WMD Commission Calls for Focus on Nukes and Germs, Issues Warning About Pakistan

(RTTNews) - The United States needs to do more to curb nuclear proliferation and to create safeguards around biological sciences to prevent the possibility of a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction, according to a recent report.

According to the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, a 9-11 style commission established by Congress, nuclear and biological weapons are at the gravest risk of falling into the hands of terrorists.

The commissioners added that Pakistan must continue to remain a priority for U.S. foreign policy, warning that Pakistan is the weakest link in world security and the next terror attack in the U.S. will likely originate in that country.

The release of the crucial report coincides with calls on Pakistan by top U.S. officials visiting South Asia to cooperate with India's investigation into the Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed around 180, including Americans.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who held discussions with Indian leaders Wednesday in the wake of the terror attacks, repeated Washington's call to Islamabad to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation and bring to justice those involved.

Terming the nuclear-powered country as the "intersection of nuclear weapons and terrorism," the report, titled "World at Risk," devotes a whole chapter to Pakistan.

"Were one to map terrorism and weapons of mass destruction today, all roads would intersect in Pakistan," said former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, the chairman of the commission,

"Although Pakistan is an ally (OF US | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) there is a grave danger it could also be an unwitting source of a terrorist attack on the United States, possibly with weapons of mass destruction," the report said.

In remarks suggesting that Pakistan could be emerging as a most lethal tinderbox, the report noted, "Pakistan has nuclear weapons and a history of unstable governments and parts of its territory are currently a safe haven for Al-Qaida and other terrorists."

While much has been done to secure stockpiles of nuclear materials around the world, the Commission also said the next Congress and Administration need to both do more to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to persuade North Korea to dismantle its existing supplies.

"We consider this to be a very serious issue. Increasing the nuclear capability of North Korea and adding Iran to one of the nuclear weapons states in the world would be extremely destabilizing in their regions," Graham said in a press conference.

"We are recommending that the new administration give these two issues the priority they deserve, that it negotiate, and we suggest that might be through direct engagement negotiation with both countries with appropriate incentives and disincentives," Graham continued.

He added that negotiations should only proceed "with the understanding that we are not taking from our range of options the use of direct force, if the other means are unsuccessful."

Additionally, the commission said much more needs to be done to secure the supplies of dangerous germs that could potentially be used as weapons, in part because once terrorists get their hands on a bioweapon they could potentially use it more than once.

"If they got a nuclear weapon it's likely they'd only get one, at least initially," said Former Sen. Jim Talent, the vice chairman of the commission. "If they isolate a pathogen and are able to weaponize it, there's no reason they wouldn't be able to make more than one weapon and attack more than once."

The commissioners added that the biological science community needs to adopt a culture of security similar to that of nuclear physicists.

"For the physics community, there is that imprint of the mushroom cloud from the beginning of the nuclear age. The scientists who worked in that area understood the security implications," Graham said. "There has not been a similar event in the biological area, and there is still much work to be done to build a level of confidence and respect between the academic and the government security aspects."

The commission also called on the next administration to appoint a high-level advisor whose sole responsibility would be focusing on weapons of mass destruction and proliferation, but they cautioned that Congressional oversight needs to be improved as well.

"Congress needs to look at the way it's organized itself to provide oversight and legislative attention to these issues," Graham said.

Talent added, "Congress, by being so fragmented in its oversight, is reading itself to a large degree out of this policy making process. Their oversight is just not as effective."

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