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Why terrorists would choose nuclear weapons

Nuclear Terrorism: A Rationale Choice For Terrorists? – Analysis by: , January 26, 2012 By Muhammad Jawad Hashmi“……Why Terrorists Potentially Want To Go Nuclear Nuclear weapon is the most dangerous weapon that mankind has ever made. These weapons are ultimate weapons for ultimate destruction. Terrorists have been struggling for the publicity throughout the time and WMD may sever as an attention-getter stunt. Nuclear terrorism becomes a lucrative option for the terrorist organizations only because of lethality of nuclear weapons. Historically speaking, it has been observed that terrorists have been pursuing weapons which are increasingly lethal. Indeed, the acquisition of any type of nuclear weapon would boost their confidence as well as degree of terrorist-actions. This inclination towards nuclear weapons or material could be well observed in the case of biological and chemical agents which are being used by terrorist groups/individuals in USA and else where. So, based on this premise it can be proposed that the tendency towards the acquisition of WMDs and their usage would increase in near future….

To conclude one must understand that, terrorists are rational actors prevailing in the world. So, it can be assumed that the acquisition of nuclear weapons become more rational for terrorists as it may enhance the vulnerability of states. Similarly, it can be assumed that a terrorist group with nuclear weapon may pose a serious challenge of blackmail. At the same time terrorist organizations might consider that nuclear weapon may create environment of deterrence against their adversaries. Furthermore, it can be assumed that terrorists may use nuclear or radiological weapon to create precedence, so that states may not try to underestimate their capabilities. It may enhance the credibility of threats posed by the non state actors in the up coming era. http://www.eurasiareview.com/26012012-nuclear-terrorism-a-rationale-choice-for-terrorists-analysis/

January 27, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

India enthusisastic about its nuclear weapons development

India flexes nuclear muscle on R-Day Times of India TNN | Jan 27, 2012, “….. on display for the first time in the parade were the nuclear-capable Agni IV intermediate range surface-to-surface ballistic missile and the Hercules C-130-J aircraft recently acquired from the US. ….  The crowd got excited as an array of weapons and armaments was rolled out on the Rajpath. The first to come were the mechanized columns led by the T-72 tanks. The SMERCH multiple launch rocket system, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket system, and the Advanced Light Helicopter ‘Dhruv’ came later. Then the Agni-IV missile rolled past, much to the cheer of the crowd. It was successfully flight tested last November and DRDO paraded it on Thursday. It got a thunderous welcome. The missile is nuclear capable and can carry a warhead up to 3,500 km. Also for the first time, the 150-km range Prahaar Tactical Battlefield Support Missile and the Rustom-1 unmanned aerial vehicle were part of the parade and proved to be eye-catchers. …

aircraft flew in standard formation. Then came the fighters with the Jaguars leading the pack in the arrowhead formation. The MiG-29s came next, followed by Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters, which ended the parade with the spectacular ‘trishul’ and ‘vertical charlie’ manouevres.  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/India-flexes-nuclear-muscle-on-R-Day/articleshow/11644210.cms

January 27, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Renewable energy soon to be competitive without subsidy

Renewable Generators From Vestas to Suntech Plan Profits Without Subsidy
Bloomberg, By Alex Morales and Jacqueline Simmons – Jan 26, 2012 Renewable energy companies are approaching the point where they can generate electricity at a price competitive with fossil-fuels without subsidies, the biggest wind and solar manufacturers said.

Suntech Power Holdings (STP) Co. Chief Executive Officer Zhengrong Shi said solar will reach parity with fossil fuels on electric grids by 2015. Vestas Wind systems A/S expects its turbines to compete without incentives “in the coming years,” said Peter Brun, head of governmental relations.

“Wind in some cases already is, or can in coming years, be fully cost-competitive with fossil fuels,” Brun said today by e-mail from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Fossil-fuel prices will continue to rise, and that increases the competitiveness of new technologies. We are preparing the whole industry for getting off the subsidy-need.”…..

