Corey Hinderstein, Nuclear Threat InitiativeApathy a "central threat" to nuclear security, says expert

Published 9 September 2011

Corey Hinderstein, the vice president of the International Program at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, looks back on the progress made in securing loose nuclear material in the ten years since 9/11; more specifically, Hinderstein discusses the likelihood of al Qaeda obtaining a nuclear bomb or nuclear material, bolstering security at medical and industrial facilities that have stockpiles of low-grade nuclear material, and the dangers of apathy

Corey Hinderstein, VP of the International Program at NTI // Source: Nuclear Threat Initiative

Homeland Security NewsWire: Two years after President Obama’s pledge to secure all nuclear material around the world within four years and ten years after 9/11, what is the current state of security for the stockpiles for nuclear weapons as well as materials? That is to say, are the additional measures that have been put in place over the past decade adequate, or does more need to be done?

Corey Hinderstein: A great deal of progress has been made since 9/11, and there is a growing international consensus on the need for swift action to prevent a nuclear terrorist event. Thankfully, countries have a much greater awareness of what is at stake. More than ever, global policymakers recognize the potential for catastrophic human, environmental, economic, and societal damage if a terrorist were to succeed in using nuclear material in a bomb. This heightened awareness underscores the need to secure or eliminate all vulnerable nuclear material, as evidenced by President Obama’s 2009 Prague speech and the convening of the first Nuclear Security Summit, held last year in Washington, DC.

The United States, in particular, has made great strides through the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) at the Department of Energy, which works to identify, secure, remove, and in some cases dispose of vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials around the world. Since it was created by President Bush in 2004, GTRI has removed or secured more than 895 nuclear bombs worth of highly enriched uranium and plutonium.

Nuclear security has also been strengthened through sustained engagement between the U.S. and Russia, including key U.S. government threat reduction programs. The creation of the World Institute for Nuclear Security has allowed countries to share best practices in nuclear security and streamline processes to more effectively secure nuclear and radiological materials. Finally, President Obama’s Nuclear Security Summit in Washington brought political attention at the head-of-state level to the issue of nuclear terrorism, acknowledging that this global problem truly requires a global solution. The second Summit will be held in March 2012 in Seoul, South Korea.

 

Worldwide stocks of nuclear materials are undoubtedly more secure than they were ten years ago, but the job is not done. In fact, this must be a constant undertaking— even if the president’s four-year effort is met. Large amounts of nuclear and radiological material will remain in civil and military programs for the foreseeable future. Our efforts to secure this material will require vigilance and constant