EMP alert: 2 N. Korean satellites now orbit over U.S.
Posted on 04/25/2016 5:21:38 AM PDT by HomerBohn
Actually, that would work. But, finding a small object with another small object and attaching itself to said small object isn’t trivial. But, it is doable. It may also be possible to create a space drone that will shoot a tether into said small satellite like a harpoon and then de-orbit both, dragging said small satellite to its demise in the atmosphere.
Well Homer, those are interesting theorems, but in the end, it comes down to “woulda, shoulda, coulda”, however I will take issue with the whole Truman/MacArthur episode in Korea:
MacArthur did indeed want to go nuclear on the North Koreans and the Communist Chinese, and he continued to make waves after Truman rejected that advice, and Truman did so for a very good reason, one that MacArthur did not know, and neither did a whole lot of top brass at that time, and it was this:
The entire U.S. nuclear arsenal consisted of 13, and only 13 ‘Fat Man’ Nagasaki style atomic bombs, and those bombs had to be transported under great care (and risk) to whatever theater of operations they were designated for. Those 13 atomic bombs were the only thing we had to deter and stop if necessary, a full blown invasion of Western Europe by Stalin and the Warsaw Pact. If we had gone nuclear in Korea, the results would have been impossible to foresee, i.e., the Communist Chinese were more than willing to sacrifice millions upon millions of troops like cannon fodder, and the North Koreans were basically dancing to whatever tune was being played by Moscow and Beijing.
If America had become enmeshed in a Korean/Chinese land war, it would have presented Stalin with a perfect opportunity to seize the rest of Europe and there would have been damn little we could do about it. This was in an age that our deterrent was based solely on B-29/B-50 and the incoming B-36 strategic bombers (that had their own problems), and Truman had to act in the best strategic interests not only of the United States, but the entire Western Alliance.
And say what they will about Harry S Truman, when the decision had to be made to nuke the g*ddamned Japs, he pulled the trigger without hesitation and there were (and still are) many a G.I. and sailor that say “Thank God For Truman” for that very reason.
My Dad was one of ‘em.
EMP is extremely dangerous — even an existential threat to our very civilization, not just to the USA. And I think it’s a major scandal that our elected leadership has yet to take the threat seriously.
On the other hand, whenever Joseph Farah says something, I will always refuse to believe it unless and until confirmed by reliable sources. So if former CIA Director Woolsey or former Congressman Bartlett raise the alarm about Nork satellites, I’ll be geneuinely worried about our survival prospects.
Only if you're close enough to see McGruff's semaphore flags. Otherwise, all modern means of communication will be kaput.
Along the lines I was thinking. A 'snag' and forced reentry to keep debris out of orbital space.
Quite possibly one of the stupidest stories I’ve ever read.
To assume that NK can actually put a functional Nuke in orbit at this point in time is laughable. To assume that NK at this point in time can control said satellite precisely enough to put it where it needs to be for a hypothetical EMP burst is ludicrous.
If NK actually had the capability at this time, to assume that the yield would be sufficient enough to actually do major harm to CONUS is debatable, along with the fact that the entire debate over what the overall effects will be are still theoretical for the most part.
That could change over the next decade or so, but at this time, this story is junk.
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Of course the Norks can target DC hit the WH from a free falling destabilized satellite...
Makes for a great sci-fi movie...
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We can DREAM, can’t we?
You are absolutely right.
A pox on you, Pox!
Who indeed would believe that North Korea, Asia’s vacationland, would be capable of blackmailing a large nation that lost the war over the 49th parallel?
When we’ve had idiots at the control here, what could one expect?
13 was not an unlucky number. It would have been enough to get the job done had America used our arsenal of smaller tactical weaponry in addition to the big boys.
Better we’d faced up then, as we should have done at the approaching close of WWII, than continue to lose thousands of young lives over wars that needn’t been waged.
Just think what would have been avoided had we done so.
I’m reminded of a saying my late Mother used to say,
“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”
Good commentary Homer, your understanding of history is keen.
EMP alert: 2 N. Korean satellites now orbit over U.S.
The article mentioned a few negative consequences that would occur, but left out the elephant in the living room. The absolute worst "inconvenient truth" about an EMP event (whether from a hostile attack or natural source, such as the sun) is that it is able to take out command and control in the nuclear power plants in its affected region, in addition to the grid.
This means that the cooling systems will fail and the reactors will melt down. Imagine Fukushima multiplied by N (insert 1 <= N <= 61 for the US). Fukushima had multiple safety mechanisms that all failed. A widespread EMP event is orders of magnitude worse than a nuclear attack on an individual city.
Dr. Peter Vincent Pry reminds us that when the power goes out.....within a month after batteries deplete, the cores of our nuke power plants will overheat from lack of water "powered" to keep the rods cooled. And then we have "nuclear" fallout spreading across the country.
Pry is executive director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security and director of the U.S. Nuclear Strategy Forum, both congressional advisory boards. He also served on the congressionally mandated EMP commission and as an analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Good comment!
I can tell you CONPLAN 3500 and 3501 both have this in mind when fdealing with mass starvation brought on by the various contingencies.
And as I said...especially those in URBAN areas or suburbs. If you are out in BFE...you might actually get away with it.
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