Al Qaeda Leader: If We Get Pakistan’s Nukes, We’ll Use Them Against the US

World • Views: 2,653

In case you had any doubt: Al Qaeda says would use Pakistani nuclear weapons.

DUBAI (Reuters) - If it were in a position to do so, Al Qaeda would use Pakistan’s nuclear weapons in its fight against the United States, a top leader of the group said in remarks aired Sunday.

Pakistan has been battling al Qaeda’s Taliban allies in the Swat Valley since April after their thrust into a district 100 km (60 miles) northwest of the capital raised fears the nuclear-armed country could slowly slip into militant hands.

“God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans,” Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda’s in Afghanistan, said in an interview with Al Jazeera television.

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216 comments
1 Chicken Kiev  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:08:20am

surprised?

2 CIA Reject  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:08:35am

Eh, this is news?

3 Dianna  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:08:48am

If I were a Pakistani who read or heard that, I'd be after every Al Quaeda organizer I could find.

4 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:09:20am

That ought to concentrate PB0's mind just a bit, right?

5 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:09:21am

No surprise. We must do whatever we can to help Pakistan defeat the terror legions of the Tailban and Al Qaeda.

6 Sharmuta  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:09:31am

Good thing michael moore told me I don't need to worry about al qaeda.

7 tfc3rid  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:09:45am

re: #4 yma o hyd

That ought to concentrate PB0's mind just a bit, right?

He thought about it... Now let's go get some Ice Cream.

8 Dianna  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:09:49am

re: #4 yma o hyd

That ought to concentrate PB0's mind just a bit, right?

Much too hopeful. He'll call it bluster, if only in the security of his own head.

9 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:10:13am

re: #4 yma o hyd

That ought to concentrate PB0's mind just a bit, right?

Nope. He'll just beg them to "unclench their fists" again.

10 CynicalConservative  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:10:33am

re: #4 yma o hyd

That ought to concentrate PB0's mind just a bit, right?

Can't I just eat my waffle?

11 Occasional Reader  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:10:58am
the leader of al Qaeda's in Afghanistan

The leader of al Qaeda's what in Afghanistan?

/Reuters needs copy editors

12 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:11:04am

re: #7 tfc3rid

He thought about it... Now let's go get some Ice Cream.

Can we go to Oberweiss this time? Their Mint Chip is superb!

//

13 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:11:06am

Wait just one damn minute. Have they seen who our President is? Guess it's hard to get a memo in a cave.

14 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:11:42am

re: #10 CynicalConservative

Can't I just eat my waffle?

Sure? Would you like it a la mode? ;)

15 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:12:24am

of course they will, how many times do they have to tell us?
these s.o.bs have an agenda and our destruction is at the top of their list.

16 Occasional Reader  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:12:31am
The militant leader said al Qaeda would be willing to accept a truce of about 10 years' duration with the United States if Washington agreed to withdraw its troops from Muslim countries and stopped backing Israel and the pro-Western governments of Muslim nations.

Halelujah! An unclenched fist!

/

17 jcm  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:12:45am

He threatened us after I offered my outstretched hand?

Doesn't he know who I AM?

/The One

18 Sunlight  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:12:47am

Duh.

19 lawhawk  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:12:59am

There was never a doubt in my mind whatsoever that these terrorists would use any means at their disposal to hit the US, up to and including WMD and nukes.

20 Flyers1974  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:13:07am

Its hard for me to imagine that the US hasn't had plans in place regarding this scenario for a long time.

21 BlueCanuck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:13:13am

re: #16 Occasional Reader

Halelujah! An unclenched fist!

/

Of course, how else are you going to toss an explosive device?

22 Baier  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:13:31am

The Democrats don't take terrorists seriously, until it's too late...again and again.

23 Occasional Reader  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:13:44am

"Why do they hate nuke us?"

-The American Left

24 Dianna  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:13:48am

re: #14 Dark_Falcon

Sure? Would you like it a la mode? ;)

If Obama doesn't, I would!

What exactly that indicates about this morning, I'm not sure.

25 [deleted]  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:13:52am
26 razorbacker  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:14:12am

"Captain Obvious. Calling Captain Obvious to the red courtesy phone."

Not news. Not even unexpected. Now if they'd said that they wouldn't use the Pakistan nukes against America, now that would be news.

Bye for the day, folks.

Life is pounding on the door. I'd better check the deadbolts.

27 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:14:17am

re: #20 Flyers1974

Its hard for me to imagine that the US hasn't had plans in place regarding this scenario for a long time.

But would that jellyfish Obama use them?

28 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:14:22am

re: #5 Dark_Falcon

No surprise. We must do whatever we can to help Pakistan defeat the terror legions of the Tailban and Al Qaeda.

No, we need to do whatever we can to defeat the terror legions of the Tailban and Al Qaeda. If it so happens that Pakistan goes along for the ride, then all the better. But I am not looking for support from Pakistan to be our only entrance to the problem there. The internal politics of Pakistan is too complicated to assume that they will always be on our side.

29 BlueCanuck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:14:30am

Actually if you read between the lines there is a bit of good news here. They currently don't have any nuclear devices. If they had them they would have used them by now. Right?

30 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:14:47am

re: #26 razorbacker

"Captain Obvious. Calling Captain Obvious to the red courtesy phone."

Not news. Not even unexpected. Now if they'd said that they wouldn't use the Pakistan nukes against America, now that would be news.

Bye for the day, folks.

Life is pounding on the door. I'd better check the deadbolts.

Loves it!

31 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:06am

re: #16 Occasional Reader

Halelujah! An unclenched fist!

/

Where have we heard this word 'truce' before ...

Is it so totally beyond the minds at Foggy Bottom to grasp the different meanings of 'truce', when spoken by westerners and by Jihadists?

32 captdiggs  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:10am

Let's be honest here.
Muslim nation + nuclear weapons = really, really, bad idea.
That includes Egypt and Saudi Arabia...who are both about one truck bomb away from Islamist anarchy.

33 Ojoe  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:10am

IMHO the fight with the virulent heresy which is Islam, is far far from over.

It will take a miracle for it to end without massive casualties.

34 Baier  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:16am

re: #19 lawhawk

There was never a doubt in my mind whatsoever that these terrorists would use any means at their disposal to hit the US, up to and including WMD and nukes.

/I would think they'd have a personal moral qualms about mass murder.

35 LGoPs  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:20am

I for one, sure am relieved that we won't be inconveniencing any terrorists with uncomfortable interrogation techniques in the future.
///

36 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:33am

re: #25 taxfreekiller

Send ACORN to help with the vote on this.

It's now Community Organizers International.

37 schnapp  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:15:39am

re: #29 BlueCanuck

Always look on the bright side of life (whistles) :)

38 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:09am

re: #29 BlueCanuck

Actually if you read between the lines there is a bit of good news here. They currently don't have any nuclear devices. If they had them they would have used them by now. Right?

