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EMP Attack Could Wipe Out U.S.
NewsMax ^ | September 9, 2009 | By Ronald Kessler

Posted on 09/09/2009 8:34:08 AM PDT by Fennie

The federal government is doing "nothing" to protect against an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack that could wipe out American civilization, Dr. Peter Vincent Pry, a leading expert on the subject, tells Newsmax.

For only $200 million to $400 million, the government could protect a key element of the power grid to keep electrical power from being wiped out for years, according to Dr. Pry, a former staff member of the congressional Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack.

Yet neither Republicans nor Democrats have been willing to spend that small sum, says Pry, who is president EMPACT America, which is meeting in Niagara Falls, N.Y. this week to spotlight the scandal.

A single nuclear bomb exploded over the Midwest would generate an electromagnetic pulse that would destroy the chips that are the heart of every electronic device. While military and intelligence networks may be shielded against EMP, most of the rest of the country's technological infrastructure is not.

An EMP attack would wipe out personal computers and the internet. Cars would not start, gasoline pumps would not work, and airplanes could not take off.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: agenda; bho44; iran; iraq; islam; israel; jihad; obama; slavery; tm; wot
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To: TalonDJ

“. . . To everyone else . . . “

WOW. That’s an interesting bit of grandiosity about one’s perspective.

I’ve been coming across as something of a bird of rare plumage for most of my 62 years. Why would I want to change now?

I find your assumptions more than a little flawed, BTW. Some worthy points around the edges here and there but much too flawed for my implementing them! LOL.

Conventional style is . . . uhhhhhhhhhhhh

conventional.

I’ve never done conventional very well. Haven’t wanted to very much.

However, for those who like gestapo black boots all in a row—be my guest.

It’s sufficient that the 250-300 or so ping list members tolerate or enjoy my style.

However, to some degree, my enjoyment of it is sufficient.

Yes, I’m happy for the auto-filtering aspect of my style. Glad it’s working just fine


141 posted on 09/09/2009 11:19:56 AM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Roklok

Maybe that’s why Zero and the leftist DemocRats are trying to get all older cars off the road (cash for clunkers). Maybe they’re intent on making sure that NOBODY will be able to travel after they’ve made it easy for our enemies to attack us in this manner. Oh wait....that makes THEM our enemies. The concept behind Jericho is swiftly becoming a real possibility.


142 posted on 09/09/2009 11:20:00 AM PDT by XenaLee
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To: GOPJ
"Seems it would be easier to do two - one over Ohio. and one over Denver. Both in the 100 range... That would pretty much wipe out the country..."

At 100 miles, Everyone would be dead within days from the radiation- that weren't directly under the blast. Depends on the size of the nuke too. A 20 mega ton nuke... I wouldn't even want to imagine what a survivor might look like 500 miles away.

143 posted on 09/09/2009 11:20:44 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Nathan Zachary
So, to cause the kind of emp that would be needed to destroy all electronics, over a specific area would have to be low enough that it would also kill everyone.

No (BTW...anyone can get educated at WIKI).

1) AGAIN: "To produce maximum coverage for the HEMP effect, a nuclear device must explode very high in the atmosphere, too far away from the earth’s surface to cause injury or damage directly from heat or blast. Also, HEMP produced by the nuclear explosion is instantaneous — too brief to start current flowing within a human body — so there is no effect on people."

So...you understand that last part? If not...I will post it again: "too far away from the earth’s surface to cause injury or damage directly from heat or blast." and "too brief to start current flowing within a human body — so there is no effect on people."

The EMP occurs 30-50 KM because that's where the gamma rays hit the atmosphere and create compton electrons. The BURST (the thing that KILLS you...is hundreds of miles up.

2) Satellite: You should have read your own WIKI article closer. The blast doesn't create a perm. damaging satellite KILL zone. A high detonation would kill sat's. But if you can pull down a country...WHO CARES? If you are a rogue country...one that doesn't have a lot of satellites to begin with...or terrorists with NO satellites (just a nuke and a scud)...who cares what happens to satellites?

Obviously the Russians don't care if they lose a few satellites (because they have a weapon to do this): "Vladimir Lukin, the former Soviet Ambassador to the United States, and former Chairman of the International Affairs Committee for the Russian Parliament, reportedly has stated that Russia currently has a capability to create a HEMP effect over the United States."

We threatened Saddam with this back in 1991. If he used his BIO/Chem...we would EMP him. Now...that is also in the One Second After" book...but if you were in the military back then (as I was and still am) at the HQ levels...you know that this threat was really given. We were told we had issued a threat to him that we would detonate a nuke 20 miles above Baghdad. That way...LOS would not damage our stuff in Saudi. No nuke effects on Iraq....but also nothing in the Baghdad area (his C&C) functioning either.

