Introducing The New Nuclear Pandemic

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

Americans should be more concerned by the proliferation of nuclear weapons from North Korea to other states or non-state actors, rather than focus on a direct N.Korean nuclear attack on the Western World.

Such was the conclusion of former Secretary of Defense William Perry when addressing the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on U.S nuclear weapons policy today.

“When we are concerned about proliferation, for example from N.Korea to Iran, we are concerned with the possibility that nuclear terrorists might be a bomb... The greater danger is that the bomb or the fissile material leak from one of these countries.” said Perry.

On Monday, N.Korea announced that it had successfully detonated and underground nuclear bomb, and on Tuesday, it launched two short-range ballistic missiles. As a result, the Obama administration may be facing an unexpected turn in the nuclear debate.

The topic is gaining momentum as talks between the U.S and Russia on the renewal of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start) are feared to be unsuccessful.

That N.Korea has nuclear capabilities and is testing missiles has fanned the flames on the necessity to reconsider the reduction in the Department of Defense FY2010 budget.

Perry was joined by Brent Scowcroft, former assistant to the President for National Security Affairs who explained that “a great danger in nuclear terrorism lies with the civilian nuclear power and the loose fissile material that comes with that.”

Scowcroft appealed to the security dilemma to provide a link between N.Korea or Iran acquiring a nuclear power and nuclear terrorism.

“If we don’t put a cap on proliferation now, we could easily face 30 or 40 countries with that capability, That is not a better world,” said Scowcroft, adding that “If [Iran and N.Korea] are free to enrich uranium to weapons grade, then you have others who want to do it just for protection or whatever and then you have a tremendous danger of terrorists getting hold of fissile material and then its relatively easy.”

The U.S government had already started to deal with this problem under the Bush junior administration, as Perry explains: “For one thing I support the initiative of the previous administration called the Proliferation Security initiative (PSI) and the recent moves to strengthen this initiative.”

Former President George.W. Bush said that PSI’s aim is "to keep the world's most destructive weapons away from our shores and out of the hands of our common enemies."

The initiative is limited to controlling alien ships in one’s waters to search for weapons. Airways are however not part of the PSI.

Blueprints Drawn Up for 2010 International Affairs Budget

By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the proposed international affairs budget is a “major investment” as she testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. Clinton said in her opening statement that President Obama’s 2010 budget request for the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development is $48.6 billion.

Clinton explained that she knew what a significant request and said, “We know that this request comes when some agencies are experiencing cutbacks. But it is an indication of the critical role the State Department must play to help advance our nation’s interests, safeguard our security, and make us a positive force for progress worldwide.”

Clinton offered a description of how the State Department and the USAID should exercise their global leadership effectively. The description included the “three D’s” that she said must be harnessed. The “three D’s” are diplomacy development and defense according to Clinton.

There are many issues that the State Department and the USAID are currently dealing with and Clinton said, “We need good people and we need enough of them.” According to Clinton’s opening statement, that is why the 2010 budget request includes $283 million to accommodate the hiring of over 740 new Foreign Service personnel. This increase in the budget coincides with the President’s promise of expanding the Foreign Service.

Clinton said the State Department and the USAID will have the opportunity to use “smart power to implement smart policies.” The top three priorities of focus are: urgent challenges and regions of concern,including Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iraq, and the Middle East; transnational challenges; and development assistance.

Clinton closed her opening statement by saying to Committee Chairman John Kerry, “Mr. Chairman, we’re pursuing all of these policies because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is the smart thing to do. No country benefits more than the United States when there is greater security, democracy, and opportunity in the world.”

Congressman Asks Budget Committee For Drinking Water

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (I-Northern Mariana Islands) was one of 33 House Representatives to testify before the House Committee on the Budget to discuss the FY2010 budget.

“This is the first time is history that a member of the Northern Mariana Islands, since entering the United States Commonwealth in 1978, have a representative in Congress to speak on their behalf before this committee and for this I am grateful, humbled and very privileged,” Congressman Sablan said.

Congressman Sablan said he views himself as the “single voice” appointed to raise awareness about a “great gulf in the standard of living” between his constituents in the Northern Mariana Islands and the continental United States.

Congressman Sablan asked the committee to help support the Northern Mariana Islands financially in securing safe drinking water. At present, a large majority of Northern Mariana residents have to buy their drinking water as the water that is stored in the water containers is not safe to drink.

“For such a simple thing as turning on the kitchen faucet and having water flow out, anytime of the day or night; water you can put in a glass and drink now, without having a second thought. This is the type of experience that the people I represent mostly do not have,” he said.

“What is today an infrastructure problem for us, could very soon, in the very near future become a health epidemic for the entire island...My solution is simple. I am asking the committee to accept the list of water and sewer projects that EPA has compiled...and provide the budgetary authority sufficient to permit Department of Interior to meet this need,” Congressman Sablam concluded.


Other requests to the Committee included, a request for more money to be spent on science and technology by Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ), and Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich). Congresswoman Betsy Markey (D-Colo), asked for the budget to include assistance to Farmers in Colorado and for money to be spent on education. Whilst, Congressman Philip Hare (D-Ill) wants to see money spent on public transportation in Illinois.