They're waiting for that North Korean ship to arrive.
/

39 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:14am

re: #29 BlueCanuck

Actually if you read between the lines there is a bit of good news here. They currently don't have any nuclear devices. If they had them they would have used them by now. Right?

I feel all fucking warm and fuzzy now!

40 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:37am

re: #28 Walter L. Newton

No, we need to do whatever we can to defeat the terror legions of the Tailban and Al Qaeda. If it so happens that Pakistan goes along for the ride, then all the better. But I am not looking for support from Pakistan to be our only entrance to the problem there. The internal politics of Pakistan is too complicated to assume that they will always be on our side.

Agreed, but for the near-to-mid term the Pakistani Army will be hostile to the Talibs. They dealt the Islamists a thumping in the past few weeks. As long as they want to keep pounding, we should help them do so.

41 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:38am

re: #31 yma o hyd

Where have we heard this word 'truce' before ...

Is it so totally beyond the minds at Foggy Bottom to grasp the different meanings of 'truce', when spoken by westerners and by Jihadists?

Hudna hudna.

42 Baier  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:38am

re: #35 LGoPs

I for one, sure am relieved that we won't be inconveniencing any terrorists with uncomfortable interrogation techniques in the future.
///

I'd rather have all my family and friends vaporized than to possibly infringe on a the human rights of a person that may information to stop it. At least me and everyone I ever loved would die with our heads up high. ////

43 iceman1960  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:41am

The real question here is why would anyone doubt they would use them?
Oh I forgot. We're talking about the radical branch of Al Quaeda not the moderate branch.

44 Ojoe  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:16:55am

re: #39 MandyManners

Fuzzy as if you had fur like a kitty?

45 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:06am

re: #36 MandyManners

It's now Community Organizers International.

Same Shitbirds, new name.

46 Baier  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:09am

re: #42 Baier

I'd rather have all my family and friends vaporized than to possibly infringe on a the human rights of a person that may information to stop it. At least me and everyone I ever loved would die with our heads up high. ////

PIMF

47 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:09am

o must be so sad that they would be so hostile, especially after his "speech in cairo. . . . "

48 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:09am

re: #39 MandyManners

I feel all fucking warm and fuzzy now!

LOL.

49 JohnnyReb  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:27am

I suspect that if Al-Quadia got ahold of any nuke it would be used against the US. And that North Korean ship we are tailing right now is only carrying humanitarian aid stuff.

50 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:36am

re: #41 MandyManners

Hudna hudna.

I bet that lot a foggy Bottom don't even know how to spell that!

51 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:49am

re: #44 Ojoe

Fuzzy as if you had fur like a kitty?

More like mohair.

52 reine.de.tout  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:17:52am

re: #20 Flyers1974

Its hard for me to imagine that the US hasn't had plans in place regarding this scenario for a long time.

Perhaps.
Now, do we have a leader that will implement those plans?
That's the question.

53 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:13am

re: #45 Dark_Falcon

Same Shitbirds, new name.

A turd dipped in gold is still a turd.

54 Sharmuta  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:21am

There was a story the other day that pakistani militias were leading raids on the taliban- killed around a dozen leaders, iirc. This is all in response to an attack at a local mosque. The community is now organizing against these thugs- kind of like they did in Iraq.

55 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:23am

You know, if Al Qaeda did nuke an American city, and got on Al-Jazeera, the BBC, and CNN claiming credit, there would still be moonbats who would think the Joooos or Bush and Cheney set off the nukes.

56 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:25am
57 reine.de.tout  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:34am

re: #47 nyc redneck

o must be so sad that they would be so hostile, especially after his "speech in cairo. . . . "

LOL.

58 Baier  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:36am

re: #49 JohnnyReb

I suspect that if Al-Quadia got ahold of any nuke it would be used against the US. And that North Korean ship we are tailing right now is only carrying humanitarian aid stuff.

Sadly, I believe that is a matter of when and where, not if.
It will happen. In the US or Europe, but it will happen.

59 LGoPs  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:37am

re: #19 lawhawk

There was never a doubt in my mind whatsoever that these terrorists would use any means at their disposal to hit the US, up to and including WMD and nukes.

The only reason they didn't use them on 9-11 was because they didn't have them yet. Certainly not because of any self restraint or feeling that that would be going too far.
These are rabid animals we are dealing with and there is only one solution to dealing with a rabid animal.

60 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:18:48am

re: #50 yma o hyd

I bet that lot a foggy Bottom don't even know how to spell that!

They'd think it has something to do with housing.

61 Ojoe  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:19:01am

re: #51 MandyManners

Mohair

62 [deleted]  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:19:10am
63 Creeping Eruption  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:19:11am

re: #52 reine.de.tout

Perhaps.
Now, do we have a leader that will implement those plans?
That's the question.

I'm hoping that is why Gen. McChrystal was sent to Afghanistan.

64 Dave the.....  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:19:11am

And this is why we are on the same side as the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The alternative is worse yet.

65 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:19:23am

re: #54 Sharmuta

There was a story the other day that pakistani militias were leading raids on the taliban- killed around a dozen leaders, iirc. This is all in response to an attack at a local mosque. The community is now organizing against these thugs- kind of like they did in Iraq.

I kinda' followed that the other day. Very encouraging.

66 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:19:35am

re: #55 Kosh's Shadow

You know, if Al Qaeda did nuke an American city, and got on Al-Jazeera, the BBC, and CNN claiming credit, there would still be moonbats who would think the Joooos or Bush and Cheney set off the nukes.

Yep, without the shadow of a doubt!

67 itellu3times  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:20:09am

Muaddib used them against the emperor.

I'll bet the Taliban would ride to battle on giant worms, if they had them.

68 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:20:09am

re: #54 Sharmuta

There was a story the other day that pakistani militias were leading raids on the taliban- killed around a dozen leaders, iirc. This is all in response to an attack at a local mosque. The community is now organizing against these thugs- kind of like they did in Iraq.

I wonder what CBBHO thinks of this kind of community organizing.

69 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:20:25am

re: #49 JohnnyReb

I suspect that if Al-Quadia got ahold of any nuke it would be used against the US. And that North Korean ship we are tailing right now is only carrying humanitarian aid stuff.

I don't think it matters what that North Korean ship is carrying. I suspect it may not be carrying anything of note, but I do think we are trying to make a point to NK.

All in all, it's the message that counts.

70 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:20:39am

re: #60 MandyManners

They'd think it has something to do with housing.

Gawd - and then they'll ask Jimmah C. to help them with that!

71 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:20:48am

re: #55 Kosh's Shadow

You know, if Al Qaeda did nuke an American city, and got on Al-Jazeera, the BBC, and CNN claiming credit, there would still be moonbats who would think the Joooos or Bush and Cheney set off the nukes.

And, there'd be moonbats who'd think that while AQ did bomb us, the blame would rest on neocons for--among other things--supporting Israel.

72 Creeping Eruption  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:20:55am

re: #68 Dark_Falcon

I wonder what CBBHO thinks of this kind of community organizing.

