To the Point

Keeping WMD Away from America's Enemies

Saddam Hussein can-t make his own fuel for nuclear weapons, but what are his chances of getting -fissile material- from somebody else? The most likely source is the former Soviet Union, where American money has helped to dismantle the nuclear stockpile. Skeptics in Congress don-t trust the Russians, especially when they-re doing nuclear business with Iran and China. Can the world afford a delay in destroying nuclear, biological or chemical weapons? We update America-s efforts to help destroy weapons of mass destruction with a former member of the UN weapons inspection committee, former Defense Department officials from the Clinton and Bush, Sr. administrations and an independent defense analyst in Moscow. Newsmaker: West Coast Ports Shut Down over Labor Dispute Half of America-s ocean-going cargo is at a standstill today, with workers locked out of 29 West Coast ports. With no exports going out, and no cars, electronics, garments, house wares or sporting goods coming in, the estimated cost in lost business to the American economy is one billion dollars a day. Mark Nero, who reports for the Long Beach Press Telegram, is following the stalemate and the possibility of federal intervention. Reporter's Notebook: Illinois Gubernatorial Election After 26 years, Illinois Republican gubernatorial stranglehold is in jeopardy, from the death penalty, financial scandal, and two Republicans named Ryan. Governor George Ryan, rumored to be a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is leaving under a cloud of scandal. The gubernatorial nominee is State Attorney General Jim Ryan. Paul Green, director of the School of Policy Studies at Chicago-s Roosevelt University, picks up the strange political story.