U.S. Rep. King talks ‘nightmare scenario’ of nuclear dirty bomb
While other Republicans were in Nashua for the party’s summit Friday
morning, U.S. Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) was at Franklin Pierce University
warning about the dangers the country faces from Islamic State fighters and from a possible nuclear “dirty bomb” attack.
King, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, told a standing-room-only crowd that America’s next threat isn’t coming from another 9/11 terrorist attack, but instead is being shaped by Americans and Europeans currently fighting for the Islamic State (ISIS).
“Several hundred Americans have joined the fight alongside ISIS,” King said, as well as a large number of Europeans. “They’re trained, they’re deadly, they’re vicious.”
America will face the problem in the coming years of these fighters either returning to the U.S. or of them slipping into the country from Europe, King told an audience of about 200 students, faculty and staff. King was introduced by FPU President Andrew Card, who served as President George W. Bush’s chief of staff.
King also cited his fears that future terrorists would make a crude bomb from nuclear materials that would create massive radioactive contamination.
“One nightmare scenario would be to have one or more dirty bombs put together 50 or 60 miles outside of a city and then brought into an urban area,” King said.
King also got in a dig at President Barack Obama, questioning the president’s early assertions that ISIS was the equivalent of a junior varsity squad. Congressional intelligence committees that he sits on had been warned two years ago that ISIS was a danger.
“That was a real failure of leadership,” King said.
During the question and answer period, King also called Obama “disengaged” after having pulled troops out of Iraq, which set the stage for ISIS’ rise there.
“You needed adult supervision. You needed some cohesive force to hold things together,” King said. “Once we withdrew our troops, we withdrew our influence.”
King also took a dim view of the current nuclear negotiations with Iran, pointing out that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries were opposed to them.
“I think he’s wrong, I think he’s misguided. I think Iran is basically a terrorist state,” he said.
King predicted, “I think you’ll see a nuclear arms race in the Middle East if this deal goes forward.”
Paul Bush teaches journalism at Franklin Pierce University.
King, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, told a standing-room-only crowd that America’s next threat isn’t coming from another 9/11 terrorist attack, but instead is being shaped by Americans and Europeans currently fighting for the Islamic State (ISIS).
“Several hundred Americans have joined the fight alongside ISIS,” King said, as well as a large number of Europeans. “They’re trained, they’re deadly, they’re vicious.”
America will face the problem in the coming years of these fighters either returning to the U.S. or of them slipping into the country from Europe, King told an audience of about 200 students, faculty and staff. King was introduced by FPU President Andrew Card, who served as President George W. Bush’s chief of staff.
King also cited his fears that future terrorists would make a crude bomb from nuclear materials that would create massive radioactive contamination.
“One nightmare scenario would be to have one or more dirty bombs put together 50 or 60 miles outside of a city and then brought into an urban area,” King said.
King also got in a dig at President Barack Obama, questioning the president’s early assertions that ISIS was the equivalent of a junior varsity squad. Congressional intelligence committees that he sits on had been warned two years ago that ISIS was a danger.
“That was a real failure of leadership,” King said.
During the question and answer period, King also called Obama “disengaged” after having pulled troops out of Iraq, which set the stage for ISIS’ rise there.
“You needed adult supervision. You needed some cohesive force to hold things together,” King said. “Once we withdrew our troops, we withdrew our influence.”
King also took a dim view of the current nuclear negotiations with Iran, pointing out that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries were opposed to them.
“I think he’s wrong, I think he’s misguided. I think Iran is basically a terrorist state,” he said.
King predicted, “I think you’ll see a nuclear arms race in the Middle East if this deal goes forward.”
Paul Bush teaches journalism at Franklin Pierce University.
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