truck convoy, 37 cargo flights out of Baghdad to a transitional location, and then a transoceanic voyage on board a U.S.-government-owned ship designed to carry troops to a war zone, he said.

The 'yellowcake' uranium transfer was requested by the Iraqi government at the encouragement of the U.S. government, Whitman said.

www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/07/iraq.uranium

Report this comment

Obama is a dangerous incompetentJul 16th, 2008 - 19:47:38

Now Obama is Promising to Get Rid of All Nuclear Weapons

Barack Obama has a plan to get rid of all the nuclear weapons in the world. He’s going to achieve this amazing feat by making sure the US adheres to nonproliferation treaties.

'Two goals of his administration would be to secure all loose nuclear material during his first term and to rid the world of nuclear weapons, Obama told an audience before a roundtable discussion at Purdue University.

Obama said adhering to nonproliferation treaties would put pressure on nations such as North Korea and Iran.'

Because Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong-Il will look at the US adhering to those treaties, and be embarrassed into getting rid of their weapons programs.

Or something like that.

Report this comment

tonny from belgiumJul 16th, 2008 - 22:07:20

It takes the usual republicans to make this kind of comments .Did you know that only one of every ten thousand containers entering or transiting in the USA is opened and checked ?It is a piece of cake for a terrorist group to smuggle a nuclear device into the USA .That is what Obama is talking about .Is he wrong ?Given the figures I think he is right .The ignorance of the republican posters is mindbogling .What is this thing about 5000 tons of uranium and Iran:these figures are completely insane ,I presume they mean 5000 tons of urnium oe,any idea how much uranium is extracted from that ?I gess no,or perhaps they do but then those figures would appear muh less impressive .Alaystrus the neocons to come up with silly ranting completely void of ant reality other than their own fears and paranoia .To the garbage bins of history with them,together with those extremist muslims they love to fight with .
Leave the world to the moderate and intelligent people .There is only one cure for paranoia:the psycho ward.Go there ...

Report this comment

danJul 16th, 2008 - 22:43:04

we have arabs galore in dearborn mi.
the time is here to eliminate them rag heads

Report this comment

Obama is trying to win the election/OSAMA TOOJul 16th, 2008 - 23:05:34

This nut is so stupid, he does not know that CIA is giving money to all these terrorists, so that USA can sit at the helm of oil and a constant threat to Russia. He is just trying to win elections by uttering such stupid speeches.

THE CRUSADERS AND COLONISTS WANT TO COLONISE MUSLIM COUNTRIES AND ENSLAVE THEM WITH HELP OF SAUDIES!!!

Report this comment

to danJul 17th, 2008 - 00:37:30

from: one of those ragheads in Dearborn Michigan.
Come and get me, anytime, if you feel man enough to do it, you coward. I bet you can't even go for a crap with first imbibing a quart of liquid courage. You speak awfully loud, but small words, for such a tiny mind.

Report this comment

tonny from belgiumJul 17th, 2008 - 05:58:49

Replace the word arab with the word jew in Dan's disgusting racist comment and the neocons and Israeli would be screaming for blood all over this site .When it concerns arabs or palestinians their voices are nowhere to be heard .It probably would have been ok for them had the holocaust been carried out on 6 million arabs ?Tells a lot of the mindframe of these so called patriots .There is not a iota of difference between a nazi and people like Dan,they both are a disgrace.And I 'd love to hear those that were so heavily persecuted in the past raise their voice in angere over this modern version of anti semitism ?Why is there not a single jewish organisation raising it's voice in anger over these racist comments ?Are they perhaps contaminated by racst prejudice too ?Tey suffered most and should understand best what it is to b persecuted.Time for them too to speak out .

Report this comment

SP4: He has more experience with terroristsJul 17th, 2008 - 14:41:30

..in fact some of Obama's best friends are terrorists.

Report this comment

SP4: File it under...Jul 17th, 2008 - 14:47:51

I cannot believe it


...for seven years, Bush stands as the lone watchman against nuclear proliferation in the world, after his predecessor stood by while Pakistan gave it away and Russia and France enabled these terrorists. Bush has;

Successfully gotten Libya to give up it's Nuke program

Has N. Korea doing the same

Has put unprecidented pressure on Iran that his predecessors ignored.

Has Indai dealing on compliance and inspection

Now, this neophyte, who the libnazis are touching themsleves over daily has the gall, with his legislation accomplishments that could fit on a match book cover, insinuatiing he's not doing enough....


??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
The dems are all talk,

Talk on terror

talk on energy

talk on security

talk on warfighting.

Report this comment

danJul 17th, 2008 - 17:51:31

what you gonna do arab be-head me?
thats about all you creeps know how to do.
i live in dearborn we should go have coffee sometime.your not american your a terrorist in america.........

Report this comment

Tim LJul 17th, 2008 - 18:04:34

I find the vast majority of my political leanings are more toward a conservative role. However, in the past 8 years the party I used to recognize myself with has turned into a big steaming pile of poo. The vast majority of posts made buy the republicans in the last 8 years have been of fear mongering, deceit, and full blown imaginary facts. The absolute bottom of the barrel represents the majority of the republican party. I am ashamed that so many Christians vote for, and follow these hating fools. You are going against the teachings of Christ.

In this article Obama has made several very powerful and profound promises that are easy to understand.

*Education is the key in keeping America strong.
*Prevention is better than a knee-jerk reaction.
*Setting a good example will make our decisions favorable in the world view.
*A Good world view will allow a significant increase in pressure against Tyrant ran countries.

If you have a hard time understanding these points I believe the Housing Bubble is the least of America's worries.

