V14 N4 Friday, Sept. 7, 2007 Nunn-Lugar’s war against WMD Historic act carves up chemicals & nukes, but as Moscow rises, how long will it last? By BRIAN A. HOWEY LONDON – The Soviet Union was a humanitarian, demographic, eco- nomic, political, social and environmental disaster of epic proportions. Even with its implosion 16 years ago, the profound fallout is still being dealt with today in ways that will continue to send out seis- mic aftershocks throughout the world. It will continue to impact Russia, Europe and the United States for decades to come. Traveling with U.S. Sen. Rich- Sen Richard Lugar and Nuclear Threat Initiative Chairman Sam Nunn (right) in a confer- ard Lugar and former Sen. Sam Nunn ence at the Albania Defense Ministry. The two have been on a 15-year mission to save between Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, the wake humanity from WMD. (HPR Photo by Brian A. Howey) of the Soviet Union creates waves in all these spheres. The essential goal is to See Page 3 secure the uninventoried stockpiles of Soviet era nuclear, Nunn mulls ‘08 dialogue By BRIAN A. HOWEY ODESSA, Ukraine - A chaotic primary sequence, the issue evolution (or lack thereof) on national security and energy, whether “Chemical weapons were first an Internet campaign could trump a $100 million warchest, the demograph- discussed five years ago with Sen. ic targeting by cable TV companies, the emergence of personal candidate Lugar and nobody believes Rus- foibles ... these are some of the topics in the mind of Nuclear Threat Initiative sia would be willing to destroy its Chairman Sam Nunn as he ponders an independent presidential run in 2008. chemical weapons, but it’s hap- Nunn was approached by - Russian Federation Agency for Hamilton Jordan, a former aid to Presi- pened.” dent Carter, and Doug Bailey as they Atomic Energy Minister Sergei Kiriyenko SAM NUNN Page 2 Friday, Sept. 7, 2007 pondered a virtual Internet convention The Howey Political Report is The Howey Political Report for what would be the Unity 2008 party published by NewsLink Inc. It PO Box 40265 sometime early next summer. Nunn still Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265. was founded in 1994. uses a phrase he’s used before - “a pos- www.howeypolitics.com sibility, not a probability” -- in discussing [email protected] 2008. The fact that his old friend Jordan Brian A. Howey, Publisher has been battling cancer has limited Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington Indianapolis Office: 317-202-0210. their discussions. But a presidential Writer Howey’s Mobile: 317-506-0883. campaign was on Nunn’s mind as he Mark Curry, Washington Writer Indianapolis Fax: 317-254-0535. Beverly Phillips, associate editor pondered the possible twists and turns Washington, DC Office: 202-256-5822. Jack E. Howey, Editor at a hotel in Yekaterinburg, Russia last Business Office: 317-254-0535. Thursday night and then again during ©2007, The Howey Political Report. Subscriptions: an HPR invterview somewhere between All rights reserved. Photocopying, Internet $350 annually HPR via e-mail; Odesssa, Ukraine, and Tirana, Albania, forwarding, faxing or reproducing in any $550 annually HPR & HPR Daily Wire. form, in whole or part, is a violation of on Saturday. Call 317-254-0535. federal law. HPR: Tell me about your thought process for ’08? talking about. They haven’t analyzed kind of meaningful relief to those who Nunn: I’m going to look very it. They’ve got to have a meaningful get hit with it. We’ve got some seri- carefully at what both parties are doing. debate about what our options are on ous issues in the entitlement programs I’m hoping that we’ll have some mean- energy. We have to understand we’re and health care. Those things must be ingful debate. It doesn’t have to be going to have to do some conserving discussed. So my judgment on whether agreement. But it has to be meaningful of energy. Use technology, do some I actually roll out there is going to be debate and discussion on the key issues conserving, and we’re going to have to wholly determined by the candidates facing America. From my own perspec- who emerge as the nominees – what tive, the security issue is right up they stand for and what I think we have front. I put the globalization issues a reasonable chance of somebody go- and the people who are getting ing to the White House who can really left behind (as a priority). I think govern the country and build coalitions we have to basically