We have nukes dedicated as EMP devices in our arsenal. The are designed to burst at high atltitudes. If they didn't work...we wouldn't have them.

144 posted on 09/09/2009 11:24:04 AM PDT by NELSON111
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To: XenaLee

Actually C4C didn’t allow anything older than a 1984, so 95% of the clunkers were computerized in some manner, and almost no old tech cars were killed off.


145 posted on 09/09/2009 11:24:06 AM PDT by nascarnation
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To: geologist
"Some would say "why try to survive?" For what?"

Many would not want to survive, it's true. But unfortunately, the reality is, when faced with a situation like that, a life or death one, most would choose to try to survive because they had no choice. It's inherent in our genes/dna. It's instinctual.

Those with guns & ammo would be in a better position to survive, but they would also be constantly forced to kill others in order TO survive. Not exactly a happy, smiley, warm and fuzzy scenario. But then, most of the unintended consequences of the decades of policies of warm and fuzzy liberals ends up that way.

146 posted on 09/09/2009 11:25:48 AM PDT by XenaLee
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To: NELSON111
Foreward by Newt Gingrich attesting to the potential truth in the book

If Newt said it, it must be true.

147 posted on 09/09/2009 11:28:22 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam is a religion of peace, and Muslims reserve the right to kill anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: Pistolshot

That’s my point. There’s no way that there could be a emp attack of sufficient strength that wouldn’t also fry just about everyone in the area as well.

So there’s no point worrying about an EMP pulse. It can never extend far enough beyond the source that creates it, we will all be fried at the same time when the car stops, the radio goes dead etc. Even people outside of any serious “EMP” damaged will have instand sunburns, and die from radiation poisoning before long.


148 posted on 09/09/2009 11:30:40 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: NELSON111
"No (BTW...anyone can get educated at WIKI). "

Oh, unlike you, right? You're just born with it already stuffed in your head.

WTF do you expect me to dig out all my old physics books? idiot. The point is still that I'm right and your wrong.

149 posted on 09/09/2009 11:33:33 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Nathan Zachary
At 100 miles, Everyone would be dead within days from the radiation- that weren't directly under the blast. Depends on the size of the nuke too. A 20 mega ton nuke... I wouldn't even want to imagine what a survivor might look like 500 miles away.

No they wouldn't. First of all...EMP dedicated nukes aren't 20 MT...they are more like 1-2. There would be NO fallout (which is WHY people die from radiation). The atmosphere would convert the gamma rays into compton electrons (and as I have shown you...that's not going to kill you).

Even if there was a 20MT device...from outer space (100 miles)...the overpressure is .1psi (ooooooo...that'll kill a lot of people!). The Q=2.54 cal/cm2. (Calories). It takes 6.64 cal/cm2 to cause a 2nd degree burn...and 21 cal/cm2 to cause blue jeans to ignite. It would be a bad sun-burn and a gust of wind (2 m/s according to the program I used...INPUTTING YOUR NUMBERS).

Even 20 MT's 100 miles up ain't killing anyone from the blast.

150 posted on 09/09/2009 11:34:38 AM PDT by NELSON111
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To: NELSON111
"You should have read your own WIKI article closer. The blast doesn't create a perm. damaging satellite KILL zone?

I never said it did. In fact, why don't YOU read what I posted a little more carefully?

The point is, to destroy electronic in space, means they take out their stuff at the same time, and anything on the ground also KILLS EVERYONE!! SO WTF is the point worrying about an "EMP attack? What you SHOULD worry about, is being FRIED BY A NUCLEAR BOMB PERIOD!!

151 posted on 09/09/2009 11:37:35 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: NELSON111

And my original point, that An emp wave doesn’t travel much beyond it’s source, like all magnetic waves.

Any emp big enough to wipe out electronics and power grids will also kill us all.


152 posted on 09/09/2009 11:41:00 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Nathan Zachary
Oh, unlike you, right? You're just born with it already stuffed in your head.

Can't pull stuff out of your head that ain't there. And no...you aren't right. I have shown you FACTUAL evidence...citations...etc...that contradict what you have said. I think you still have no idea what you are talking about and are sticking with an opinion that is not fatually based.

And unlike you (obviously)...I've worked Space Weather for years...and been working in the DoD on issues such as this for over 20. So...know...I wasn't born with it. I learned it over time (beginning in the late 80's) through various courses...DSCA training...etc. I didn't get my education on this from WIKI (today).

