Nuclear Terrorism A Terrifying Phenomenon
Saying that nuclear terrorism is the most immediate and extreme danger facing the world today, the United States of America underlined that it is also a preventable threat.
In her remarks in South Carolina, Under Secretary Rose Gottemoeller for Arms Control and International Security, The Citadel’s Intelligence and Security said President Obama has made preventing nuclear terrorism one of the United States’ top foreign policy priorities.
In fact, the US President labeled nuclear terrorim in his 2009 Prague speech as the “the single most important threat” to U.S. national security.
Recognizing the threat, the Obama Administration has backed up that assessment with the most concerted diplomatic effort to address nuclear security threats worldwide ever undertaken within the international community.
How US Addresses Nuclear Terrorism Threat
According to Ms. Gottemoeller, the United States has highly recognized the threat of nuclear terrorism.
That’s is why they have come to the fundamental task to prevent terrorists from accessing nuclear weapons or the fissile material that goes into a nuclear weapon.
“Without the material, which a terrorist organization cannot produce on its own, the threat is eliminated.” – Ms. Gottemoeller
One of the US effort is called the Nuclear Security Summit process.
The unique Summits are head-of-state-level events which are attended by over 50 countries and international organizations.
In the Summits, world leaders convene to discuss the risks of nuclear terrorism and commit to addressing those risks. The first Summit was held in Washington in 2010, the second in Seoul in 2012, and the third in The Hague in 2014. And by 2016, US President will host the fourth Summit in Washington early in 2016.
To date, Ms. Gottermoeller pointed out that the Summit process is advancing the twin goals of enhancing the international nuclear security architecture, and strengthening efforts to better secure vulnerable nuclear materials.
The participants of the Summit make nuclear security commitments at the Summits in the form of a Work Plan, Communiques, national statements, and joint statements.
Working With International Partners
The United States sees also the importance of strengthening international partnerships to combat nuclear terrorim. The partnership will ensure that dangerous nuclear materials are accounted for and secured worldwide.
In addition, Ms. Gottemoeller underscored the importance of unending vigilance to ensure that terrorist groups who may seek to acquire these materials are never able to do so.
“Working toward this end, the United States puts its money where its mouth is.” – Ms. Gottemoeller
The US is the largest national contributor to the IAEA’s Nuclear Security Fund, providing more than $70 million since 2010 where the funds support cost-free experts, mission and technical visits to Member States, the development of nuclear security guidance and best practices, and the Incident and Trafficking Database.
US Strengthens Global Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Efforts
The United States believes that it has a moral responsibility to lead and act now, in cooperation with the members of the international community, to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.
As the 2012 G8 Chair, the U.S. has assumed the lead for the three nonproliferation groups that report to the G8: the Nonproliferation Directors Group (NPDG); the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP), and the Nuclear Safety and Security Group (NSSG).
