[Travis McGee]

Given 110 pounds of HEU, I'd bet on western-trained engineers working for AQ to be able to at least duplicate a Hiroshima-type gun barrel device. It ain't rocket science. So what if they "only" get a 1% yield? That would still be about 10KT, or enough to flatten Manhattan.

[Southack]

"Given 110 pounds of HEU, I'd bet on western-trained engineers working for AQ to be able to at least duplicate a Hiroshima-type gun barrel device. It ain't rocket science."

I was trying to make the point that it wasn't *trivial*, not that it was impossible.

Yes, if you've got Western-trained atomic scientists, fully equipped metallurgy labs, and HEU running out the wazoo, along with large amounts of time and money, then yes, it can be done.

But the NAZI's didn't manage to do it, and they were far more motivated to come up with a device that could stop their losing war than are the terrorists of today who only want to make an ego splash.