strategy

Securing bomb-grade nuclear material from the former Soviet Union

Context:
Substantial quantities of bomb-grade nuclear materials are scattered in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Security precautions against the possible theft of such nuclear materials are inadequate. This is a serious security threat to the world. Stolen bomb-grade nuclear materials can be used by terrorists, factions, or countries with nuclear ambitions. Whilst the security of bomb-grade nuclear materials in the former Soviet Union remains in question, the immediate securing of bomb-grade nuclear materials is achieved by its acquisition by nuclear states with secure systems.
Implementation:
In 1994, a total of 600 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, originally produced in the Soviet Union, were shipped from Kazakhstan to the United States. In Kazakhstan, the large cache of bomb-grade uranium (enough to make 20 to 25 nuclear weapons) had been stored in a factory employing more than 14,000 people, but without any high-tech safeguards. The presence or absence of uranium was merely noted by hand in record books, instead of using substantially more secure methods such as chemical assays and radiation sensors. The securing of the bomb-grade nuclear material by the United States prevents it from being stolen, smuggled and finding its way to terrorists or States with nuclear ambitions.
Broader:
Preventing nuclear theft
Preventing nuclear proliferation
Constrains:
Supplying nuclear materials
Proliferating strategic nuclear arms
Creating risk of unintentional global nuclear war due to nuclear proliferation
Facilitates:
Preventing nuclear war
Stabilizing world order
Quelling pervasive fear of nuclear war
Reinvesting military capacity in civil goals
Preventing movement of weapons-usable nuclear materials to non-nuclear states
Negotiating convention for the elimination of nuclear weapons
Facilitated by:
Fearing nuclear war
Accepting inspection of nuclear sites
Authorizing seizure of nuclear materials
Continuing role of the USA in global stability
Problems:
Illegal exports of nuclear materials
Nuclear arms race
Nuclear terrorism
Nuclear war
Obstacles to unilateral nuclear disarmament
Obstacles to unilateral nuclear disarmament
Plutonium overproduction
Proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology
Radiation accidents
Stockpiles of nuclear warfare material
Vulnerable nuclear weapons arsenals
Values:
Union
Acquisition
Subjects:
Fundamental Sciences → Material
Defence → Arms
Type Classification:
E: Emanations of other strategies