January 27, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

USA backs United Nations on Sustainable Energy

Investing in Renewable Energy is Good for the United States and the World
Statement of United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth on President Obama’s State of the Union Address We need to raise sustainable energy to the top of the global agenda and focus our attention, ingenuity, resources, and investments to make it a reality.
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) January 25, 2012 In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama highlighted the importance of increased investment in renewable energy and greater energy efficiency. Prioritizing sustainable energy will position the United States and its partners for a stronger economic future, and will help advance global sustainable energy goals. Continue reading →

January 26, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

The search for bodies near Fukushima can at last begin

Falling radiation permits search for bodies near Fukushima, ABC Radio News,  January 24, 2012 Reporter Mark Willacy reports from Fukushima TONY EASTLEY: With radiation levels near the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant slowly falling Japanese police are only now carrying out detailed searches for bodies near the facility. About 200 people from communities around the plant remain missing after a tsunami slammed into that stretch of coastline in March last year. Continue reading →

January 25, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Houston, Texas, to be world leader in renewable energy?

How Houston can remain the world’s energy capital: Embrace wind and solar now, Culture Map, 24 Jan 12, BY  MICHAEL SKELLY, When I first moved to Texas in the late 1990s,renewable energy was considered a quaint notion which would never amount to much of anything. Around that time in Houston, wind and solar energy weren’t really on anyone’s radar. It seemed like everyone in town was either working for Enron or wanting to work there, and everyone else was focused on a new dot.com. In our generally wide-open city, there was no particular aversion to clean energy, just more of a “huh?” factor.

But over the past decade, Houston has emerged as one of the leading cities for the renewable energy industry. Almost every major wind company in the U.S. has a significant presence in Houston, includingDuke, Shell, BP, NextEra, Pattern, and EDPR (formerly Horizon Wind). These companies account for well over half of the of the wind turbines installed in the United States. ….

As it turns out, Texas now leads the country in wind energy, and is moving along in solar. In 2011, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas(ERCOT), 8.5% of the electricity consumed in the state came from wind energy. And as everyone knows, with our hot, muggy summers, we are voracious consumers of electricity, making 8.5% a LOT of electricity.

On a really blustery day, we get almost 30% of our electricity from wind. This is up from right around 0% a dozen years ago.  We got here through a combination of a slight push from the state that started with Gov. Bush, federal tax incentives, tremendous wind resources along our coast and in West Texas, and a business friendly environment. Houston companies were a big part of this multi-billion dollar build-out….. http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/01-24-11-how-the-worlds-oil-capital-can-be-a-center-for-renewable-energy/

January 25, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Renewable Energy Event for Africa

On-site renewables to feature prominently at Africa-based power event, 24/01/201 Cogeneration By Diarmaid Williams On-site power will comprise part of the agenda for Renewable Energy World Africa, which will be launched alongside POWER-GEN Africa 2012 in Johannesburg in November.

The three day event will feature presentations and debate about the strategic challenges and technical solutions for expanding renewable energy power generation across sub-Saharan Africa.

The event will also involve discussion of the future of on-site renewable power in Africa and how that form of energy relates to the major industries in the region, and in relation to rural electrification.

Exhibitors will have a dedicated Renewable Energy World Africa pavilion on the show floor which will be a focus of expertise and global technological excellence in the green energy sector.

“Countries in sub-Saharan Africa today face a collective power deficit with the prospect of fast growing future demand. Renewable power generation offers huge potential to help close this gap in a continent with abundant renewable resources and space. With technology advancing quickly and manufacturing costs lowering, renewable power generation will play a big role in a new energy infrastructure in Africa offering solutions in both rural distributed applications and large-scale projects such as hydropower, CSP, wind and biomass,” said Nigel Blackaby, Renewable Energy World Africa Event Director & Director Conference for PennWell’s International Power Group.

