Pentagon Advisers Urge Nationwide Conversion of Radioactive-Sourced Medical, Safety Gear

U.S. hospitals and research facilities should replace more than 1,000 irradiation devices in an effort to prevent terrorists from stealing materials to produce “dirty bombs,” a group of U.S. Defense Department advisers has recommended (see GSN, Sept. 28).

The equipment contains cesium 137, a highly radioactive isotope that is useful for radiation therapy and efforts to sterilize blood and food products, the Associated Press reported.

“Any one of these 1,000-plus sources could shut down 25 square kilometers, anywhere in the United States, for 40-plus years,” says a report by the Defense Science Board, consisting of retired military and intelligence officials as well as defense industry experts.  The report, acquired by the Associated Press, is expected to be publicly released later this year.

Converting the irradiation equipment to use other radioactive sources would cost about $200 million over five years, the report says.

The recommendation was part of larger study of strategies the United States could pursue to reduce the terrorist threat facing the nation.

Among other more concrete measures, the report urges U.S. officials to pursue diplomatic policies more vigorously and to conduct “strategic communication.”

Those efforts should promote universal values, such has health care and education, instead of politically laden U.S. goals, the report says.

“What we say is often not what others may hear,” the report says.  “Concepts such as ‘democracy,’ ‘rule of law’ and ‘freedom’ have different meanings in different cultures and at different stages of their development.”

“It is about them, not only about us,” it adds (Pamela Hess, Associated Press/Google News, Oct. 9).

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