Ha can't support violence against a democratically elected government. ///

73 Ojoe  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:21:20am

re: #69 Walter L. Newton

The NKs could very well try a scud bucket west coast EMP attack.

74 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:21:31am

re: #61 Ojoe

Mohair

Reminds me of soup.

75 Mad Al-Jaffee  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:21:40am

re: #61 Ojoe

Mohair

I visited my barber this weekend. Now I have less hair.

76 Dave the.....  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:21:47am
re: #47 nyc redneck

o must be so sad that they would be so hostile, especially after his "speech in cairo. . .

Here's the solution:
-A sister city with towns in Pakistan
-Vote for change by throwing out the Republicans
-Celebrate diversity
-Understand why they hate us

//////////////////

77 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:21:54am

re: #70 yma o hyd

Gawd - and then they'll ask Jimmah C. to help them with that!

Fine; they can have him.

78 lawhawk  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:10am

So, while al Qaeda announces its intentions should it ever gain hold of Pakistani nukes, MSNBC captures an important story of the day...

Obama is going gray. Really.... like that's never happened to any President before? Every last one ages prematurely because of the stress involved, and Obama is no different. And every evil regime on the planet is seemingly testing Obama concurrently because of his lack of experience and naivete, compounding the stress of the job - the first real executive leadership role in his life.

79 iceman1960  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:11am

Another man-made disaster in the making.

80 Flyers1974  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:16am

re: #27 Dark_Falcon

I'd say Al Queda having nukes is one of those few things that 95% of Americans would agree upon. And if one would rather have assurance based on Obama's self-interest, I think any president who allowed them to get nukes would be sunk, as well as that president's party.

81 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:16am

re: #70 yma o hyd

Gawd - and then they'll ask Jimmah C. to help them with that!

He's busy killing cats.

82 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:23am

re: #57 reine.de.tout

LOL.

militant moslems must love gob smacking the o. he invites it.
and the fool thinks he is actually connecting w/ them in a more meaningful way.
sorry o they don't care that you are prostrating yourself to islam.
you look ridiculous.

83 Sharmuta  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:40am

More than 30 militants killed in Pakistan

Military jets and artillery pounded suspected militant hide-outs in two towns in Pakistan's northwest on Sunday, killing 27 fighters, officials said. Elsewhere in the volatile region, a citizens' militia killed seven suspected militants.

I hope this keeps up.

84 tfc3rid  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:42am

re: #55 Kosh's Shadow

You know, if Al Qaeda did nuke an American city, and got on Al-Jazeera, the BBC, and CNN claiming credit, there would still be moonbats who would think the Joooos or Bush and Cheney set off the nukes.

Actually a bunch of them would likely be in a City that would be destroyed or they would be suffering from radiation poisoning...

Maybe they'd finally see the light...

That said, I would hope the doomsday scenario never comes to pass.

85 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:22:44am

re: #73 Ojoe

The NKs could very well try a scud bucket west coast EMP attack.

I thought we had the only EMP bombs.

86 okiej  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:23:04am
“God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans,”

One would think that as well as Iraq and Afghanistan has gone for AQ it would dawn on one or more of their "scholars" that God just may not be willing to do much for them at all.

87 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:23:25am

Could the Nork ship be a diversion?

88 Ojoe  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:23:27am

re: #85 MandyManners

Who knows?

89 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:23:41am

re: #78 lawhawk

So, while al Qaeda announces its intentions should it ever gain hold of Pakistani nukes, MSNBC captures an important story of the day...

Obama is going gray. Really.... like that's never happened to any President before? Every last one ages prematurely because of the stress involved, and Obama is no different. And every evil regime on the planet is seemingly testing Obama concurrently because of his lack of experience and naivete, compounding the stress of the job - the first real executive leadership role in his life.

He's run out of hair colouring - again!

(Its all WAB's fault - she should look after her man, not after the dog!)

90 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:23:55am

re: #78 lawhawk

So, while al Qaeda announces its intentions should it ever gain hold of Pakistani nukes, MSNBC captures an important story of the day...

Obama is going gray. Really.... like that's never happened to any President before? Every last one ages prematurely because of the stress involved, and Obama is no different. And every evil regime on the planet is seemingly testing Obama concurrently because of his lack of experience and naivete, compounding the stress of the job - the first real executive leadership role in his life.

And I'm sure there are plenty of comments suggesting he use "Just for Men". Hell, he could have is own ad for it -
He asks his daughter to wish him luck on the big meeting with Putin the next day, and she hands him some "Just for Men" so he'll look better.

91 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:24:20am

re: #79 iceman1960

Another man HUMAN-made disaster in the making.

Not quite PC enough for FCBBHO's regime so I slightly tweaked you.

92 Drider  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:24:43am

So these quaint fellows didn't get the "unclenched fist" memo, they didn't even watch the "Cairo speech".

Does this mean that we need to attack Pakistan as per Obamajad's mention during the campaign?

Is there any AQ leaders out there that we may have a "robust debate" on this issue with have we been scratched off of their Christmas Card list too for "meddling"?

93 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:24:54am

re: #88 Ojoe

Who knows?

I hope our military does!

94 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:25:05am
a top leader of the group said

Un-substantiated. So, not a threat.

95 Dianna  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:25:29am

Can't keep up and work at the same time. This means I need coffee!

96 LGoPs  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:25:53am

re: #90 Kosh's Shadow

And I'm sure there are plenty of comments suggesting he use "Just for Men". Hell, he could have is own ad for it -
He asks his daughter to wish him luck on the big meeting with Putin the next day, and she hands him some "Just for Men" so he'll look better.

Be great if someone would slip some testosterone into the bottle.......
/

97 CIA Reject  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:26:08am

re: #92 Drider

So these quaint fellows didn't get the "unclenched fist" memo, they didn't even watch the "Cairo speech".

Does this mean that we need to attack Pakistan as per Obamajad's mention during the campaign?

Is there any AQ leaders out there that we may have a "robust debate" on this issue with have we been scratched off of their Christmas Ramadan Card list too for "meddling"?

Please- sensitivities and all that...

/////////

98 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:26:15am

re: #92 Drider

So these quaint fellows didn't get the "unclenched fist" memo, they didn't even watch the "Cairo speech".

Does this mean that we need to attack Pakistan as per Obamajad's mention during the campaign?

Is there any AQ leaders out there that we may have a "robust debate" on this issue with have we been scratched off of their Christmas Card list too for "meddling"?

Obviously if they didn't watch the One's Cairo speech, it's because they don't have TVs. So we will start a program "Televisions for Terrorists" to send them TVs tuned to MSNBC or ABC so they can watch Obama all the time,
//////////

99 debutaunt  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:26:20am

re: #95 Dianna

Can't keep up and work at the same time. This means I need coffee!

Leave my coffee alone.

100 MandyManners  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:26:32am

re: #78 lawhawk

So, while al Qaeda announces its intentions should it ever gain hold of Pakistani nukes, MSNBC captures an important story of the day...