address those that can really address the problems. So issues (and) letting people know that’s where I’m at. we’ve got to compete in the world. HPR: You made some com- We’re going to have globaliza- ments that the two-party system may tion. We’re not going to roll back have served America well for the past time. We also have to deal with 160 years, but is not doing so today. that issue in terms of its affect on Tell me a little bit about your thought human beings. Along that line, process on that. I think we have to deal with the Nunn: Well, I believe it has human capital side of this. What served America well and anytime you are we going to do to make our challenge something like that, you’ve people ready to compete with really got to do hard thinking. I think people in the world? We’ve got a in the last several elections we’ve not lot of skill training; we’ve got a lot been willing to confront the real issues. of educational emphasis and also, I think we’ve got good candidates out I think we’ve got to have a much there. I’m not critical of the candidates more modern infrastructure. Not on the Republican or Democratic side. simply roads and bridges but the God bless them for getting out there whole digital infrastructure. and running. But the system itself HPR: How important will NTI’s Sam Nunn (left) with Sen. Lugar and HPR’s – the early primaries in other states, energy issues be in 2008? Brian A. Howey during an in-flight briefing follow- the fact that only a limited number of Nunn: That’s another ing a tour to Mayak on Thusday. (HPR Photo) people participate in choosing the two issue – a huge issue that we nominees, the fact that all the incen- discussed last night – the energy tives for money raising address what issue. I think we’ve got to address address the carbon problem. I think if I call the niche issues that appeal to in a meaningful way the energy issue. I we’re going to face up to that, we’re only certain groups -- those facts to me hear people say we’ve got to be energy going to have to some sort of carbon are leading me to at least come to a independent in 10 years and I say to tax that can be refunded back into some tentative conclusion that the system is myself, they don’t know what they’re Page 3 Friday, Sept. 7, 2007 no longer working to produce the very best government we about it. can produce. That means … I’m not sure a third party is the HPR: So the key time frame is somewhere between answer, but there are Democrats and Republicans who share February and April? that frustration and they really want to see the country pull Nunn: I think that will be the key time in terms of together; they want to seriously consider some alternative seeing what we’ve got in the nominees and what they stand in 2008. That’s why I was willing to talk to the Unity 2008 for. I believe we’ll have good people nominated. The question people and ask for the perspective they have. I have not is what do they stand for and whether they can get back to concluded what I will do, but I certainly am open to thinking the center and govern. v Nunn-Lugar: From page 1 families. Iran was in search of these materials. The Rus- sians had lost the cohesion of the Communists. The sense of fear had provided this security and now they had no biological and chemical weapons scattered in thousands of money; the army was not getting paid and we’re going to sites across 11 time zones. need your help.” Everywhere the Lugar and Nunn delegation trav- Lugar added, “We had spent $6 trillion trying to eled, we found environ- contain the Soviet Union and mental and weapon disas- now it’s all going to come ters. Chernobyl is only the loose.” most publicized nuclear Nunn literally found him- disaster. As our plane ap- self a witness to the unthink- proached the Chelyabinsk able: the collapse of the Soviet airport, I couldn’t help Union. He was attending a but notice the many lakes conference in Hungary when which in America would be a coup d’etat had captured surrounded with cottages Gorbachev. “One of my Soviet or extravagant homes. But friends got on the plane and here, the lakes were dumps went back to Moscow in emer- of nuclear and chemical gency when Gorbachev was material. Catching a fish in taken captive,” Nunn said. “He one of them sets off Ameri- called me the day Gorbachev can sensors monitoring the was released and we were still potential theft of plutonium Sens. Nunn and Lugar with U.S. Ambassador William Burns at at the conference.