World Net Daily reports that

Terrorists could assemble a small group of fewer than 20 to construct a Hiroshima—size nuclear bomb, purchase the fissionable uranium needed and transport it to the U.S. city of their choice for less than $10 million, says a new report published in the November—December issue of Foreign Policy.

"The Bomb in the Backyard" was the result of the investigative work of Peter D. Zimmerman and Jeffrey G. Lewis. Zimmerman is professor of science and security in the Department of War Studies at King's College in London and previously served as chief scientist of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chief scientist of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Lewis is executive director of the Managing the Atom Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

This is the worst case scenario to defend against... if they could get enough HEU, only a few KGs, they could detonate a weapon 10X more powerful than the largest conventional bomb in our inventory, the MOAB———heat and blast would amplify well—beyond any equivalent conventional sized explosion.  Inside a medium sized city you can figure it out... Charlotte NC would have bad immediate economic effects...

That is one reason why we need to change our deterrence strategy, to make sure the bad actors understand the ramifications and their sponsors understand it too. If it does happen it should be a triggering event that will change the world... and we need to make that clear in our strategy.

LTC Joe Myers   11 3 06