[Peace] NTRC Statement on the Introduction of the Nuclear Threat Reduction Act of 2002 (fwd)

[patton paul]

forwarded by:
__________________________________________________________________
Dr. Paul Patton
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Beckman Institute  Rm 3027  405 N. Mathews St.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  Urbana, Illinois 61801
work phone: (217)-265-0795   fax: (217)-244-5180
home phone: (217)-328-4064
homepage: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ppatton/index.html

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the
source of all true art and science."
-Albert Einstein
__________________________________________________________________

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 18:53:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: DontBlowIt.org <webmaster at dontblowit.policy.net>
Reply-To: comments at dontblowit.policy.net
To: Paul Patton <ppatton at uiuc.edu>
Subject: NTRC Statement on the Introduction of the Nuclear Threat Reduction
    Act of 2002

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2002 CONTACT:
Lorrie McHugh
(202) 337-0808
Patti Reilly
(202) 557-7518

Statement from Ambassador Karl. F. Inderfurth, Senior Advisor to the
Nuclear Threat Reduction Campaign, on the Introduction of the Nuclear
Threat Reduction Act of 2002

American intelligence officials have reported that Osama Bin Laden and
his al Qaeda network have sought to acquire nuclear materials, especially
from the nations of the former Soviet Union, and to produce so-called
"dirty bombs". A top leader of al Qaeda now in custody reportedly told
American interrogators that the terrorist group is close to building a
"dirty bomb" and may try to smuggle one into the United States.

Clearly, we must immediately take steps to address these and other
threats facing our country and the world. The Nuclear Threat Reduction
Campaign (NTRC) applauds Representative Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) and
Representative John Spratt (D-SC) for their introduction of the Nuclear
Threat Reduction Act, 2002. U.S. national security is inextricably linked
with the fate of Russian weapons of mass destruction, materials, and
expertise. In light of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the most
serious threat to U.S. national security is that a small portion of
Russia's nuclear stockpile will fall into the hands of those who wish the
U.S. deadly harm.

The time has come for greater cooperation and stronger action to address
these concerns. The NTRC urges Congress and the Bush Administration to
work together in a bipartisan fashion to help Russia account for, secure
and, in some cases, dispose of its nuclear weapons and weapons-grade
materials and find peaceful employment for former Soviet weapons
scientists. Today's introduction of NTRA is a much needed step forward in
the fight to make our country and world more secure.

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                ________________________________________________

The NTRC has put forth a five part agenda encouraging Congress and the
Bush Administration to: work toward a comprehensive inventory of nuclear
weapons and weapons-grade materials; pass the
Debt-Reduction-for-Non-Proliferation Act; sign a legally-binding
agreement to reduce stockpiles of strategic weapons held by the United
States and Russia; strengthen joint U.S.-Russia threat reduction and
non-proliferation programs, and expand existing programs to mitigate the
threat of bioterrorism. The NTRC is a project of the Vietnam Veterans of
America Foundation and The Justice Project. [nostep.gif]

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