Report this comment

ex lutheranJul 17th, 2008 - 18:11:46

you certainly don't really think their is a christ the savior do you?
im 64 ad i wasted my life having that shoved down my throat...wake up and smell the roses

Report this comment

SP4: certainly notJul 17th, 2008 - 21:00:49

...after all, why would anyone follow a middle eastern man who advicated non-violence, love, compassion and respect for life?

Report this comment

yupJul 17th, 2008 - 22:09:47

the king of fairy tales .... a big guy who watches over you but lets little kids get raped and murdered ..yah right

Report this comment

SP4: the Fairey tale...Jul 17th, 2008 - 22:37:12

Men, not God, are evil.

Report this comment

thenJul 18th, 2008 - 12:56:04

God needs to get off his ass and take care of buisness right?

Report this comment

CharlesJul 18th, 2008 - 13:41:55

So is Obama 'fear mongering' to make us nervous about some fantastical nuclear mushroom cloud that may some day appear over a US city?

I thought I heard that somewhere before - but for the life of me I can't remember where. Perhaps I should check the impeachment articles against GWB or Cheney.

What a farce.

Report this comment

solutionJul 18th, 2008 - 14:14:28


i myself don't think we have any choice this time around.
so myself and my whole family are not going to waste our time this fall.
as far as a solution ....there is none.since the bush affair the country really went down hill and it wll never come back...never.

Report this comment

tonny from belgiumJul 18th, 2008 - 15:52:56

I guess most failed even to understand what is meant with the statement that nuclear terrorism is the main threath.Almost every real terrorism specialist hs pinpointed out the fact that only one out of ten thousand containers entering the USA are effectively screened .It would take only one container rigged with a nuclear device inside to provoke a real carnage in your country .Yet ,because it is a nuisance to check more containers with little or no financial gain to be made by your military industrial establishment,nothing is done about it .obama is the first one to recognize that .Of course he is labelled a liar by the republican campaigners on this forum.Why ?Is it because it is embarassing that things are so simple .Either it shows that republican candidate McCain is not taking things seriously or that hehas his priorities wrong .Whatever the case it also shows that those in power are reluctant to take measures if those conflicts with business interests .Slightly different from taking measures when those conflict with human rights that kind of attitude .hence I can only deduct that business interests are more valued than human rights in the republican logics .But of course most of you already knew that ...

Report this comment

CharlesJul 18th, 2008 - 17:56:29

I guess Tonny doesn't actually have a clue about US container import protocols and the programs for screening containers in foreign ports of departure. Has she heard of programs where the US government sponsors technology and equipment to customs officials of foreign countries so that they can monitor their own trade flows not related to US trade?

Let us ask Tonny:

How many minutes would she like US customs officials to spend inspecting each container that comes to the US from abroad?

Hmmmm. OK. Now, how many containers enter the US?

OK. So how many man hours are you proposing we spend on this little project?

OK. What is the average labor cost then?

What sort of a back log would that create - and what would it cost the economy in terms of productivity?

This problem has many layers, none of which Tonny is capable of peeling back.

The simple fact of the matter is that as obama moves from nutball far left primary politics into the mainstream, he is forced to shed his tinfoil hat and adopt realistic positions. These positions - like recognizing the fact that nuclear terrorism is a threat (something the left tried to ridicule the current administration for accepting), are in direct contradiction to their entrenched positions.

You cannot expect reasonable people to ignore that discord in your argument.

If terrorists with nuclear bombs are a threat, then so are the rogue regimes that pursue wmd and support terrorists. I'm glad to see heads coming out of the sand at last. Their previous idiotic positions have cost the US thousands of lives and tens of billions of dollars.

Report this comment

Obama is a dangerous idiotJul 18th, 2008 - 19:09:59

'Obama: Nuclear terrorism is 'gravest danger' to US'

Here, let me fix that:

Obama is the 'gravest danger' to US.

Report this comment

SP4: well said...Jul 18th, 2008 - 20:45:51

Charles. Barak the magic negro now has to appear presidential so he discovered, apparently last week, that nuclear terromism is the US 's biggest threat. This, after almost a decade of Bush holding the line without a scintilla of support from the likes if a Senator Barak Obama.

Report this comment

page: 1 

Follow Us

Follow M&C on Pinterest

Search

Custom Search

Also Check Out

Noomi Rapace still loves ex-husband

Noomi Rapace still loves ex-husband
Noomi Rapace still loves her ex-husband, Ola Rapace, though she admits they had an 'explosive' relationship. ... more

JLS: Cross-dressing made us respect women

JLS: Cross-dressing made us respect women
JLS claim cross-dressing made them respect women more because they are impressed with how females move around in high-heeled shoes. ... more

P Diddy tells clubbers he wants to get married

P Diddy tells clubbers he wants to get married
Rapper was guest DJing at a nightclub in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... more

Kanye West insists on designer crockery

Kanye West insists on designer crockery
Rapper only uses Hermes plates and gold cutlery. ... more

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie do karaoke

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie do karaoke
Acting couple have hired a theatre company to help their family sing. ... more

Gordon Ramsay and Will Ferrell injured at soccer

Gordon Ramsay and Will Ferrell injured at soccer
World famous chef and actor leave football pitch in pain. ... more

Khloe Kardashian wants to dip niece in glitter

Khloe Kardashian wants to dip niece in glitter
'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star has been spoiling the unborn baby with clothing. ... more

Robert Pattinson: 'I ran out of ideas with 'Twilight'

Robert Pattinson: I ran out of ideas with Twilight
Star admits he was tired of acting for a teen audience. ... more

Kelly Clarkson: 'I am not Beyonce'

Kelly Clarkson: I am not Beyonce
Original 'American Idol' winner refuses to wear uncomfortable high heels. ... more

Cynthia Nixon marries Christine Marinoni

Cynthia Nixon marries Christine Marinoni
'Sex and the City' actress tied the knot three years after getting engaged. ... more