[Changleen]

This is a long article written by some dude called Hamid Mir.

http://oraclesyndicate.twoday.net/stories/2963354/

You probably haven't hear of him, but he's quite well respected in his own country and has broken several big stories before.

You can read about him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamid_Mir

The article is quite interesting, and is basically about ways to end the ongoing WoT / clash of civilisations / Islam vs. the West deal we seem to be playing right now. However there is a particularly interesting bit in it:

After my last meeting with Osama bin Ladin, I have traveled to Afghanistan again and again. I also visited Iran, I visited Russia and I traveled in the mountains of Chechnya, I visited Uzbekistan, Syria, Lebanon and also I went to India, just to investigate about the nuclear capabilities of Al Qaeda. I got lots of information about the smuggling of enriched uranium and about the purchase of some suitcase nukes by Al Qaeda from Moscow. I interviewed one Chechen leader who told me that they had smuggled three suitcase nukes from Russia to Georgia, and from Georgia to Italy. At least two of the suitcase nukes were finally smuggled inside America with the help of Italian underworld.

You should read the whole thing to get it in context before going off half cocked, it also deals with why AQ supposedly has not exercised their option to use these supposed devices yet.

I am not exactly convinced about the veracity of the article, but I thought you'd find it interesting anyway. Like I said, this guy isn't exactly some journalistic rookie.

 

[LordOpie]

not to sound too flippant, but two suitcase bombs are only two bombs. Unless they somehow manage to take out both congressional and executive branches at the same time, i don't see how that threat means anything.

Also, I'm sure the journalist is well respected, but just cuz some nutjob told him they did smuggle two nukes in doesn't mean it happened.

While it is interesting that they had help from the Italian underworld, that doesn't mean anything about Italy or Europe, just that the Italians in question are mercenaries.

 

[Changleen]

not to sound too flippant, but two suitcase bombs are only two bombs. Unless they somehow manage to take out both congressional and executive branches at the same time, i don't see how that threat means anything.

Also, I'm sure the journalist is well respected, but just cuz some nutjob told him they did smuggle two nukes in doesn't mean it happened.

While it is interesting that they had help from the Italian underworld, that doesn't mean anything about Italy or Europe, just that the Italians in question are mercenaries.

My magic eightball tells me one is in Denver!

And you are right, just because some nutjob told him they have the nukes doesn't mean it is true. It is interesting to consider though. The article also makes clear the kind of reasoning and politics mainstream media hardly ever portray in this whole deal. Good vs. Evil looks pretty flimsy when you hear someone talk about the various intelligence agencies, the involvement of the US and the Taliban etc. like this. It's a good reminder of the true complexity of the situation.

 

[Westy]

It was awful nice for Al Kayda to smuggle the bombs in then do nothing with them. I'd guess a terr'rist with a nuke is a lot like a kid with an M-80, he's going to light it off the first chance he gets. It is not like they need to sneak it in somewhere. Anywhere in DC or NYC LA would do the trick nicely.

 

[Changleen]

It was awful nice for Al Kayda to smuggle the bombs in then do nothing with them. I'd guess a terr'rist with a nuke is a lot like a kid with an M-80, he's going to light it off the first chance he gets. It is not like they need to sneak it in somewhere. Anywhere in DC or NYC LA would do the trick nicely.

Yep, them ter'rist only have one agenda: hate. They just want to kill everyone. That's it.

Maybe AQ haven't used nukes in the US for the same reason the US hasn't used nukes in Iraq?

 

[Reactor]

It was awful nice for Al Kayda to smuggle the bombs in then do nothing with them. I'd guess a terr'rist with a nuke is a lot like a kid with an M-80, he's going to light it off the first chance he gets. It is not like they need to sneak it in somewhere. Anywhere in DC or NYC LA would do the trick nicely.

A little history:

Back when the world had only democracy and godless commies, the USSR claimed it thought it would be a good idea to use nuclear explosives in the place of conventional explosives for projects like damming rivers, moving mountains on top of mohammad etc. Their claims of peaceful use are highly suspect however, and several fromer high ranking soviets have directly contradicted their former government.

They designed a new explosive device with a few kilotons of yield for this use. Whatever their intended use, the russians made about 250 of the ADM (atomic demolition munitions), and realized they were generally a stupid idea. After the SALT-II treaty and other weapon redcution treaties the Russian suddenly realized they couldn't find about a hundred of them. They haven't been maintained in years and probably wouldn't detonate in their current condition, if they did detonate the explosion would be a squib and mre consistant with a dirty bomb than an atomic weapon. Still a considerable terrorist threat, but not quite as horrific as they once were.

if you search for suitcase nuke or atomic demolition munition on wikipedia you'll get some fairly accurate information.

