The Seven Myths of The Seven Myths of Nuclear TerrorismNuclear Terrorism

By: Dianne ValenciaBy: Dianne Valencia

First Myth: What Terrorist WantFirst Myth: What Terrorist Want

Terrorists are Terrorists are not especially not especially interested in interested in staging a staging a nuclear nuclear catastrophe.catastrophe.

Second Myth: Getting The BombSecond Myth: Getting The Bomb

It is believed by It is believed by many officials that many officials that the nuclear the nuclear materials required materials required to make a bomb to make a bomb are nearly are nearly impossible for impossible for terrorists to obtain.terrorists to obtain.

Third Myth: Making The BombThird Myth: Making The Bomb

Nuclear Nuclear terrorism terrorism conflates the conflates the difficulty of difficulty of producing the producing the nuclear material nuclear material needed for a needed for a bomb.bomb.

Fourth Myth: The Search For SponsorsFourth Myth: The Search For Sponsors

The myth is that The myth is that the only plausible the only plausible way terrorists way terrorists could get a nuclear could get a nuclear bomb or the ability bomb or the ability to make one is to make one is from a state.from a state.

Fifth Myth: The Defense Of BordersFifth Myth: The Defense Of Borders

A mistaken belief is A mistaken belief is that it is possible to that it is possible to put in place around put in place around the United States and the United States and other major countries other major countries a security cordon that a security cordon that can reduce to a low can reduce to a low level the risk those level the risk those nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons and materials might be materials might be smuggled in. smuggled in.

Sixth Myth: The Military OptionSixth Myth: The Military Option

The notion that such The notion that such an offensive alone will an offensive alone will be able to dispel the be able to dispel the shadow of danger. It is shadow of danger. It is crucial for the United crucial for the United States and its allies to States and its allies to do everything they do everything they can to destroy can to destroy terrorist groups that terrorist groups that have nuclear have nuclear ambitions.ambitions.

Seventh Myth: What States WantSeventh Myth: What States Want

This applies to states This applies to states rather than terrorist rather than terrorist groups. The states groups. The states would prefer to have would prefer to have indigenous nuclear indigenous nuclear material production material production capabilities, but such capabilities, but such capabilities are capabilities are expensive and difficult expensive and difficult to acquire.to acquire.

ConclusionConclusion The good news is The good news is

that nuclear that nuclear terrorism is largely terrorism is largely solvable if nuclear solvable if nuclear bombs and bomb bombs and bomb materials can be materials can be kept out of terrorist kept out of terrorist hands.hands.