Tricia Wanamaker 12.24.061
st
Hour
The Sum of All Fears
In 2002, Phil Alden Robinson directed a nuclear terror thriller based on Tom Clancy’sbest-selling novel, “The Sum Of All Fears”. Focusing on nuclear warfare, a small group of terrorists recover a nuclear bomb, the plutonium from which they use to create a new bomb.Framing the Russians and escalating the already boiling hostilities between them and America,the countries threaten nuclear exchange. Jack Ryan (Ben Affleck), called upon by Director of Central Intelligence William Cabot (Morgan Freeman), is left to uncover the terrorist attack andease tensions between President Frowler (James Cromwell) and President Nemerov (CiaránHinds) before all nuclear hell breaks lose. Throughout the movie, the effects of nuclear warfareare clearly displayed; both their efficiency, and their consequences. This movie furthers my strongbeliefs that nuclear warfare should not be used by any means whatsoever.In the movie, a small group of neo-nazi terrorists use plutonium from a recovered bombas fissile material to create a new bomb- a (nuclear) fission bomb. By gaining the plutonium, theyhad acquired one of the three main components needed to create a nuclear weapon; plutonium-239, uranium-233, and uranium-235. These three isotopes are capable of generating
a chainreaction containing such great power, that they could cause a nuclear explosion. Not only doesthis show the ease with which nuclear weapons can be created, but also relates to what has beenlearned in class- isotopes of various elements, and the power they can generate from nuclear fusion or in this case, fission.While I’m sure nuclear warfare could happen as fast as it occurred in the movie, I’m notentirely sure if nuclear weapons can be created with such ease. Granted that technology todaycan allow us to do just about anything; what was a matter of optimistic science during World War II is now a mere matter of resources and mechanics. If one manages to get hold of the right fissilematerials, be it uranium-235 and 238 to produce plutonium-238 or plutonium-238 itself, it is highlypossible that with the right engineering and tools, one could in fact create an atomic bomb.However, to extract plutonium from a twenty-nine year old bomb and use it to create a new onesounds a little far fetched.Nuclear energy is the proverbial double-edged sword. It is efficient as an energy sourceas well as a weapon of mass destruction. However, it has major consequences that come alongwith its one strong point. There are both extreme immediate and long-term effects that arecreated. Obviously, nuclear warfare will bring on mass destruction- as proved in the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Resources are destroyed that may not be regenerated for years, evendecades. Hundreds of thousands of lives are lost both within seconds from the blast or over shortperiods of time from the fallout. Additionally
the long-term effects can be as severe as damage tothe ozone, potentially causing the Earth’s climate to change.
Leave a Comment
How easy is it to make one? I read about John Aristotle Phillips' book/term paper while I was in a high school senior. Check this out: http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0351...