The situation in some other parts of the world is even more dangerous than in Russia.
Some Nuclear Facilities: Less Secure Than a Grocery Store
In several countries, civilian nuclear facilities often are less secure than a grocery store, and even weapons-grade nuclear materials are vulnerable to theft.
Pakistan's weapons are the most likely to fall into the wrong hands. They could be raided by Al Qaeda groups or sold by insiders. And we cannot exclude the possibility that Jihadists could come to power.
We need to work, perhaps quietly, with General Musharraf to insure that, in the event of a coup, Jihadists would not be able to use the Pakistani nuclear arsenal.
The Global Threat Reduction Initiative has accelerated the removal of nuclear materials from sites around the world, but huge security gaps remain. Indeed, two-thirds of U.S.-supplied highly enriched uranium (HEU) still is not covered by the U.S. take-back offer, and there are too many reactors in the world still using bomb-grade fuel.
A COMPREHENSIVE GLOBAL NUCLEAR PLAN
We CAN do better. We CAN prevent the ultimate preventable catastrophe and end the era of nuclear fear. But we need to really focus on it, and do the hard work that needs to be done.
It is a question of commitment, of leadership. Of not taking our eyes off the ball.
As I said, some good things have already been done -- but they have been piecemeal and inadequate. It took a Manhattan project to create the bomb.
We need a new Manhattan project to stop the bomb: a comprehensive program to secure all nuclear weapons and all weapons-usable material, worldwide.
The United States must lead a global coalition to establish effective, universal nuclear security standards that reduce the number of nuclear weapons, and make sure that those that exist are safe from theft or diversion.
We also must secure all fissionable material associated with nuclear energy and research, with a "global clean-out," which removes all weapons-grade material world-wide from vulnerable sites, and consolidates it into a limited number of highly-secure facilities.
Four Key Tasks to Establish Global Nuclear Safety Standards
A comprehensive strategy must focus on four key tasks. If we accomplish them all, it is unlikely that terrorists will get a nuclear weapon. If we fail to do them, sooner or later they will. We need to:
1. Halt nuclear weapons proliferation
2. Halt nuclear weapons production and reduce the size of nuclear arsenals
3. Halt or secure civilian programs that require or produce bomb-grade materials
4. Consolidate and secure all existing fissile materials and all future production associated with nuclear energy and research worldwide
FIRST TASK of Nuclear Global Plan
The first task, halting nuclear weapons proliferation, is urgent and immediate -- because we are on the edge of a precipice with North Korea and Iran.
If we don't stop them, several other nations, especially their neighbors, may decide to go nuclear as well. And the more states that have nuclear weapons, the greater the risk that terrorists will acquire them.
In dealing with difficult regimes like Iran and North Korea, we must remember that no nation has ever been forced to renounce nuclear weapons - but that many nations have been convinced to renounce them.
If we unite the world behind the right carrots and sticks, and provide the North Koreans and the Iranians with face-saving ways to step back from the nuclear brink, we will prevail.
Some good steps have been taken recently, and there are signs that we may succeed. Meaningful sanctions accompanied by positive incentives and security guarantees lessen the paranoia and strengthen the pragmatists.
The key is convincing these regimes that they will be more secure without nuclear weapons than with them.
To convince them, we absolutely need Russia and China.
To implement the recent agreement with North Korea, and to get them to dismantle the devices they already have, China is the key. To stop Iran from enriching uranium, its Russia. Whenever the UN Security Council is involved, we need both Russia and China.
This is why the current administration's allergy to strategic diplomacy has been so destructive. If we had threatened the Iranians and North Koreans less, talked to them more, and built stronger relations with the other great powers, the world would be a safer place today.
We need to get back on the diplomatic track, and stay there, if we are to prevent further nuclear proliferation.
We also need to strengthen the NPT regime, which has been weakened in recent years, as India and Pakistan and North Korea have gone nuclear, and as Iran attempts to do so.
We need a new global non-proliferation agreement which prevents states from developing nuclear fuel-enrichment capabilities, and then abandoning the NPT as they rush to make bombs.
We also need to negotiate a tough universal verification system that gives international inspectors immediate and unfettered access to all sites, worldwide.
Bill Richardson in 2008 Info Center at About.com Liberal Politics