 

[Reactor]

My guess, if the story is true and not hype, is that they are trying to find technical help (a bomb tech) and supplys (difficult to obtain) to maintain the bombs and make them active again.

 

[sanjuro]

At least two of the suitcase nukes were finally smuggled inside America with the help of Italian underworld.

Haha. Considering most of the American mafia lives in NY, I doubt they will be helping terrorists blow up their own home turft.

 

[Changleen]

Plenty of Iraqis helped America blow up Iraq... It depends on your POV and motivations...

 

[Westy]

A little history:

Back when the world had only democracy and godless commies, the USSR claimed it thought it would be a good idea to use nuclear explosives in the place of conventional explosives for projects like damming rivers, moving mountains on top of mohammad etc. Their claims of peaceful use are highly suspect however, and several fromer high ranking soviets have directly contradicted their former government.

They designed a new explosive device with a few kilotons of yield for this use. Whatever their intended use, the russians made about 250 of the ADM (atomic demolition munitions), and realized they were generally a stupid idea. After the SALT-II treaty and other weapon redcution treaties the Russian suddenly realized they couldn't find about a hundred of them. They haven't been maintained in years and probably wouldn't detonate in their current condition, if they did detonate the explosion would be a squib and mre consistant with a dirty bomb than an atomic weapon. Still a considerable terrorist threat, but not quite as horrific as they once were.

if you search for suitcase nuke or atomic demolition munition on wikipedia you'll get some fairly accurate information.

I certainly don't doubt the existance of such devices or the possibility of them making it into the US. This particular story just sounds like a bunch of BS.

 

[blue]

if they did detonate the explosion would be a squib and mre consistant with a dirty bomb than an atomic weapon. Still a considerable terrorist threat, but not quite as horrific as they once were.

if you search for suitcase nuke or atomic demolition munition on wikipedia you'll get some fairly accurate information.

Exactly...the "suitcase bombs" require considerable maintenance to keep operational. I doubt they could even reach "dirty bomb" status...I think one of the wikis I read on it said something about them probably not even being able to detonate.

As a note to that, if any Muslim fundamentalist terrorist group had its paws on a suitcase bomb, it's highly unlikely they'd bring it to the US, simply because of the risk of losing it. Far more likely to be detonated in Israel or Europe.

That, and this story is a complete load of horsesh*t.

 

[Reactor]

That, and this story is a complete load of horsesh*t.

I agree. Spreading terror can involve false information as well as blowing stuff up.

 

[DaveW]

Mind you this is probably another handy excuse for bush to delete a few more of your rights.

 

[sanjuro]

Plenty of Iraqis helped America blow up Iraq... It depends on your POV and motivations...

And there are plenty of mobsters ready to turn on America?

 

[MMike]

not to sound too flippant, but two suitcase bombs are only two bombs. Unless they somehow manage to take out both congressional and executive branches at the same time, i don't see how that threat means anything.

.

You OBVIOUSLY don't watch 24....

 

[Echo]

Far more likely to be detonated in Israel or Europe.

I'd bet it's a lot easier to get a suitcase bomb into the US than Israel.

 

[DRB]

What I find most interesting is that the vast majority of the articles are at World Daily Net. I wonder if this is another plot to stimulate justification of an attack on Iran?

It also means that the NeoCons have been right from the beginning and that their actions are justified.

 

[LordOpie]

It also means that the NeoCons have been right from the beginning and that their actions are justified.

cause and effect is a very difficult concept to quantify.



Two nukes set off on US soil is like poking a bear with a stick.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

It also means that the NeoCons have been right from the beginning and that their actions are justified.

and half the world would have to swallow their words.

 

[Reactor]

and half the world would have to swallow their words.

Not exactly...it's more like the neocons are getting exactly the world they wished for. It's a self fulfilling prophesy.

 

[LordOpie]

Not exactly...it's more like the neocons are getting exactly the world they wished for. It's a self fulfilling prophesy.

At it's core, this is absolutely true since AQ was essentially created by the USA.

That's not to say that another terrorist group wouldn't have formed in it's absence. And they might even hate the USA and allies even more.

 

[dhbuilder]

cause and effect is a very difficult concept to quantify.



Two nukes set off on US soil is like poking a bear with a stick.

kind of like namecalling someone you don't know anything about.

 

[Silver]

What I find most interesting is that the vast majority of the articles are at World Daily Net. I wonder if this is another plot to stimulate justification of an attack on Iran?

It also means that the NeoCons have been right from the beginning and that their actions are justified.

You're going to have to flesh this out a little bit, because I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[LordOpie]

kind of like namecalling someone you don't know anything about.

no no, you're a racist.