Reader's Digest Article Reflection

LOOSE NUKES
Pgs 29 - 33


Article by J. Peter Scoblic
Reflection by Lim Zijie Joshua(37)

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What's stopping terrorists from getting their hands on the materials to build a nuclear bomb? The answer: not much. The threat of terrorism is real, and it must never be reckened with. The threat of terrorists getting their hands on nuclear weapons is growing each day, as technology advances. Worse still, is the threat of political despots aiding terrorists in getting their hands on nuclear weapons. One example is the state of North Korea, which firstly, sells weapons to states like Iran and Syria. These weapons sold are rumoured to be Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMD) and could cause much pain and sufferings, as well as financial losses, not having yet taken into account the possible destruction of our planet Earth. Secondly, North Korea is, or was, developing its own nuclear arsenal, possibly sparking off an arms race among those in the 'Nuke Club', like the United States Of America for example. By sparking off an arms race, there would be the massive financial losses and society would be destructed as a result of a nuclear arms race.

The fact that terrorists have limited access to nuclear materials is a serious threat. Having limited access, but accessible nonetheless, could threaten world peace. For example, the nuclear explosion of a van near the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation(NATO) headquarters in Brussels showed the world that the terrorists have access to nuclear materisls and that they are prepared to use them to achieve their goals, which are, putting it nicely, foolishly idealistic and a threat to the existance and a stain of the supremacy of humans in the animal kingdom, in which we humans have the special ability to reason. Terrorism thoughts and acts are simply insults to this supremacy we possess.One other indirect reason given in the article which explains the leak of nuclear materials is due to the fact of poor safeguarding, as in the case of the Russian Federation. The lack of defence is so apparant, as seen from the two dozen incidents on illegal smuggling of nuclear materials out of the federation so easily.

Leadership is a quintessential trait in the prevention of nuclear terrorism. With leadership comes reforms, with reforms comes revolution, with revolution comes change. Strong leadership, and collective co-operation by every country is needed to successfully deter nuclear terrorism, and possibly undermine the cause of terrorism. While it is never possible to eradicate terrorism, deterring nuclear terrorism can be achieved, and must be achieved. The importance of world peace cannot be stressed more. Are we going to create a world of peace, flourishing generation after generation, era after era, or are we going to destroy the fragile peace that we are in now, possibly ruining the lives of our loved ones, to a point of no return. Our decisions, and the manner in which we enforce our decisions, will decide our fates.

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