Obama is going gray. Really.... like that's never happened to any President before? Every last one ages prematurely because of the stress involved, and Obama is no different. And every evil regime on the planet is seemingly testing Obama concurrently because of his lack of experience and naivete, compounding the stress of the job - the first real executive leadership role in his life.

He "went gray" during the election in order to appear as if he had more gravitas. I've the links to photographs somewhere.

101 okiej  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:26:51am

re: #96 LGoPs

Be great if someone would slip some testosterone into the bottle.......
/

He's never been exposed before so an OD is too dangerous a possiblilty.

102 Kilroy  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:27:07am

Now we wait until the threat is imminent!

103 Dianna  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:27:15am

re: #99 debutaunt

Leave my coffee alone.

Oh, I'll get my own, don't worry. Your coffee is safe from me.

*gently slips the cup back under debutaunt's hand*

104 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:27:39am

re: #100 MandyManners

He "went gray" during the election in order to appear as if he had more gravitas. I've the links to photographs somewhere.

Yeah - we did hvae some nice chats about the different hair colours he sproted during that time!

105 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:27:49am

“God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans,” Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda’s in Afghanistan

Fist clenched enough for ya, Barry?

106 sevoguy  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:28:08am

Al Qaeda Leader: If We Get Pakistan's Nukes, We'll Use Them Against the US

I guess we would use one big stink bomb on your head.

The Red Phone went off and he just stood there staring at it. Iran proves this president is too much like Jimmy Carter. Paralyzed is more like it. Obama, your response to the Iranian People was shameful. Our president is a failure.

It's Jimmy Carter all over again.

I voted for Jimmy Carter back in 1975 and swore I would never again vote Democrat after his presidency. Weakness = Democrats.

Failure
Failure
Failure
No guts, No glory............

107 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:28:45am

OT-ish:
'RT @FakeAhmadinejad Ppl of Iran, please don't make me go thru elections again. I'm tired.Faking million of votes is hard work! #iranelection'

Teeheehee!
(He should've asked ACORN for help ...)

108 debutaunt  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:29:02am

re: #103 Dianna

Oh, I'll get my own, don't worry. Your coffee is safe from me.

*gently slips the cup back under debutaunt's hand*

It had better taste exactly the same.

109 Obsidiandog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:29:51am

Does this mean it's OK for us to believe Dick Cheney now?
/

110 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:30:05am

re: #105 Kenneth

“God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans,” Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda’s in Afghanistan. Fist clenched enough for ya, Barry?

I haven't been keeping count, but since Obama took office, has any nation that has been at odds with us "unclenched" their fists yet?

And if the answer is no, than why?

111 yma o hyd  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:30:20am

BBIAB - dog-feeding time has arrived!

112 Ojoe  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:30:29am

re: #93 MandyManners

Wiki has an article on conventional explosive EMP generators:
Wiki

113 CIA Reject  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:30:42am

And on a related subject:

New Detector Not Much Better [at] Catching Nuke Matter

More good news!

114 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:31:04am

Even Juan Cole agrees, the Iranian election was stolen.

The numbers do not add up. You can't have more voters than there are people. You can't have a complete liberal and pragmatic-conservative swing behind hard liners who make their lives miserable.

The election was stolen. It is there in black and white. Those of us who know Iran, could see it plain as the nose on our faces,

115 debutaunt  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:31:06am

Can a funny quote ever truly be off topic?

"Put it back in the horse." - H. Allen Smith, of beer

116 Son of the Black Dog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:31:25am

re: #100 MandyManners

He "went gray" during the election in order to appear as if he had more gravitas. I've the links to photographs somewhere.

Bill Clinton did that big time.

117 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:31:33am

I would hope our inter community would know where the Paki nuke sites are so if AQ took over we could do a pre emptive strike. Am I asking to much?

118 anchors_aweigh  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:32:03am

Suppose you were the leader of a terror group committed to the destruction of the US.

Suppose you concluded that you needed nuclear weapons in order to inflict a decisive blow on your sworn enemy (the US).

Suppose all your fighters had been defeated in various locales (say for example Iraq) and were now concentrated in the same place that a number of nuclear weapons, with suspect custody controls, were also located (Pakistan).

Would not a good strategy be to use your now concentrated forces against the government of the country whose nukes you covet?

Isn't that what we are seeing? AQ and the Taliban fighting the government of Pakistan for control of the country, and by extension, the nukes?

So, the strategic objective is obvious. Take over Pakistan, and get the nukes.

The good news is that everyone involved (US and Pakistan) apparently realizes AQ's strategic objective.

The bad news is that Iran is right next door. Perhaps this explains Obama's tentativeness on the protests in Iran?

The Great Game is on.

119 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:32:14am

re: #110 Walter L. Newton

I haven't been keeping count, but since Obama took office, has any nation that has been at odds with us "unclenched" their fists yet?

And if the answer is no, than why?

I think France has unclenched there typical middle-finger salute to the US.

120 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:32:28am

re: #110 Walter L. Newton

I haven't been keeping count, but since Obama took office, has any nation that has been at odds with us "unclenched" their fists yet?

And if the answer is no, than why?

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick sent a letter, agreeing to "constructive dialog".

121 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:32:35am

re: #117 Cannadian Club Akbar

PIMF- intel

122 Motti  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:32:41am

You would think that this would illustrate that it's better to prevent an unstable or radical regime (like Pakistan or North Korea) from getting nuclear weapons than having the infinitely more difficult job of trying to defang them after they have nuclear weapons.

But nevertheless Mr. Obama blithely allows Iran to march steadily on the path towards acquiring such weapons.

123 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:32:47am

re: #117 Cannadian Club Akbar

I would hope our inter community would know where the Paki nuke sites are so if AQ took over we could do a pre emptive strike. Am I asking to much?

By the time Al Qaeda took over, it would be too late. They could move the material (or enough of it) before we could get there.

124 CommonCents  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:33:58am

Politicians don't understand Mustafa and Mustafa doesn't understand politicians. Either Mustafa Abu al-Yazid needs a class in nuance or our politicians need a class in straight talk. This bastard means what he says.

If we're lucky we can pick him up for jaywalking or tax evasion (and read him his rights) otherwise we'll be hard pressed to get a warrant for his arrest until a couple hundred thousand people are vaporized. /////

125 Flyers1974  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:34:21am

re: #52 reine.de.tout

Perhaps.
Now, do we have a leader that will implement those plans?
That's the question.

I think yes, no doubt. The consequences of Al Queda having/controlling nukes would be so real, so non-theoretical, I can't see anyone in his administration or any other even debating whether to ignore this. Another question for someone who knows about this side of things, would Al Queda or any other non-government actor, i.e., someone without specialized knowledge, be able to do anything with a nuclear weapon if they had one? (Assuming of course that they'd have no help from someone inside Pakistan's government, a different issue entirely.)

