<the prime supplier of WMDs to terrorists>
The potential sources, in order of probability, are:
1. ex-Soviet Union. They had immense stocks, thousands of experts, and then a decade-plus of chaos. Iran, Libya, and probably others, have hired ex-Soviet nuclear experts. Lots of stuff, including weapons-grade fissionables, has just disappeared, nobody has a clue where it went. The U.S. has spent billions to buy up the dangerous material, and employ the scientists at make-work "jobs". But a frighteningly large fraction is unaccounted for.
2. North Korea. They have thousands of artillery in range of the 12 million civilians of S. Korea's capital. Estimates are, they could kill at least a million, in one day. That is, effectively, a weapon of mass destruction, and gives them an effective deterrent against us. Further sanctions and embargoes would worsen the mass starvation in N. Korea. The elite and army would be the last to starve, and we aren't prepared to be that harsh. So, effectively, we can't touch them. They are a terrorist Safe Haven we can't close down, and a 50-year history of supplying terrorists.
3. Pakistan. They already have nukes, are in their own MAD stand-off with India, with Kashmir smoldering, the match that may set the region aflame. Islamists already in 2 of Pakistan's 4 regional governments, they could take over any day.
4. Iran. They are probably 2-3 years away from a nuclear weapon. With our soldiers on every border, and our leaders continuously threatening them, they have the means and motivation to give a WMD to Bin Laden.
5. somewhere we aren't looking. |
