Oh dear. The blunderbuss in Washington strikes again. AP reports:
“WASHINGTON – The government accidentally posted on the Internet a list of government and civilian nuclear facilities and their activities in the United States, but U.S. officials said Wednesday the posting included no information that compromised national security.
However, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, questioned about the disclosure at a House hearing, expressed concern with respect to a uranium storage facility at the department’s Y-12 facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The facility holds large quantities of highly enriched uranium, which if obtained can be used to fashion a nuclear weapon.
“That’s of great concern,” said Chu, referring to the Y-12 site. “We will be looking hard and making sure physical security of those sites (at Y-12) is sufficient to prevent eco-terrorists and others getting hold of that material.”
But later Chu told reporters that while the disclosure may be embarrassing “there’s no secret classified information that’s been compromised (and) the sites and everything are public knowledge” already available elsewhere.”
My Comment
The rest of the article, which refers to the material as “sensitive” and “highly confidential” and unavailable in one place anywhere else, seems to contradict the phlegmatic Mr. Chu.
But this is bureaucracy in action. Listen up, people. This is the lot that’s scaring you into thinking your safety is their number one priority. Right. That’s why Congress has its underground bunker all fitted out and ready to go in case of some endgame fireworks.
And you have…what? A house. Oh yes. That paper-mache prefab box on which you’re upside down anyway…
That should be a real haven in case of a thermo-nuclear accident in the vicinity.
And I suppose you also have a great permanent job with fantastic medical coverage for you and all your little tots too, in case…just supposing, I mean…that said nuclear incident might have a teeny-weeny negative effect on your health.
Proliferation of atomic weapons and theft of nuclear materials was a major concern of physicist and bomb designer Ted Taylor, having written on the subject in the 1960’s. The ease of which primitive atomic bombs can be fashioned and methods for doing so was described in detail in John McPhee’s biography of Taylor, The Curve of Binding Energy (1974).
http://www.librarything.com/work/200792
Hi Jeff –
Thanks for that.
Something I’ve always wanted to have on hand – a primitive atomic device. Think of all the grief I could have given a few trouble makers in my life.