126 albusteve  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:34:38am

as Duke Nukem used to say...."what a mess"

127 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:34:52am

re: #114 Kenneth

Even Juan Cole agrees, the Iranian election was stolen.

Cole can't keep his stories straight. Just last year, he was blaming the United States for Iran's problems... all the news that I can fit into my position...

"There is, in fact, remarkably little substance to the debates now raging in the United States about Ahmadinejad. His quirky personality, penchant for outrageous one-liners, and combative populism are hardly serious concerns for foreign policy. Taking potshots at a bantam cock of a populist like Ahmadinejad is actually a way of expressing another, deeper anxiety: fear of Iran's rising position as a regional power and its challenge to the American and Israeli status quo. The real reason his visit is controversial is that the American right has decided the United States needs to go to war against Iran. Ahmadinejad is therefore being configured as an enemy head of state."

[Link: www.salon.com...]

128 Golem Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:35:45am

A 3-way arms race: Iran, North Korea, Taliban/Al Qaeda. Who will be the first to fire one against the US?

This is scary. We've got a US president who doesn't publicly seem to care if two out of the three get nukes. But he's first to criticize Israel, for some reason.

129 JohnnyReb  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:36:10am

re: #123 Kosh's Shadow

By the time Al Qaeda took over, it would be too late. They could move the material (or enough of it) before we could get there.

Not to be a party pooper, but there are quite a few unaccounted for devices in what was once the USSR. They really don't need to get nukes from Pakistan. It seems the Ukraine had particular problems after the collapse.

130 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:36:22am

re: #127 Walter L. Newton

Very good catch. Juan Cole has a history of rewriting his past essays to conform with later developments. I'm no fan.

131 Gaius Iulius Tabernarius  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:37:12am

But wait, didn't the great one say the war on terror was over?

I guess an overseas contingency includes the threat of nuclear Holocaust... but at least he doesn't use those fear mongering racist neo con terms. In this era of new-speak, war is....?

132 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:38:22am

re: #129 JohnnyReb

Not to be a party pooper, but there are quite a few unaccounted for devices in what was once the USSR. They really don't need to get nukes from Pakistan. It seems the Ukraine had particular problems after the collapse.

I've heard this for a long time. It makes me wonder where those weapons are, or if they just aren't in usable condition. Otherwise, that is a long time for some of these groups to have nuclear weapons but not use them.

133 jorline  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:39:11am

Good morning all.

I'm tired of us playing nickle defense...the other team is going for the bomb.

134 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:39:28am

re: #120 pre-Boomer Marine brat

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick sent a letter, agreeing to "constructive dialog".

good movie. Peter Sellers was a comic genius.

135 Golem Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:39:53am

Dennis Prager (on his radio show) just said: those who would be good to the bad will be bad to the good. Obama doesn't care to criticize Iran but he is ready to pounce on our best ally in the mideast: Israel.

136 albusteve  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:40:11am

re: #133 jorline

Good morning all.

I'm tired of us playing nickle defense...the other team is going for the bomb.

Hail Mary

137 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:40:14am

re: #132 Kosh's Shadow

Don't nukes need constant babysitting?

138 Flyers1974  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:40:41am

re: #128 Golem Akbar

A 3-way arms race: Iran, North Korea, Taliban/Al Qaeda. Who will be the first to fire one against the US?

This is scary. We've got a US president who doesn't publicly seem to care if two out of the three get nukes. But he's first to criticize Israel, for some reason.

Iran's mullahs may be ready and willing to use suicide bombers, but I don't think they personally want to be suicide bombers, which they would be in your scenario. Nor do I think Kim or any other leader of N. Korea has a death wish. Where is the benefit for him/them? Taliban/Al Quaeda would have the desire, never the means in my opinion, at least not the Pakistan scenario..

139 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:40:50am

re: #130 Kenneth

Very good catch. Juan Cole has a history of rewriting his past essays to conform with later developments. I'm no fan.

This is the "new" history of the world. If a person wants something now, wants to make a point now, has found some way to make themselves important now, then past statements, issues, morals and sensibilities matter not a whit.

Politicians, journalist and the common man and woman can turn on a dime if it will benefit them personally. And if that means hurting someone else, turning against a friend or throwing loyalty out the window, then so be it.

And they really don't care if you catch them doing it.

140 wahabicorridor  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:41:04am

re: #129 JohnnyReb

Not to be a party pooper, but there are quite a few unaccounted for devices in what was once the USSR. They really don't need to get nukes from Pakistan. It seems the Ukraine had particular problems after the collapse.

Oh yeah. Read all about it.

One Point Safe

As for Paki nukes - how exactly would they expect to deliver these things? Strap 'em to pigeons? I'm pretty sure they don't have the range.

And a suitcase bomb, in the overall scheme of things, is hard to hide and wouldn't do as much damage as their fantasties imagine.

On the other hand, the nanosecond a nuke goes up from Pakistan, India starts obliterating their cities.

141 [deleted]  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:41:08am
142 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:42:02am

Gotta go. Work beckons and I must answer.

143 wahabicorridor  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:43:06am

re: #132 Kosh's Shadow

It makes me wonder where those weapons are

It's the nuclear material actually, not the actual weapons.

144 Son of the Black Dog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:43:17am

re: #117 Cannadian Club Akbar

I would hope our inter community would know where the Paki nuke sites are so if AQ took over we could do a pre emptive strike. Am I asking to much?

IMHO, there are plenty within the Pak military and security forces that WANT to turn some nuclear weapons over to AQ. Can we really trust the Pak's not to disperse their arsenal in order to make a US snatch and grab operation essentially impossible? Can we trust the ISI not to effect the handover of a weapon or two (or more) to AQ, even without a fundamentalist takeover of the Pak government?

145 jcm  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:43:43am

re: #132 Kosh's Shadow

I've heard this for a long time. It makes me wonder where those weapons are, or if they just aren't in usable condition. Otherwise, that is a long time for some of these groups to have nuclear weapons but not use them.

Nuclear weapons are high maintenance items, storage requires climate control and routine testing.

146 [deleted]  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:44:41am
147 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:44:55am

re: #144 Son of the Black Dog

IMHO, there are plenty within the Pak military and security forces that WANT to turn some nuclear weapons over to AQ. Can we really trust the Pak's not to disperse their arsenal in order to make a US snatch and grab operation essentially impossible? Can we trust the ISI not to effect the handover of a weapon or two (or more) to AQ, even without a fundamentalist takeover of the Pak government?

No.

148 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:45:01am

re: #137 Cannadian Club Akbar

Don't nukes need constant babysitting?

Fusion devices deteriorate because the half-life of tritium is 12 years. They'd have a certain design lifetime before they need replenishment.

For fission devices, I believe it depends on the explosives used to set it off. If they deteriorate under some conditions, then the device won't work properly, but it would still throw some radioactive material around.

