September 8,
’hursday • September 8, 1994
OPINION
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an terrorists build a bomb?
of plutonium may halt spread of nuclear weapons
ar arms are spreading. Now let’s examine whether or not this is a
world is heading toward valid concern.
The Battalion • Page 17
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‘uclear arms are spreading.
The world is heading toward
mass destruction with
lerrorists wielding nuclear weaponry
limed at all of the Western world,
"hat’s what recent news could lead
is to believe.
Time and Newsweek both ran cover
Stories on the possibility of bomb-
[uality plutonium being stolen from
Russia’s vast arsenal of nuclear
LYNN
BOOMER
Columnist
%
eaponry and sold on the black market. The plutonium has
arted showing up in alarming amounts during smuggling
,ings in Germany.
Although this plutonium is never found in quantities large
ough to actually construct an atom bomb, the Time article
ggests that small amounts of smuggled plutonium could soon
|dd up to the 18 pounds necessary for a beginner to build one.
his plutonium could end up in the hands of terrorists or a
untry, such as Iran, seeking nuclear power.
No one can say for sure where the plutonium that has
[ppeared in four Recent busts in Germany has come from,
ussian officials have vehemently denied that any of the
[lutonium cores from their dismantled bombs are missing from
orage. U.S. intelligence sources, however, indicate that
curity at the dozens of Russian nuclear research institutes
d laboratories has beaimelax Not only are employees
sted to account for nuclear material themselves, but
apparently some Russian labs haven't opened nuclear material
Tntainers for 10 or more years to chick if the contents match
In inventory list, says Newsweek.
I There is certainly incentive for the estimntee|l million
employees of Russia’s Atomic Energy Ministry (Minatom)
to sell radioactive substances illegally. Everyone’s pay has
■Topped considerably, and soiile go months at a tim|
| without pay. The top 3.000 atomic scientists are paid less
than Moscow bus drivers, if at all, says Newsweek. These
people have access to a better lifestyle through the sale of
extremely valuablel3||t o mum.
I In effect, there could b&ja virtually unlimited supply of
Jamb-quality plutonium bl&ag smuggled out of Russia into the
, lands of anyone who’s willing to pay for ih For just $500, tmmm
k a lot of ? ^ jl’ilitary pilots will fly a package from RussTato Germany, no
sters degree bei:; w es ti 0n s asked, according to Newsweek. Practically anyone
t really know *# )U 1 C 1 have access to this plutonium, right? Imagine the
to do after they g^ayhem that would result if a terrorist group threatened to
ite said. They i blow up New York City and actually had the power to do it.
ist get another deg
y they're just put™
? a decision, w
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:o-op gives you
ink about it."
also said compat
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to do afteri
Now let’s examine whether or not this is a
valid concern.
Both articles concede that it’s possible.
The European black market is made up
almost entirely of undercover policemen. It’s
possible that all of these police-operated
stings have created a demand for plutonium
that was not otherwise there.
More importantly, the price of this
illicit plutonium is so astronomical, it’s
highly doubtful that a terrorist group
could ever finance it. The dealers in the most recent sting
offered four kilos, or approximately 8.8 pounds of weapons-
grade plutonium for $2^50 million in cash — S250 million
American dollars. If it takes 18 pounds of plutonium for a
beginner (e.g. terrorist group) to build a bomb, plutonium
at the sting price would cost that group $612.5 million.
While the actual price might be several million less, no
terrorist group has access to that much capital.
Perhaps a small country might financially back such a group
then? Fat chance. Time reported that a State Department
official said, “If you just spent $300 million on something
[would you hand it over to terrorists] or would you keep it for
your own protection?’’ Good point. Any country would be very
hesitant to hand such an expensive and powerful weapon over
to a volatile group. The official further notes, “God help the
state that, gave terrorists nuclear material. The international
community’s response!would be dramatic.”
So perhaps a Middle Eastern country like Iran is attempting
to stockpile nuclear weaponry in order to try to control the gulf
hr even the world? There’s no doubt that Iran has a motive for
attempting to gain nuclear power. Military expert Mourad El-
Desouky states, “Iranwants to be the most powerful military
presence in the gulf. It wants iiuclear weapons for deterrence
and to intimidate its neighbors.” 4
Still, it’s realistic to sugges&that they, too, don’t have the
necessary money. Time explains tha1 in order to avoid
retaliation from other nuclear countries, a state interested in
obtaining nuclear weaponry would have to “be in the market for
tens or hundreds of kilograms of plutonium,” an amount that
would be extremely difficult to fqpa.
So it seems the threat of nuclear destruction is ironically
‘'avertedby money, the root of all evil. Still, there’s always the
chance that an unfriendly state could eventually pay for
warheads. Frightening, isn’t it?