This exciting new industry forum will feature leading renewable energy industry professionals from around the world who will share their expertise and experiences to help define Africa’s renewable energy sector of the future.

Renewable Energy World Africa, and POWER-GEN Africa conference & exhibition will take place in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa on 6-8 November 2012.http://www.cospp.com/articles/2012/01/on-site-renewables-to-feature-prominently-at-african-based-power-event.html

January 25, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

The long road to safety- not bombing Iran

How About Not Bombing Iran? NYT, Bill Keller, January 22, 2012,  If you need more convincing of the grave risks of a preemptive bombing attack on Iran, I recommend these freshly published arguments from Colin H. Kahl, who was until recently Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East in the Obama administration; R. Nicholas Burns, who was Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in the George W. Bush administration; and my Times colleague Roger Cohen, who sums it up this way:

Here’s the bottom line: an Israeli attack unites Iran in fury, locks in the Islamic Republic for a generation, cements the Syrian regime, radicalizes the Arab world at a moment of delicate transition, ignites Hezbollah on the Lebanese border, boosts Hamas, endangers U.S. troops in the region, sparks terrorism, propels oil skyward, triggers a
possible regional war, offers a lifeline to Iran just as Europe is about to stop buying its oil, adds a Persian to the Arab vendetta against Israel, and may at best set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions a couple of years.

But if not bombing, then what?……
http://keller.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/how-about-not-bombing-iran/

January 24, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Vermont Public Service Board to consider Vermont Yankee nuclear plant

Vermont Yankee foes ponder next moves, Boston Globe, MONTPELIER, January 21, 2012 Lawmakers supporting the shutdown of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant appear to be pinning their hopes on the state Public Service Board.

But lawmakers say they are uncertain of their own strategy now that US District Judge J. Garvan Murtha has ruled against the state’s efforts to close the plant. Vermont had a law saying the plant must get legislative approval to operate for another 20 years, but the judge
rejected that.

He also said the state cannot shut down Vermont Yankee based on a lack of legislative approval for storage of high-level radioactive waste. The judge sent the case back to the Public Service Board, and the three-member panel is expected to reopen its review on
whether to grant the certificate. (AP) http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-21/metro/30648299_1_vermont-yankee-legislative-approval-plant

January 24, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty – the start of a peace race

This article on website    http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/starting-a-peace-race-with-the/page-3/#ixzz1k84rR2Am  contains archival viewing of Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy

Starting a Peace Race with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty,  William Lambers — BC Culture, 20 Jan 12, We need to challenge all these countries. But not to an arms race; rather to what President Kennedy called a “peace race.” This is our best hope for unifying the world in eliminating the threat of nuclear weapons and lifting this burden off all peoples.

This unity must first begin at home between Democrats and Republicans. A starting point should be ratifying a pact eliminating all nuclear weapons testing, finally finishing a job started long ago by Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy…..  But decades later, what Ike and Kennedy started is not yet finished. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) still needs to be ratified.

This treaty goes a step further than the limited one of 1963 and bans all nuclear test explosions, including underground. The United States and seven other nations have yet to approve this treaty for it to take effect. Russia has already ratified it. Continue reading →

January 21, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Virginia Governor on pausing action on uranium mining regulation

Uranium Moratorium,  Governors Journal Daily By GoJo Staff  January 19, 2012 (Richmond, VA) – Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell(R) is asking the state legislature to take no action this year on the regulation of uranium mining, while the issue is studied further. In the meantime, he is asking a multi-agency task force to review “scientific and legal” issues associated with uranium mining and he is asking that task force to report back with recommendations by the end of the year.

McDonnell’s decision comes after a review of a National Academy of Sciences report that looked into the prospects for uranium mining in Pittsylvania County where there is the potential for an operation at Coles Hill….