Rumor has it the US nukes will not work properly without the proper codes. The explosives have delays built-in, and the codes control their detonation so they all go off at the proper time. Without the codes, no full nuclear explosion.
I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the old Soviet nukes had something similar; they had even less reason to trust their military than the US has.
And this all must be true, I read it on the internet.//////

149 Son of the Black Dog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:45:57am

re: #123 Kosh's Shadow

By the time Al Qaeda took over, it would be too late. They could move the material (or enough of it) before we could get there.

See my comment No. 144.

150 JohnnyReb  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:46:03am

re: #137 Cannadian Club Akbar

Don't nukes need constant babysitting?

Yes they do. And there are literally tons of weapons technicians unemployed from various satellite countries that used to belong to the USSR.

151 Creeping Eruption  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:46:25am
152 Killgore Trout  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:46:27am

Maybe if Obama made a speech about it everything would be better.
/ODS

153 CIA Reject  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:46:44am

re: #143 wahabicorridor

It's the nuclear material actually, not the actual weapons.

My guess would be that the nuke material was broken up and used to "salt" many, many pounds of worthless crap that was sold as "weapons grade" material to people who have a lot of money and not too much brains. Think cutting cocaine with baking powder...

No proof, just a hunch...

154 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:46:47am

So is there “an Obama effect” in Iran?

Short answer: No

Long answer: No

Why? Because the Clinton Administration made the same overtures. Here and here are links to stories from 2000 in which Madeleine Albright acknowledged the U.S. role in the 1953 coup in Iran. President Obama is saying little different from his last Democratic predecessor.

What has changed is Iran. Back in 2000 Iran was run by a so-called reformist who was running into opposition from the same forces that have recently showed just how dishonest Iran's system is. Today Iranians are on the streets in protest against that act of massive electoral fraud and the regime's violent response.

It is about them. It is not about us.

155 Kosh's Shadow  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:47:21am

re: #143 wahabicorridor

It's the nuclear material actually, not the actual weapons.

Then that explains it. It isn't easy to make nuclear weapons in a cave in Afghanistan. Terrorist groups might just not be that interested in the materials if they don't have something good to do with them.

156 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:47:30am

re: #148 Kosh's Shadow

Heh!
/ I think this internet thingy might take off

157 Flyers1974  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:47:41am

re: #139 Walter L. Newton

Is that a change in human nature or a result of modernization? I'd say years ago, when people knew they would live in the same small area all their life, reputations, etc... mattered more. If you became known as a liar, you'd be sunk, I imagine.

158 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:47:43am

re: #134 Dark_Falcon

good movie. Peter Sellers was a comic genius.

Even the super-obvious discontinuity in the near-the-end chase scene sequence (Toby caught once more in the trap, swatting at the fox) was still hillarious. Loveable nonsense, and I'm not usually a fan of nonsense.

159 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:48:44am

re: #137 Cannadian Club Akbar

Don't nukes need constant babysitting?

Nah. Maintenance free. Like a Die-Hard Battery.

160 tedzilla99  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:48:54am

Luckily we have such a strong leader in the WH who is consistently on message about fighting jihad and terrorism anywhere in the world. And luckily he went to Egypt and delivered a very strongly-worded speech about how jihad and extremism is wrong and how the USA will be on the side of freedom and liberty and be the example to the world. And luckily our leader is very steadfast about keeping all the terrorists locked away so they won't be allowed to further their plans of attack on the USA, and also lucky that we still have our secret interrogation methods so that when we do capture more terrorists, we can easily obtain the info we need to prevent attacks. And definitely lucky that our leader is supporting the freedom movement in Iran after the sham elections, and quickly and forcefully denounced those elections and has publicly supported the freedom movement from the start. And of course our leader noted that the freedom experience in Iraq is a direct influence on that movement, and made sure the world knows it and knows we are committed to seeing it through.

So we really have nothing to worry about.

161 unrealizedviewpoint  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:49:05am

God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans,” Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda’s in Afghanistan, said in an interview with Al Jazeera television.

It seems as though further preemptive action is needed against Mustafa and his.

162 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:49:36am

wait, i thought o was going to reduce nukes. . . . . oh yeah, it's just ours that have to go.

163 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:50:37am

I also remember reading on World Nut Daily about 3 years ago that some author pushing a book said there were suitcase nukes all over America.
I'm thinking...not so much.

164 unrealizedviewpoint  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:51:23am

re: #137 Cannadian Club Akbar

Don't nukes need constant babysitting?

How much does a babysitter make these days?

165 jcm  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:51:39am

re: #160 tedzilla99

Whew, I was worried there for a minute.
I'm going out for a round of golf and an ice cream since everything is under control.

166 Dianna  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:52:00am

re: #163 Cannadian Club Akbar

I also remember reading on World Nut Daily about 3 years ago that some author pushing a book said there were suitcase nukes all over America.
I'm thinking...not so much.

Who would have been maintaining them?

I thought that was nonsense back then.

167 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:52:24am

re: #163 Cannadian Club Akbar

Why do you spell your nic Cannadian?

168 Walter L. Newton  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:52:39am

re: #157 Flyers1974

Is that a change in human nature or a result of modernization? I'd say years ago, when people knew they would live in the same small area all their life, reputations, etc... mattered more. If you became known as a liar, you'd be sunk, I imagine.

Well, evidently both. Human nature would trend certain people to take advantage of every opportunity, no matter what the moral outcome may be.

But modernization also aids this, making it easier, faster, more inclusive, and opening up the possibilities to people who, in the past, only phantasized (reading to much Neal Stephenson) doing it.

Hand in hand, I say.

169 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:53:24am

re: #166 Dianna

I never believed him. Should have pointed that out.

170 Son of the Black Dog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:53:36am

re: #132 Kosh's Shadow

I've heard this for a long time. It makes me wonder where those weapons are, or if they just aren't in usable condition. Otherwise, that is a long time for some of these groups to have nuclear weapons but not use them.

I'd bet that there have been a few sting operations that we've never been told about, although I'd also not be surprised to learn that fissionable material has found its way to places like Iran and North Korea. That might explain where the Norks have obtained enough material to make at least two devices go "boom". They can't make the stuff THAT fast, and I wouldn't believe they'd expend their entire stockpile on tests.

171 soxfan4life  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:53:45am

re: #162 nyc redneck

wait, i thought o was going to reduce nukes. . . . . oh yeah, it's just ours that have to go.

Aren't ones that are used considered a reduction. NYC, LA DC could all be glowing craters and the administration would be batting themselves on the back for reducing the number of nukes by 3.

172 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:54:33am

There's No False Choice on Iran
The consequence of a weak president.

173 Cannadian Club Akbar  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:55:59am

re: #167 Kenneth

Why do you spell your nic Cannadian?

Because when I joined, the door was never opened. I woke up in the middle of the night ( I am on the east coast) and it was. I signed up as fast as possible. Spelled wrong. I waited a helluva long time and was geeked to get in.

