You know what's funny? Something like Nunn-Lugar would be impossible to pass in today's environment.

Is "Loose Nuke" Lindsay Lohan's code name? If so, I can only assume that it derives from the particular combination of STDs and drugs.

Subby, you should be banned from fark for using the word "shirling".

gopher321: Shirling?

"New snaaake! New snaaaaaake!..."




/I love that google pointed me to another Farkers bucket!

Nayest: Subby, you should be banned from fark for using the word "shirling".

it's a perfectly cromulent word... in fact I think Buddy Cole used it in one of his monologues.

Seth'n'Spectrum: You know what's funny? Something like Nunn-Lugar would be impossible to pass in today's environment.

And that idiot GWB decreased Nunn-Lugar's funding.
AFTER 9\11.
Got-damn idiot.

Link (new window)

and this is why we should cut government spending, the free market would have handled this in a more efficient way with goods going to the highest bidders

loose nukes sink ?

FTA:

"The vast nuclear arsenal, scattered among several newly independent nations, was secured because Russian military officers acted with professionalism and honesty, Moscow and Washington shared clear priorities, and the U.S. taxpayer coughed up billions of dollars, former top officials who dealt with the Soviet nuclear legacy say."

WHAT??? US tax dollars helped Russia gather up all it's nukes? Is that how I'm reading that?

proton: WHAT??? US tax dollars helped Russia gather up all it's nukes? Is that how I'm reading that?

Well, taxpayers fund all sorts of sports leagues.

I am serious...and stop calling me "Shirling".

I wouldn't declare victory just yet.
Yes, it was a good program that's improved the situation in many places.

No, it's not really "done" and No, we have no idea if Russia plans on paying to maintain the measures we paid to install once we turn off the money.

Magorn: proton: FTA:

"The vast nuclear arsenal, scattered among several newly independent nations, was secured because Russian military officers acted with professionalism and honesty, Moscow and Washington shared clear priorities, and the U.S. taxpayer coughed up billions of dollars, former top officials who dealt with the Soviet nuclear legacy say."

WHAT??? US tax dollars helped Russia gather up all it's nukes? Is that how I'm reading that?

YEP. Money extremely well spent I'd say. As was all the cash we poured into hiring Russian Nuke scientists for research labs so they wouldn't be tempted to put their knowledge and expertise up for the highest bidder.

/Thank god we had pragmatic grown-ups like Papa Bush in charge when the old Soviet Union broke up

My thoughts too. If it meant sinking an aircraft carrier in St. Petersburg harbor it would still be worth it to get the nukes out of places like Belarus and keep them accounted for.

proton: FTA:

"The vast nuclear arsenal, scattered among several newly independent nations, was secured because Russian military officers acted with professionalism and honesty, Moscow and Washington shared clear priorities, and the U.S. taxpayer coughed up billions of dollars, former top officials who dealt with the Soviet nuclear legacy say."

WHAT??? US tax dollars helped Russia gather up all it's nukes? Is that how I'm reading that?

Cheaper than even one nuke going off in a US city after some jihadis got ahold of it.

It sucks because yeah we are kinda rewarding bad behavior but it's a lot better than the alternative.

"It's stored behind a very secure padlock."
"A padlock? Aren't the Russians doing anything about this?"
"Who do you think gave them the padlock?"

"So the fact that you haven't seen a nuclear detonation ... reflects the fact that the nuclear weapons have been maintained in a secure way."

More like: even fanatical terrorist are smart enough to realize that setting off a nuke would screw the entire world when all the quick response missiles are fired off in a knee jerk reaction by the politicians.

Same reason we'll never realistically face a biological weapon attack.

Magorn: gopher321: Shirling?

"New snaaake! New snaaaaaake!..."

I think they shout "loose snaaaake" in that bit, thus the headline

Nope, it's definitely "new snake" (as it is time for a new snake, the previous having expended its venom into Mark McKinney's eyes), thus my confusion at the headline.

Magorn: proton: FTA:

"The vast nuclear arsenal, scattered among several newly independent nations, was secured because Russian military officers acted with professionalism and honesty, Moscow and Washington shared clear priorities, and the U.S. taxpayer coughed up billions of dollars, former top officials who dealt with the Soviet nuclear legacy say."

WHAT??? US tax dollars helped Russia gather up all it's nukes? Is that how I'm reading that?

YEP. Money extremely well spent I'd say. As was all the cash we poured into hiring Russian Nuke scientists for research labs so they wouldn't be tempted to put their knowledge and expertise up for the highest bidder.

/Thank god we had pragmatic grown-ups like Papa Bush in charge when the old Soviet Union broke up

I concur. I don't know about any of the very secret stuff, but even source material (former Soviet yellowcake) was purchased and brought out by U.S. companies from the southwest Asian former republics. The programs have continued in various forms under every administration since Bush Sr. I remember an NPR series about spent fuel rods under both the current and immediately former administration.

Both different from actual weapons, but non-proliferation is a GOOD use of "foreign aid."