You started this by stating that the testing in the 50's and 60's proved this was all hype. As your own WIKI article proved...that is not the case. They discovered this BECAUSE of the testing...especially the high-altitude tests. I know about it because of the training I have had (previously stated) and the work I have done in Space Weather...especially concerning CME's and X-class flares...which have the same damaging potential as EMP.

153 posted on 09/09/2009 11:43:13 AM PDT by NELSON111
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To: NELSON111
"Even 20 MT's 100 miles up ain't killing anyone from the blast. "

We already proved that 1.2 mt at 535 miles up will burn your retina's, and not do much as far as emp goes. 20 mt 535 miles up will do way more than that, and 20mt only 100 miles up will kill a lot of people. You haven't a clue what your talking about.

154 posted on 09/09/2009 11:45:31 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Hurricane Andrew

“Excellent fictional book on the topic:”

Don’t read fiction and never have in my life!


155 posted on 09/09/2009 11:46:21 AM PDT by dalereed
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To: dalereed

You must get some fascinating newspaper...


156 posted on 09/09/2009 11:49:33 AM PDT by Hegewisch Dupa
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To: Nathan Zachary
The point is, to destroy electronic in space, means they take out their stuff at the same time, and anything on the ground also KILLS EVERYONE!! SO WTF is the point worrying about an "EMP attack? What you SHOULD worry about, is being FRIED BY A NUCLEAR BOMB PERIOD!!

Again (maybe you aren't reading...1) If they are a small nation and only have a few satellites to begin with...what do they care. 2) We obviously aren't too concerned with losing a few satellite (and neither are the Russians) because we (and they) have weapons designed for this purpose. It doesn't take out ALL THEIR STUFF...just the stuff that happens to move through (via orbit) the blast area.

AND...AGAIN...from the report to Congress from the Experts in the field

"To produce maximum coverage for the HEMP effect, a nuclear device must explode very high in the atmosphere, too far away from the earth’s surface to cause injury or damage directly from heat or blast."

SO WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE BEING KILLED?!!!!! That's the point of an EMP...to not kill anyone by "FRYING" them. It won't kill you...just put you back to the 19th century in a microsecond.

Provide PROOF that it will kill you from blast effects. Or stop talking about it.

157 posted on 09/09/2009 11:50:51 AM PDT by NELSON111
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To: Nathan Zachary
We already proved that 1.2 mt at 535 miles up will burn your retina's, and not do much as far as emp goes. 20 mt 535 miles up will do way more than that, and 20mt only 100 miles up will kill a lot of people. You haven't a clue what your talking about.

Are you a kid? I feel like I am talking to a 9th grader. Haven't a clue? Ok sonny. If you think 2 m/s, .1 PSI overpressure and 2.54 cal/cm2 are going to kill you...you keep on thinking that...

As far as proving your retina's will be burned...where is that proof? One time that happened was with a test (Bluegill) that was 30 miles up...not 100. That was 410 KT. Where is your proof?

Last time I checked...being blined wasn't DEADLY...and only happened if you looked DIRECTLY at the blast.

Just Wow.

158 posted on 09/09/2009 11:59:43 AM PDT by NELSON111
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To: NELSON111
"I've worked Space Weather for years"

Oh, thats why you still don't know anything, like all weather people. Figures.

You took ...(home study) courses! Wow! And of course all that home study course material is FACTUAL, after all, someone wrote it down, so it must be true....Like CO2 causes global warming, right?

"You started this by stating that the testing in the 50's and 60's proved this was all hype"

Yep, and I proved it. No EMP attack can happen that won't also kill us all. Those tests in the 50's and 60's proved it. That's why they were doing them in the first place.

And just because I looked up some material on wikipedia so you would know what I was referring to, doesn't not mean I got my education today on wiki.

I KNOW I have a much higher degree of education than you do, I just don't brag about it. Only losers do that. A piece of paper that says you have achieves some sort of education, doesn't mean you are smart however.

It's over 30 years of practical experience I have working in my field, and the thriving business with over 60 employees that does.

159 posted on 09/09/2009 12:04:34 PM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Nathan Zachary
We already proved that 1.2 mt at 535 miles up will burn your retina's, and not do much as far as emp goes. 20 mt 535 miles up will do way more than that, and 20mt only 100 miles up will kill a lot of people. You haven't a clue what your talking about.

BTW...you can burn your "retina's" [sic] by looking at the sun too. The number of people looking up at the Pt of det of this device...and thus getting blinded (where there weren't clouds) would not be that great...I'm thinking. Not like someone would advertise it.

160 posted on 09/09/2009 12:05:01 PM PDT by NELSON111
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