174 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:56:41am

it is also nice that we don't really have to worry abt this because o has eliminated terrorism from our vocabulary and obviously that act of deletion has made terrorism go away.
so when these jihadis use a nuke and kill countless human beings, it will only be a man created event.

p.c. bullshit run amok.
and these assholes are the ones in charge.

175 Son of the Black Dog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:56:47am

re: #133 jorline

Good morning all.

I'm tired of us playing nickle defense...the other team is going for the bomb.

Face it, we're going to be playing defense until we get a coaching change.

176 Motti  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:56:48am

ISRAEL BETRAYED
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS TREATING OUR FRIEND LIKE A FIEND, AND TURNING PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST AN ALLY

[Link: www.nypost.com...]

177 lostlakehiker  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:57:11am

re: #153 CIA Reject

My guess would be that the nuke material was broken up and used to "salt" many, many pounds of worthless crap that was sold as "weapons grade" material to people who have a lot of money and not too much brains. Think cutting cocaine with baking powder...

No proof, just a hunch...

It is impossible to break up a plutonium warhead and cut it with fake plutonium in a garage workshop. Plutonium is devilishly difficult to work with, as it bursts into fire on contact with air and is extremely toxic, never mind that it's radioactive. There isn't a safe isotope of plutonium. All plutonium is weapons grade.

The people buying weapons grade uranium (consisting mostly of isotope 235) would know what they were looking at. The buyers would be agents of the Iranian or North Korean government, or they would be Venezuelan, Egyptian, etc. etc. but accompanied by experts, perhaps hired from NK or Iran.

The North Koreans have proved that they can make nukes that work. It's hardly surprising that they're smart enough to do the physics; South Koreans play Go just as well as Japanese, for example, and the Chinese have already developed their own nukes. Other people on their same branch of the human family tree and with basically similar cultures have already mastered the difficulties.

As to the Iranians, Iran has participated in the International Mathematical Olympiads and done well enough, often enough, to dispel any doubt about whether Iran brings forth people bright enough to do nuclear physics. They will succeed in separating uranium. They will get a working design, either by figuring it out or by buying it from Pakistan, NK, whereever. They can build rockets to carry them, and they can build them with guidance devices sufficient to get them to the general vicinity of the target.

If they're going to be stopped, it won't be by their own inadequacies.

178 sngnsgt  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:57:40am

OT:

Voters Now Trust Republicans More than Democrats on Economic Issues

Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on six out of 10 key issues, including the top issue of the economy.

www.rasmussenreports.com

179 KenJen  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:58:42am

re: #164 unrealizedviewpoint

How much does a babysitter make these days?

I think Rahm E. make $300,000 a year.

180 wahabicorridor  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:59:22am

re: #153 CIA Reject

My guess would be that the nuke material was broken up and used to "salt" many, many pounds of worthless crap that was sold as "weapons grade" material to people who have a lot of money and not too much brains. Think cutting cocaine with baking powder...

No proof, just a hunch...

I'm with you. And given the years that have gone by since this stuff started disappearing with absolutely no KABOOM anywhere - I think this is pretty much a dead end.

Although I do wonder about all those people who ended up with unsuable radioactive material wthat was still - um - radioactive.

HOLY SHIT Boris, whadda we do now?

Give it to Achmed, he'll sell it in the bazaar as an aphrodesiac.

181 reine.de.tout  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 9:59:43am

re: #152 Killgore Trout

Maybe if Obama made a speech about it everything would be better.
/ODS

I admit I'm in full swing ODS right now.

182 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:01:27am

The June 12 Revolution
Whatever happens in Tehran, there's no going back to the Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Republic.
by Reuel Marc Gerecht

Khamenei acted so crudely and rashly on June 12 because he'd already seen this movie. What's happening in Iran now is all about democracy, about the contradictory and chaotic bedfellows that it makes, about the questioning of authority and the personal curiosity that it unleashes. Khamenei knows what George H.W. Bush's "realist" national security adviser Brent Scowcroft surely knows, too: Democracy in Iran implies regime change. Where Iranians in the 1990s could try to play games with themselves--be in favor of greater democracy but refrain from saying publicly that the current government was illegitimate--this fiction is no longer possible. Khamenei has forced Mousavi and, more important, the people behind him into opposition to himself and the political system he leads. Unless Mousavi gives up, and thereby deflates the millions who've gathered around him, a permanent opposition to Khamenei and his constitutionally ordained supremacy has now formed. Like it or not, Mousavi has become the new Khatami--except this time the opposition is stronger and led by a man of considerable intestinal fortitude.

183 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:05:03am

re: #181 reine.de.tout

Hiya Toots!

184 Kenneth  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:05:31am

The smart money should still be on a coup by the Revolutionary Guard if Khamenei does not stand firm against Mousavi

...and a repeat of the 1990s. But a coup is not a foregone conclusion. It is a mistake to see the Mousavi-Ahmadinejad split as one of class and education, or of urban versus rural, or more secular versus more religious. These factors are real, but so are countervailing forces that have given Mousavi a good deal of support among men and women of all classes and religious dispositions who are fed up with the spiritual depression that has been the Islamic Republic's most notable gift to its people. Modernity has been no kinder to the clerical regime than it was to the shah. Like Khatami before him, Mousavi has tapped into this profound frustration, which thanks largely to Khamenei's missteps is turning into anger.
185 JohnnyReb  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:06:53am

re: #180 wahabicorridor

I'm with you. And given the years that have gone by since this stuff started disappearing with absolutely no KABOOM anywhere - I think this is pretty much a dead end.

Although I do wonder about all those people who ended up with unsuable radioactive material wthat was still - um - radioactive.

HOLY SHIT Boris, whadda we do now?

Give it to Achmed, he'll sell it in the bazaar as an aphrodesiac.

I suspect the big Kaboom in North Korea was a result of some of that stuff that went missing from the former USSR. I don't think the North had the raw materials to make enough for one bomb let alone the multiples that we are hearing about. Not that fast anyways.

Heck it appears that the US is missing quite a bit of plutonium itself if this article can be believed:

[Link: usgovinfo.about.com...]

186 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:08:35am

re: #171 soxfan4life

Aren't ones that are used considered a reduction. NYC, LA DC could all be glowing craters and the administration would be batting themselves on the back for reducing the number of nukes by 3.

my heart just fell to my knees.

187 danny  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:08:43am

Relax everybody, Obama has said repeatedly he will go after Al Qaeda in Pakistan just as soon as he has "actionable intelligence." I for one am confident he will have that intelligence not too long after the first Paki nuke goes off.

188 DistantThunder  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:09:45am

I guess AlQueda is impervious to obama's "charms."

189 tedzilla99  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:10:39am

re: #188 DistantThunder

I guess AlQueda is impervious to obama's "charms."

They will unclench their fists long enough to press the button.

190 wahabicorridor  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:11:50am

re: #185 JohnnyReb

The kaboom on the NK train? I remember that but nothing else. However, if there had been a radioactive kaboom, I think we would have heard about it a la Chernobyl.

As for U.S. stuff going missing - a year ago I would have said, well, there's probably a clerical error, that happens a lot.