McDonnell’s request to extend the current Virginia moratorium on uranium mining, may be seen by some as at odds with a general policy held by the Republican Party nationally to move forward aggressively with the development of homegrown sources of energy. McDonnell clearly believes the unknowns associated with uranium are far greater than those involving pipelines, or drilling for natural gas, or oil.

“Public safety must be the primary factor in the ultimate determination as to whether to proceed with uranium mining,” McDonnell said in his statement. http://governorsjournal.com/2012/01/uranium-moratorium/

January 20, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Virginia’s uranium lobbyists should stop pressurising legislators

Uranium lobbyists need to back off  Star Tribune, Phillip Lovelace January 18, 2012 The National Academy of Sciences said Virginia faces steep hurdles. I say the uranium industry and the lobbyists they have hired should stop pressuring our legislators and go with the timeframe the National Academy of Sciences has contracted with the state of Virginia to do public education until May.
The National Academy of Sciences recommended site-specific studies. Continue reading →

January 19, 2012 Posted by | general, Uranium | Leave a comment

U.N. delegation to Iran for nuclear talks

Iran Says UN Nuclear Team to Visit This Month for Talks VOA News, 17 Jan,  Iran says senior U.N. nuclear officials will travel to the country later this month to discuss their concerns about the Iranian nuclear program.

Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh said Tuesday the U.N. delegation will visit Tehran from January 29 to 31 for talks on topics “of interest” to the agency. He says Tehran’s agreement to host the team led by IAEA deputy
director-general Herman Nackaerts is a “sign of transparency” in Iran’s nuclear activities and engagement with the United Nations.

The IAEA issued a report last November saying it has evidence suggesting that Iran has been researching the development and delivery of nuclear weapons. Iran says the report was based on fabrications. It insists the Iranian nuclear program is only for peaceful use. ….
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Iran-Says-UN-Nuclear-Team-to-Visit-This-Month-for-Talks-137497473.html

January 18, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Israeli experts think that Israel could live with a nuclear Iran

Could Israel live with a nuclear Iran? A gaming exercise suggests yes. Israeli intelligence experts role-played Iran in a simulation exploring the ‘day after’ scenario if Iran were to launch a nuclear explosive test. The results suggest war would not break out immediately.

Christian Science Monitor, By Joshua Mitnick, Correspondent / January 17, 2012  TEL AVIV Three months before the recent upsurge in tension with Tehran over its nuclear program, an Israeli think tank simulated fallout from what many here consider the unthinkable: an Iranian nuclear explosive test. The results of the simulation, published this week, are not the Middle East doomsday that some here have warned of.

Rather than use the weapon to attack the Jewish state – as many Israeli leaders fear – the experts playing Iran leveraged the newly unveiled military power as a bargaining chip with the US and Europe. Those representing Israel played down the new threat….. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2012/0117/Could-Israel-live-with-a-nuclear-Iran-A-gaming-exercise-suggests-yes

January 18, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Poor prospects for Australia’s uranium industry with Japan’s dire economic situation

Japan Earthquake Update: Economic Outlook Now Appears Dire Oil Price.com, By Mad Hedge Fund Trader | Tue, 17 January 2012 ”….Japan’s economic outlook now appears far more dire than I anticipated only a day ago….. The Tokyo Stock Exchange absolutely took it on the nose on Monday morning…… Prime Minister Naoko Kan has asked the Bank of Japan “to save the country.” The central bank responded promptly with ¥15 trillion, or $187 billion worth of credit
market purchases….

Uranium miners in Australia took a particular pounding, as the nuclear crisis casts a long shadow over this reviving energy source…. It looks like we are seeing the first multiple partial nuclear meltdowns in history…. Small amounts of low radiation cesium and iodine have already been released, which should be measurable on American roof tops in about ten days. Neighboring countries are enforcing radiation testing of all food imports from Japan….
http://oilprice.com/Finance/the-Markets/Emergency-Japan-Earthquake-Update-Economic-Outlook-Now-Appears-Dire.html

January 18, 2012 Posted by | general | 2 Comments

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