The nuclear risk: how long will luck hold?

After the improbable crash of two French and British nuclear submarines in early February, analysts point out that in spite of extraordinary odds against catastrophic events, nuclear accidents can certainly occur.  Analyst Hans Kristensen of the Ploughshares-funded Federation of American Scientists reports that more Russian submarines patrolled in 2008 than in previous years, joined by French, British, American and Chinese vessels. Though the submarine crash was relatively minor, many question if playing the odds is worth the risk.