CRISISBOOM

Backpack nukes pose a special problem in terms of accountability. SADM or Special Atomic Demolition Munitions are portable, easily smuggled and can be detonated by one or two individuals. Suitcase nukes are also tactical nuclear weapons.

Credits: 

US Department of Defense

While some progress has been made in the area of reducing the number of “long range nuclear warheads” (those loaded on the tips of intercontinental ballistic missile) the nukes loaded on the underbelly of fighter jets or loaded in artillery shells, so called short range “tactical” nuclear weapons remain unchecked.

These “tactical” nuclear weapons are in some cases 50 times as powerful as those used by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan during World War 2.

NEITHER SIDE WILLING TO BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER

In fact the United States and Russia refuse to provided detailed information about their stockpiles of tactical nuclear weapons.

US INVENTORY UNKNOWN

The US inventory of tactical nuclear weapons is not known but estimated at well over 1100 probably more, most of which are stored in the United States at various military bases.

You also have US tactical nuclear weapons stored in at least five different countries in Europe to include: Italy, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, as part of a secret deal with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)… “These weapons are stored in deep underground bunkers and can be loaded on planes or deployed to forward operating artillery units to strike targets inside Russia”, says Maurice Cocker of Charlotte, a former US Army Nuclear, Biological, Chemical specialist serving with a Mechanized Infantry Unit in Germany during the later part of the 1980’s. “START agreements don’t cover those damn things”, he said.

“In addition you have tactical nuclear weapons on board US Navy ships, including aircraft carriers, warships and destroyers stationed in places like Japan and the Middle East”, says Fred Lovett of Charlotte, N.C. “The US will never admit that however, not even to the government of those friendly nations”, he said.

RUSSIAN ADVANTAGE IN TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Russia has anywhere from 3500 to 4500 tactical nuclear weapons, some rumored on warships in forward operating bases like Syria, where Russia has a large naval base. They are also stored in bunkers, trains and Russian mechanized units.

MANPACKED AND SUITCASE NUKES – NOT ON THE TABLE?

The Russian’s also have “manpacked tactical nuclear weapons” (called: “backpack nukes”)  which can be carried on a soldiers back and detonated when US or NATO troops overtake their position and there is no hope left of defending those positions from further attack (The U.S. backpack nuke, called the Davy Crocket, weighs 163 pounds and can be carried by one or two men).

David Holloway, Russia and arms control expert at Stanford University, suggests one reason for Moscow’s vast superiority in tactical nuclear weapons:

“In the 1990s, when their conventional forces – the army, basically – fell apart, they made the argument that tactical nuclear weapons would compensate for the weakness in conventional forces, just in the way that NATO did during the Cold War. NATO took the position that tactical nuclear weapons would compensate for its inferiority in conventional forces,” said Holloway.

Kimball said another reason has to do with China.

“They [the Russians] see tactical nuclear weapons as a way to counterbalance China’s larger number of conventional forces on their eastern border. So the Russians have retained, since the Cold War, a relatively larger number of deployed tactical nuclear weapons than the United States,” he said.

RUSSIAN ROULETTE AND MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION

“The Russian are rumored to have ‘suitcase nukes’ prepositioned in cities inside the United States, like Washington D.C. which will be detonated by one or two sleeper agents who can be activated with a simple telephone call or text message, in the event the US launches a surprise nuclear attack on Russia and takes out their ability to respond in kind. Call it the ultimate deterrence to a US pre-emptive nuclear launch…”, says Larry Hatfield of Charlotte, N.C. (See: FBI focusing on portable nuke threat

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2001/12/21/FBI-focusing-on-portable-nuke-threat/UPI-90071008968550/ ).

Col. Stanislaw Lunez, a GRU defector who suggest Russian agents have a critical mission to accomplish in the event of a war with the United States. “According to their tasking, in a few hours they need to physically destroy, eliminate American military chains of command, President, Supreme Commander in Chief, Vice President, Speaker of the House, military commanders, especially to cut the head from the American military chain of command,” Lunev said. See also 84 Missing Russian Suitcase Nuke Bombs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2IarjjmxE

Civilian experts say the next round of arms control negotiations between Washington and Moscow should involve the issue of tactical nuclear weapons. They add that this is unlikely since both countries distrust each other.

The US has also adopted a “Pre-emptive” war strategy and refuses to say it will not use nuclear weapons first… “This is a big deal for the Russians as you can imagine”, says Howard Burns of Charlotte, N.C.

NO AGREEMENT POSSIBLE GIVEN THE STATE OF AFFAIRS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE US

Security analysts say that ‘no agreement’ on tactical nuclear weapons can happen anytime soon, given the divisive nature of US presidential politics, the unwillingness of the US to deal fairly with Russia, the hugely expensive and unnecessary ‘Missile defense shield’ the US wants to surround Russia with…coupled with US war mongering against Iran and Syria and the likelihood of another war breaking out in the Middle East – there is no way it will happen.

Robert Tilford

Charlotte, N.C.