The threat of nuclear terrorism since 9/11 has prompted U.S. President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other leaders to meet in Washington this week to step up efforts to safeguard the 1,600 tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and 500 tons of plutonium stored at 2,000 sites in 40 countries. Canada's Stephen Harper intends to to ship our storage's of HEU to the U.S, where it cannot be used for weapons. This is a good move considering it takes just 50 kg. of HEU to build a crude nuclear bomb. And only a few grams of material are needed to build a conventional "dirty" bomb designed to spread radioactivity. Though restricting the world's "loose" materials is a difficult task, Obama is right to try. Nuclear terrorism is a real threat. After 9/11, the United Nations ordered the world to do better, but they are not doing enough. It is good that these few countries are taking initiative towards restricting nuclear warfare.
I believe it is correct to restrict the HEU supplies from the countries that would otherwise use it for war. The stats stated above indeed show the danger of releasing even minuscule amounts HEU. Though I do believe we should restrict the HEU supplies, I don't believe it is correct for Canada to trust the United States with its supply of HEU. Mainly because it is much more difficult for an enemy country to find supplies of HEU if they were scattered. If they were all situated in USA, the task of retrieving the HEU would be simpler. Also, let us not forget that the United States is the only country to have used the atomic bomb in warfare; not only once in fact, but twice. Can our supply of nuclear weapons be trusted with the United States? I would hope so; however, only time will tell.
I believe it is correct to restrict the HEU supplies from the countries that would otherwise use it for war. The stats stated above indeed show the danger of releasing even minuscule amounts HEU. Though I do believe we should restrict the HEU supplies, I don't believe it is correct for Canada to trust the United States with its supply of HEU. Mainly because it is much more difficult for an enemy country to find supplies of HEU if they were scattered. If they were all situated in USA, the task of retrieving the HEU would be simpler. Also, let us not forget that the United States is the only country to have used the atomic bomb in warfare; not only once in fact, but twice. Can our supply of nuclear weapons be trusted with the United States? I would hope so; however, only time will tell.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/794237--locking-down-loose-nukes
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