Lynn Booher is a junior English and psychology major
04
The Battalion
Editorial Board
Belinda Blancarte, Editor in chief
Mark Evans, Managing editor
Jay Robbins, Opinion editor
Jenny Magee, Assistant opinion editor
Editorials appearing in The
reflect the views of the editorial board. They
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of
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Columns, guest columns, cartoons and
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Contact the opinion editor for information
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Student Counsel
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Disabilities Action
Compliance with access law ensures rights
Local plans to further comply with
the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, will further ensure individuals
with disabilities the rights which they
deserve. The act requires privately
owned businesses, state, city, and
government buildings to provide rea
sonable equal access to public accom
modations for disabled persons.
Some inaccessible buildings are con
sidered legally acceptable in certain
cases, when “ade
quate help” is of
fered. But there are
those individuals
who chose not to de
pend on the assis
tance of others, and
have the right to do
- SAjiwiyet,«ihey *lso
have the right to en
ter public places.
For such reasons,
adaptations to
buildings such as
wheelchair ramps,
street ramps, auto
matic doors, and
handrails are neces
sary to all public
places.
Although these
improvements will require money,
they are well invested. Private busi
ness who make their facilities acces
sible will only increase the scope of
their clientele. And businesses will
not only benefit from those who they
have helped, as people tend to
eat,shop and go to the movies in
groups.
As private businesses and govern
ment buildings are taking a step in
the right direction, students can also
play an important role and should feel
liable to comply with the act. These
liabilities will not take from the pock-
etbooks, but only require an extra
minute of time.
Individuals who require the assis
tance of handrails
are placed in jeop
ardy by those per
sons who chose to
lock their bicycles
to them. One per
son’s lethargy or
tardiness can lead
to another’s injury.
If a person is hav
ing difficulty, per
haps offer assis
tance. If they
refuse, be gracious.
Otherwise, abstain
from blocking facili
ties intended for
the disabled: doors,
restrooms, rails,
ramps, etc.
Without cooper
ation from individuals, consideration of
newly enforced city ordinances may be
come a necessity to ensure equality for
disabled persons. Bryan-College Sta
tion’s efforts to further comply will al
low disabled citizens to become inclu
sive and active within the community.
tores
Serve You
i - Village
<d Software"
^Child custody rulings
often neglect fathers
/
i/s
$179.95
$99.
Erin Hill, like a lot of feminists, is still
ing in her Aug. 30 column about the
gment by a court to give physical cus-
ly of a child to a (gasp!) father, instead
|the usual award to the mother. Hill
sn’t seem to know, or decided not to
ntion, the facts about custody deci-
s. From: the U.S. Bureau of the Cen-
Current Population Reports, Series
0, No. 458, 1991: Total Custodial
thers: 11,268,000. Total Custodial Ea
rs: 2,907,000.
e 20 percent of custodial parents
men, you should not assume that 20
■cent of fathers are given custody at an
utial divorce custody hearing. Many,
nd probably most, fathers gain custody
$ 99.00
> believe it)
$109.95
$149.95
DUSe Dictionary) ^rhe years after the mother had initially
Kn given custody. This happens either
r hen the child was allowed to have a say
■he matter, or when the mother could
E handle the situation.
■Does Hill know what happens in the
0 percent of the cases where the mother
■warded primary custody of the chil-
■n? “Thirty-eight percent of noncusto-
B fathers have no visitation rights; 55
etcent of noncustodial fathers have
3me visitation rights but little enforce-
ient; and 7 percent of noncustodial fa
's have joint custody (shared parent-
).” Source: Bureau of the Census;
y. , . 4 ~ild Support and Alimony: 1989. Series
ve have mot /-50 ; No. 173 (this information was pro-
Ttes on any sodded by mothers with custody),
r call 846-8731 “Forty percent of mothers reported
ijt they had interfered with the non-
“todial father’s visitation on at least
occasion, to punish their ex-spouse.”
tween 25 percent-33 percent of moth-
3.1)
ve access to ot,
purchase on
ers denied visits.” Source: Frequency of
Visitation by Divorced Fathers: Differ
ences in Reports by Fathers and Mothers
- Braver, Wolchik, et al, American Jour
nal of Orthopsychiatry.
“Unfortunately, some angry women
attempted to use the child’s symptomatic
behaviors as proof that the visits were
detrimental to the child’s welfare and
should therefore be discontinued, dis
tressing the unhappy children even
more.” Source: Surviving the Breakup,
Joan Kelly & Judith Wallerstein, p. 126.
“The former spouse (mother) was the
greatest obstacle to having more frequent
contact with the children.” Source: In
creasing our understanding of fathers
who have infrequent contact with their
children, James Dudley, Family Rela
tions, Vol. 4, p. 281, July 1991.
“Feelings of anger towards their for
mer spouses hindered effective involve
ment on the part of fathers; angry moth
ers would sometimes sabotage father’s ef
forts to visit their children.” Source:
Ahrons and Miller, Am. J. of Orthopsy
chiatry, Vol. 63. p. 442, July ‘93.