And then the Air Force started flying around with those things.

But still, the problem I have with all this stuff going 'missing' is - it's deadly. What are you going to do with it and how do you hide it?

191 nyc redneck  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:12:54am

re: #188 DistantThunder

I guess AlQueda is impervious to obama's "charms."

how is that possible? don't they believe in god?
(oh, different deity.)

192 unrealizedviewpoint  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:16:36am

re: #167 Kenneth

Why do you spell your nic Cannadian?

re: #173 Cannadian Club Akbar

Because when I joined, the door was never opened. I woke up in the middle of the night ( I am on the east coast) and it was. I signed up as fast as possible. Spelled wrong. I waited a helluva long time and was geeked to get in.

So, what you're saying is it had nothing to do with the distilled Canadian Club? We all believe you. /

193 wahabicorridor  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:16:47am

Jebus, I just looked it up.

The half life of plutonimu-239 is 24100 years

zounds

194 SixDegrees  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:16:56am

re: #180 wahabicorridor

I'm with you. And given the years that have gone by since this stuff started disappearing with absolutely no KABOOM anywhere - I think this is pretty much a dead end.

Although I do wonder about all those people who ended up with unsuable radioactive material wthat was still - um - radioactive.

HOLY SHIT Boris, whadda we do now?

Give it to Achmed, he'll sell it in the bazaar as an aphrodesiac.

It would make great dirty bomb material.

195 kansas  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:17:44am

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Say They Will Crush Any Protests...
Riot police use tear gas, fire live bullets in air...
NKorea threatens to harm USA if attacked...
Al Qaeda says would use Pakistani nukes on USA...

And Gallup says Americans pleased with Obama foreign policy. Wow.

196 itellu3times  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:18:01am

re: #120 pre-Boomer Marine brat

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick sent a letter, agreeing to "constructive dialog".

"for a price, Ugati, for a price"
/dueling movie references

197 NukeAtomrod  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:20:32am

Unclench? Please? We'll apologize for all the terrible things America has done again?

/ / / Channeling the POTUS

198 Rudemeister  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:26:32am

If Al Qaida were to hit us with one of the Pakistani nukes, in less time than it would take to read all these comments, Pakistan would be a glass parking lot. We would also have more than enough to glassify any other haven we might suspect they were hiding in. We have thousands of them. Our delivery system is pretty good too.

199 Shr_Nfr  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:26:57am

Did you want sprinkles on that cone Mr. Obama?

200 Shr_Nfr  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:28:03am

re: #198 Rudemeister

Small comfort after a large number of dead Americans. MAD does not deter people who think the certain way to heaven is to get killed in battle.

201 NukeAtomrod  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:29:34am

re: #198 Rudemeister

If Al Qaida were to hit us with one of the Pakistani nukes, in less time than it would take to read all these comments, Pakistan would be a glass parking lot. We would also have more than enough to glassify any other haven we might suspect they were hiding in. We have thousands of them. Our delivery system is pretty good too.

Maybe, but how is that a deterrent to Al Qaeda?

202 [deleted]  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:36:45am
203 CIA Reject  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:42:05am

re: #177 lostlakehiker

It is impossible to break up a plutonium warhead and cut it with fake plutonium in a garage workshop. Plutonium is devilishly difficult to work with, as it bursts into fire on contact with air and is extremely toxic, never mind that it's radioactive. There isn't a safe isotope of plutonium. All plutonium is weapons grade.

The people buying weapons grade uranium (consisting mostly of isotope 235) would know what they were looking at. The buyers would be agents of the Iranian or North Korean government, or they would be Venezuelan, Egyptian, etc. etc. but accompanied by experts, perhaps hired from NK or Iran.

The North Koreans have proved that they can make nukes that work. It's hardly surprising that they're smart enough to do the physics; South Koreans play Go just as well as Japanese, for example, and the Chinese have already developed their own nukes. Other people on their same branch of the human family tree and with basically similar cultures have already mastered the difficulties.

As to the Iranians, Iran has participated in the International Mathematical Olympiads and done well enough, often enough, to dispel any doubt about whether Iran brings forth people bright enough to do nuclear physics. They will succeed in separating uranium. They will get a working design, either by figuring it out or by buying it from Pakistan, NK, whereever. They can build rockets to carry them, and they can build them with guidance devices sufficient to get them to the general vicinity of the target.

If they're going to be stopped, it won't be by their own inadequacies.

You raise very valid points about the nature of plutonium but, I believe that the material was not broken up in a garage somewhere, but rather in a facility with the proper tools and by people who knew what they were doing.

Even so it would have been a very dangerous undertaking, but desperate people do desperate things and a scientist who is watching his children starve can be every bit as desperate as a ditch digger who is watching his children starve.

That being said, as I stated above, it is still pure supposition on my part.

204 Morganfrost  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:51:05am

Would you please unclench? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?

205 wiffersnapper  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 10:56:13am

Isn't this what Al Qaeda has been preaching since 9/11? It's a just a new way of them trying to act important. It's still a threat, but not really that shocking.

206 Gretchen  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 11:04:46am

Ummm, this will be Bush's fault.

207 tveitskog  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 11:37:49am

Don’t forget the US now has a pre-9/11 mindset on security.

208 rexatosis  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 11:44:22am

This story should be filed under "No Sh*t Sherlock"

209 Mikey_Dallas  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 12:32:48pm

Time to go to the SWAT Valley for a speech, BO.

210 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 12:41:01pm

So, would it be considered 'disproportionate' to consider using nuclear weapons against Al-queda? I don't think so, not if there's a risk that they'll get their hands on a working nuclear device. And if a nuke ever went off, There is no US leader who would stand idly by and do nothing. He or she would be be impeached by their own party. And I suspect the entire region between Pakistan and Afghanistan would be glassed over with America going into full war footing and willing to do *whatever* it takes to ensure that whoever did it, would never see the light of day again.

211 Mike McDaniel  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 1:52:01pm

If we get hit by a nuke, there needs to be a reckoning. Because every liberal in this country will have blood on his hands.

212 Code Red 21  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 2:05:02pm

I thought BO apologized to Al Queda or was that Hezbollah or was that... oh never mind I can't keep up with who he's played kissy face with. I figured everyone would love us by now. Someone better send BO a memo about this before it's too late.

213 dak  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 2:43:25pm

I wonder what "carefully calibrated" response BO will have for this...

214 slotgun  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 3:58:35pm

"Allahu Ahkbar, Asshat, we finally have the nuclear weapons in hour hands!"
"Yes, al-Anus, we do. Now . . . what do you suppose this button does?"

215 mattm  Mon, Jun 22, 2009 5:11:07pm

Obama was busy going "la, la , la I can't hear you."

216 CaptObviousman  Tue, Jun 23, 2009 1:49:59pm

re: #26 razorbacker

I'm late, but I'm here! Hang on a sec, let me put on my official hat ... ok. Now whaddya want?


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