AW: [ RadSafe ] " Port gets dirty-bomb detectors "

[Clayton J Bradt]

Dr. Schoehofer wrote:

>Isn't there enough radioactive material in the USA and/or Canada (and any
>other one) so that would-be terrorists would not need to smuggle it into
>these countries?

The short answer is: Yes.

But, given the superb job that the States do regulating radioactive
materials in the USA, the probability of a terrorist cell getting their
hands on enough material to make a serious (that is, lethal) dirty bomb
without being detected is practically non-existent.

A previous commenter alluded to the politically undesirable condition of
"not being seen doing something effective."  This very aptly describes what
the State radiation control programs have been accomplishing for nearly
five decades.

For the feds however, such quiet efficiency is intolerable.  Being seen
doing something - even if it's a complete waste of time and resources - is
THE moral imperative for any federal agency. So installing portal monitors
at the borders and pressuring our trading partners to do likewise has
become inevitable, regardless of its effectiveness.

Clayton J. Bradt, CHP
Assistant Bureau Director
BERP
NYS Dept. of Health
518-402-7578