“Mothers may prevent visits to retali
ate against fathers for problems in their
marital or post-marital relationship.”
Source: Seltzer, Shaeffer & Charing,
Journal of Marriage & the Family, Vol.
51, p. 1015, November 1989.
Does Hill lament the double stan
dard that undercuts men in custody
cases can now undercut women? Hill re
veals her pain at the judge’s decision,
but does not say what the judge should
have decided in this case, or in other
cases where the facts were the same but
the sexes are reversed. Surely she is
not recommending a continuation of the
double standard for custody decisions.
Pat Hayes
Class of’88
Everyone s opinion deserves respect
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8att@tamvm1 .tamu.edu
Agreeing to disagree
sometimes answers
most about questions
O n a rainy night last week I went to
the grocery store to pick up some
beer for my thirsty roommates (it
was my turn). On my way to the cashier,
four smiling students stopped me to veri
fy my identity based on my Battalion
photo and ask me about my column on
prayer in school. Since the students were
still smiling at me - I stated that, yes, I
was indeed responsible.
Then here came the question: “Do you
know where you’re going when you die?”
“Well ... No,” I said. “I’ll be dead. Do
you know where you’re going?” The stu
dents stared back at me.
One of the girls answered.
“Yes. Heaven.” And she
told me why. I wasn’t sur
prised. I’ve never heard
anyone say “Yes, Hell,”
not even my philosophy
colleagues. We are in
Hell now.
She told me she was praying for me,
and so I thanked her. But I should
have told those students - or anyone
who might stop a columnist to ques
tion them - that when someone prints
their opinion, it is only that. Others’
thoughts may be different, but they
still are respected. Columnists rarely
mind disagreements, as they can write
about them.
Generally, columnists don’t mind be
ing stopped either. Even negative criti -
cism is helpful as long as you don’t
make one of us cry. However, Ann Lan
ders would say that implying someone
else is hellhound is ill-mannered to say
the least. Not to mention the philosophi
cal implications. Such a pious judgment
is simply mind-boggling.
Just before getting peeved at the stu-
FRANK
STANFORD
Columnist
dent who said she was praying for me, I
realized she was merely speaking her
opinion, just like I do every week. In fact,
it seems terribly unfair that my opinion
is available all over campus, spread out
under apartment puppies’ butts, and
probably wrapped around a fish some
where, while everyone else has to bottle
theirs up.
So, here are more of my bottled-up
gripes:
Bonfire is a pagan ritual and quite a
waste of wood, but it's still a trip.
However, some people aren't into that
stuff and don't deserve to be harassed.
This whole athletic department
scandal makes me sick. The way some
officials at this University point their
fingers and cry, “Not me!” is pathetic.
The NCAA reminds me of a second
grade teacher scolding little boys and
asking, “Who started it?” Take your
raps like adults.
Conservatism: an A&M disease
that rots the brain. Like liberalism,
any extremism is the same as beer. A
few beers are OK, but 17 beers impair
your thinking and are bad for your liv
er - or in this case - mind. Too bad we
can’t all just think a six-pack. Some
liberal views don’t make you a “liberal”
or vice versa. Espousing particular
philosophies and political viewpoints
because of some social tradition keeps
people in a “thought rut”. Learn every
thing you can and think for yourself,
whether your parents and friends are
hippies or yuppies.
The library: this place is great -
lots of books, computers and clean
bathrooms - but Texas A&M is the
third largest university in the country
and loaded with cash. Shouldn’t the li
brary be at least in the top 50? (It’s
not.) Does an institution of higher
learning really need another place to
kick a ball around at the expense of
the library?
What are we, the YMCA? Athletics
can be an integral part of any college
experience, but it is not the most im
portant. For instance, Ivy League
schools have a good time with sports -
without funding scandals - and are
more highly thought of academically.
Of course, the teams never win. But
the students do.
Aggie fanatics: Bonfire is a pagan rit
ual and quite a waste of wood, but it’s
still a trip. I’ve worked all night on it my
self. Letterheads can shave their eye
brows too, for all I care - at least it’s
something interesting to look at. Howev
er, some people aren’t into that stuff and
don’t deserve to be harassed. If someone
is so into traditions and being “red ass,”
they should be in the Corps. If they
aren’t, they’re hypocrites.
Also, “Howdy-ing” off the quad has
been dying hard at least since 1984 (fish
Stanford). Getting mad enough to smash
someone’s face in for not saying
“Howdy! ”is sort of defeating the purpose.
The more people hear it the more they
will say it, or maybe they wont. There’s
just nothing you can do about it.
If you have opinions to blab, please
write to Mail Call. The Battalion loves
letters. If your gripe or question is for me,
use e-mail. If not, tell your roommate.
The important thing is to let your
self be heard.
Frank Stanford is a philosophy
graduate student