[DJ Taylor]

IMHO, all of this debate over who owns the equipment that unloads ships arriving in our ports detracts from the obvious: Once a ship carrying a nuclear device arrives in one of our ports, it is already too late to do anything about it, and it makes no difference who owns the port equipment that will be destroyed along with the port and neighboring city.

Incoming ships must be thoroughly inspected before they enter an American port, or sooner or later a Muslim terrorist organization will detonate a nuclear device in one of our ports. To do this, a port of entry must be established on both the East Coast and on the West Coast where all incoming ships must be cleared before they are permitted to proceed to an American port. A port of entry could be established for the East Coast on the Virgin Islands or in Puerto Rico where incoming ships are cleared and then monitored until they reach their final destination. When I say all incoming ships must be cleared, I mean all ships, and not just container ships. This would also apply to American registered ships as well, as there are Americans who, if the price is right, would deliver a nuke to one of our ports.

This system is, of course, not perfect and a determined terrorist could eventually find a way to subvert it, but at least we can make them work for it. Right now, all a terrorist organization has to do is get their hands on a crude nuke and it will, I say again will, surely arrive in one of our ports in a very short time.

What about a port of entry for the West Coast? Pick a port that the U.S. could lose and not damage the economy too badly, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle.

I’m sure no one in Homeland Security will ask any of us our opinion on this, as they are the experts in this area.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

To do this, a port of entry must be established on both the East Coast and on the West Coast where all incoming ships must be cleared before they are permitted to proceed to an American port. A port of entry could be established for the East Coast on the Virgin Islands or in Puerto Rico where incoming ships are cleared and then monitored until they reach their final destination.

Are the Virgin Islanders or Puerto Ricans less valuable persons than other East Coast Port city citizens?

Your idea is so totally impractical that it makes the head spin. Double the length of sea voyages and add in a quarantine and search period for all shipments? Are we going to individually break open every overseas container to search it?

Its far easier to control the mining of uranium and its enrichment (which we already do) than is any sort of scheme such as you are proposing.

[Flavius Josephus]

Doesn't even need to be a nuke. Fertilizer ship blew up in Texas City, 1947, damn near erased the whole town from the map.

[FerdieMurphy]

I’m sure no one in Homeland Security will ask any of us our opinion on this, as they are the experts in this area.

Homeland Security is comprised of a gaggle of geese.

Experts?

They are on permanent OJT that will last for decades.....meanwhile.....