Which country was associated with fears of nuclear weapons ending up in the hands of terrorists?

• A. Cuba
• B. Iraq
• C. Soviet Union
• D. Afghanistan

Answer: (C)

This question centers on fears that nuclear weapons could fall into terrorists’ hands, a concern that intensified as a major nuclear power collapsed. The Soviet Union housed the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, so its breakup created security gaps and uncertainty about how warheads and fissile material would be safeguarded or controlled. Those fears helped drive nonproliferation efforts and security measures in the 1990s as authorities worried about potential theft or diversion. The other options don’t align with this particular worry: Cuba never possessed nuclear weapons; Afghanistan did not have an arsenal and is more associated with terrorist networks than state stockpiles; Iraq pursued WMD programs but is not the primary example tied to terrorists obtaining a nuclear weapon from a state. Therefore, the association with fears of terrorists obtaining nuclear weapons is strongest with the Soviet Union due to its vast arsenal and the instability surrounding its dissolution.