Posted on 07/19/2004 7:30:11 PM PDT by thinkahead
such a small sub-critical-mass warhead requires neutron-enriching detonators composed of one of a few radioisotypes, all of which are remarkably difficult to produce (not "refine" but PRODUCE) and all of which have a useful shelf-life of less than a year.
Their cave? ROTFLMAO! Their cave is Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon etc. The quickest way for us to end this if they attack us with a WMD.
A major terrorist attack on this country would transcend any election. If, God forbid, it was nuclear all attention would be on the aftermath. Too many horrors would have to be addressed.
I doubt this very much, based on the Israeli experience of targeted killings. The leaders of terrorist organizations care very much about their lives. It's the hordes of useful idiots that do the heavy lifting.
1- well first of all i don't know if suitcase sized nukes are really possible. High tech US sites might be able to make them. I doubt if many countries could.
2- i doubt, if al qaeda would be able to lay hands on them after the war on terror. If they had them before that, knowing how ruthless they are, they would have used them.
3- the russians could account for all their nukes and we could ask them, if they had any missing.
without a useful neutron-enriching trigger, the mass will only be compressed by the shaped charges, and is unlikely to do much effective contamination.
remember, all thermonukes are fission-fusion bombs. if the fissile mat'l doesn't go boom, it's not much more impressive than a conventional bomb of the same chemical explosive mass.
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact 202-282-8010
Washington, D.C.
July 8, 2004
Senior Intelligence Official: If I could say a few words first. First of all, to address the question regarding TTIC Online, TTIC Online is a website, at the Top Secret, and now also at the Secret level. It is an information system to make available to different types of recipients information at different levels of classification. What the Department of Homeland Security is doing, with what you referred to as the JRIES --
(Gap)
As Secretary Ridge mentioned, we know, from a broad base of (inaudible) intelligence that al-Qaeda remains committed to carrying out a full-on attack, series of attacks, in the homeland. And recent and credible information indicates that al-Qaeda is determined to carry out these attacks to disrupt our democratic processes.
Al-Qaeda has not been reluctant to, in fact, articulate that intent and that threat. Osama bin Laden and Ayman Zawahiri have issued several public statements last fall, threatening to carry out those attacks. And numerous al-Qaeda spokespersons have, in fact, said that these plans are underway and are near completion.
We are very concerned that al-Qaeda, even though it has been a degraded organization as a result of counterterrorism successes and efforts over the past several years, remains a dangerous organization, because it is flexible and adaptable, as many international terrorist organizations are.
There are strong indications that al-Qaeda will continue to try to revisit past targets, those that they were able to attack, as well as those that they were unable to attack.
In addition, there is intelligence that indicates that they are looking at various transportations systems, as the Secretary alluded to, and Madrid, the attacks against the subway systems there that resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
And looking at the current terrorist threat reporting and information that we have, we continue to look at past plots to gain a better understanding of the strategy and tactics that al-Qaeda may, in fact, try to employ here in the states. In particular, looking at some past al-Qaeda plans, as well as their capabilities and their attacks overseas, we're concerned about Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices -- VBIEDs, truck bombs -- and similar types of vehicle borne explosives, given al-Qaeda's long history of successful attacks overseas. These types of means of attack can be used to go against different types of infrastructure targets, such as tunnels, bridges, other types of targets that would lend themselves to that type of targeting.
In addition, we know that al-Qaeda has carried out successful attacks overseas in various locations, in Asia and in Europe recently.
Also, al-Qaeda has remained very interested in aviation attacks. We know that it is a consistent focus of their efforts, as we saw in 9/11. But since 9/11, and despite the numerous security enhancements that have been made, al-Qaeda continues to pursue capabilities that can use aircraft, either as a weapon or to target.
What we know about this most recent information that is being directed from the senior-most levels of the al-Qaeda organization, which includes Osama bin Laden, Ayman Zawahiri and others, and we know that this leadership continues to operate along the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
And we'll take your questions.
Question: Are you saying then, that bin Laden and Zawahiri are now actively directing their followers?
Senior Intelligence Official: When I mentioned the senior al-Qaeda leadership, and there's senior al-Qaeda leadership, which include Osama bin Laden and Ayman Zawahiri, also includes other senior operatives. So this type of plotting, this type of operational activity, is being done with the direction and authorization of that senior leadership.
Question: This intelligence that you have, are they specifically mentioning their intent to thwart the democratic process, the election? And if so, in what context?
Senior Intelligence Official: Al-Qaeda, for many years, has, in fact, tried to carry out attacks here or to design attacks that would create political, economic and psychological damage on the United States. Our various institutions, including the electoral process, democratic processes here, are part of those institutions that al-Qaeda is determined to try to disrupt.
So what we're doing is we're looking at this intelligence information recently in the context of what is it that is happening, for example, this year; and we know, with the election process here, this is one of the reasons why I think everybody has to be -- remain vigilant.
"Is there any reason to credit this dreadful conclusion?"
No.
These devices need a LOT of regular maintenance.
A dirty bomb is only effective in a small radius.
Please explain and elaborate why you think, know or believe this to this rather negative pessimist and fatalist.
I wish I didn't believe that the Islamofascists wern't going to set off nukes in NYC and DC, but I do. I think push always comes to shove.
I think Islam and the left is at war with Western civilization and want us all and me especially D-E-A-D.
If the Islamo's don't kill us, the leftist Hollowood creeps and traitors will.
We are being warned. I am hearing daily warnings. e.g., the head of Homeland Security, acting head of CIA, and others. What more is needed? They're all saying the threat level is high.
something utterly conventional... like a nutter driving a tanker full of gasoline into a college... is a MUCH more likely scenario.
Thanks for asking, Pie, I was wondering the same thing myself. Can anybody point me to a link that gives details about these things, and suggests why they aren't a threat?
Kidding aside, this scenario scares me silly. I can't help thinking we should be less flippant about an al Qaeda attack that pretty much everybody agrees will happen sooner or later.
This was funny too, until the day it happened.
posts #21 and 26 spell it out in a nutshell.
see #33 for a much more possible (let alone likely) scenario
I saw Paul Williams live on Fox News about a month ago and was not impressed. He appeared as unprofessional and his main interest was fearmongering and selling his book. He was not at all convincing.
Actually, as the trains went by Safeco field last Friday night while we were watching a baseball game.....the thought of explosives occurred to me....
We are "flippant" because we don't have enough info to know when, where, how. And, I'm not going to spend days hiding and worrying about it, like most folks.....which is really, what I think THEY wish we would do.
ping
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