St. Joseph Church
Bristol, Connecticut

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D.Min.
Pastoral Minister

" A Decent Boom "

On April 19, 1995 the Federal Office building in Oklahoma City was blown up by an act of domestic terrorism. A year and a half prior to this the World Trade Center was bombed. Terrorism, domestic and foreign, is finding a new home on the territory of the United States. Such incidences may be just the beginning of future possible acts of terror which might utilize chemical, biological or nuclear means at the disposal of nations or groups.

This issue is becoming more acute as the technologies of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are spreading to at least twenty-five nations--not to mention non-national groups. One of the chief sources of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons grade uranium and plutonium is the former Soviet Union. A study entitled, Avoiding Nuclear Anarchy: Containing the Threat of Loose Russian Nuclear Weapons and Fissile Material, from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, cites the danger of "nuclear leakage" from the former USSR when it states:

" As a consequences of the collapse of this communal society, a vast potential supermarket of nuclear weapons and weapons grade uranium and plutonium is becoming increasingly accessible. Absent a determined program of action to prevent nuclear leakage that is as focused, serious and vigorous as America's Cold War strategy, nuclear terrorism against American targets or American interests is frighteningly plausible."

Furthermore, as the report states, " There is a generally accepted judgment that the risk of a nuclear detonation on American soil has increased. " This growing problem of "nuclear leakage" from the vast area of the former Soviet Union is a product of an economically and politically troubled society and a rapid rise in the growth of organized crime. The "criminalization" of Russian society has become particularly worrisome. In 1994 the former director of the CIA, R. James Woolsey, testified that Russian organized crime could he exploiting its existing smuggling networks to facilitate nuclear trafficking.

There are other reasons for concern about nuclear leakage that stem from the fact that Russia lacks a national or local inventory system for its fissile material--we don't know and they don't know how much they have ! Also, may nuclear facilities and storage areas have inadequate security against theft, especially from "insider threats." The dismantling of warheads is overwhelming Russia's capacity to store the resulting excess weapons components. At one such site known as "Tomsk 7" sheds of plutonium "pits" numbering 23,000 (each a potential nuclear bomb) have only a perimeter fence guarding it!

Nuclear leakage is likely to get worse as economic strains on the military and former employees of the nuclear industry increase in Russia. The temptations to solve one's financial problems by selling nuclear materials has been too much for some in Russia. Since 1991 there have six known serious Attempts at nuclear smuggling. From 1992-1995 there were sixty instances that involved seizures of nuclear materials. Even those scientists who once worked for the nuclear weapons industry are now selling their services abroad !

The continued leakage threat would have three recognizable consequences if more vigorous action is not taken, which are: nuclear materials could create a fast and cheap route to nuclear proliferation; it could provide non-state, terrorist groups access to material for nuclear terrorism; and the "worst case" scenario is that such could promote rapid, widespread nuclear proliferation world-wide, especially in areas of regional instability and conflict.

An obstacle to confronting this issue more effectively are the myths surrounding nuclear material. Some believe that building a nuclear weapon is hard to do--it is not ! Some believe that fissile materials are too hazardous or heavy to handle or smuggle--wrong again ! Some believe that delivery against the United States is a challenge--this is not so due to openness of U.S. society, and limited customs inspections. Finally, some believe that there is no demand for fissile material or nuclear weapons by other states or group--this is a dangerous illusion !

This issue remains a topic of discussion between the United States and Russia. There have been steps taken to try to address this issue, but more needs to be done ! The extent of the problem will expand if nothing or little is done by governments and their citizenry. For people of Christian religious faith our call to "stewardship" for each other and our creation demands public outcry and support for more vigorous efforts to deal with this problem. But this problem cannot be dealt with in isolation from the issue of justice. So long as we only talk and preach about justice the danger of catastrophe remains as a very real possibility.

During this Christmas season in which Christians celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace we are called to commit ourselves to that peace that God wants to bring to this world by being responsive to God's will. We may be tempted to assume we cannot do anything about such issues--but that forgets the empowering Spirit of God that inspires and struggles with us to build a world that honors the image of God in every living person (Gn. 1:26-29; Jn.1).

In 1996 General Alexandr Lebed, then Secretary of Boris Yeltsin's National Security Council knew that Russia had one hundred and thirty-two nuclear "suitcases" (SADMs) in its stockpile. He ordered a check on these weapons only to discover eighty-four were missing. Revealing this disturbing news to a groups of visitors in May 1997 he conceded that each suitcase had an explosive force of low yield--a few kilotons. He joked, saying, " they would make a decent boom."

Compiled by Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Created 8/14/1998