[DJ Taylor]

MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) prevented the Soviets from trying this, but I don't think it will deter the Mad Mullahs of Iran.

[Hammerhead]

they musta watched Ocean's 11 over the weekend.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I don't think it would work, but it would make a great movie.

Just add a few mutated flesh-eating zombies and we have a hit.

[Trueblackman]

Sounds like this guy has been watching Dark Angel a little too much.

[babyface00]

MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) prevented the Soviets from trying this, but I don't think it will deter the Mad Mullahs of Iran.

I tend to agree with your analysis. Not only is MAD not a deterrent to these wack-jobs, I seriously doubt we have the will to retaliate.

After all, we know that most of the populace doesn't support the Mullahs, and there are movements to forment a revolution. Knowing that, I can't see how we would retaliate with any sort of city-destroying response. Perhaps we would respond in-kind with airbursts designed to wipe out their infrastructure, but they're not exactly on the cutting edge of technology over there, so would it really be that big of a deal?

It would put us in a really bad situation and they know it. If we don't respond, our credibility is reduced to zilch. If we do respond, we either wouldn't be effective, or we'd kill a huge number of innocents.

IMHO, the only reasonable and effective response would be an invasion of Iran to depose the Mullahs, which the Mullahs wouldn't exactly dislike entirely either, under the assumption that they'd have plenty of martyrs willing to fight off the "Great Satan"TM.

Luckily, with troops in Iraq, the gulf and Afghanistan, it wouldn't be as problemmatic as Iraq, but it still has its problems, not the least of which is stretching our military. That then opens up an entirely new can of worms (two actually) - North Korea and China.

[LasVegasMac]

EMP ping..........

[reagan_fanatic]

Silly. If the mad mullahs really wanted to hurt the U.S., they'd simply target the export facilities of China. The sudden halt in the flow of goods to the U.S. would cripple the American economy for years ;)

[add925]

If this happened, why do I think the left would still protest the US from responding with our own nukes?

Picture Richard (gerbil-boy) Gere on stage: "I am speaking for all the World...We must think of Peace right now".

Katie Couric: "What did we do to deserve this?"

Al Franken: "Its Bush's fault".

Democrats: (insert cricket chirps here)

[L.N. Smithee]

Corsi was on KSFO yesterday (Sunday 4/20) with David Gold, and he was sounding like he would have been delighted to be wrong about this, but wanted to sound the alarm that it was possible.

[RightWhale]

If they set off three thermonuclear devices inside the US it would be the end of the US as we know it.

However, it would not be the end of the US.

The US would be forced to mobilize for a couple of internal reasons, and for one external reason. First, the regions hit by the nukes would need a high order of organization to provide relief--food, water, shelter. Second, it might be necessary to mobilize to maintain order in the affected regions. Third, the US would mobilize to eliminate all foreign threat of further such action. They wouldn't want to make us angry. They wouldn't like us when we're angry.

[jec41]

Just keep playing with the mad dog until he bites you. Actually they could take us out now if they were able to hit the Saudi refineries. A reduction of 50% of our oil use would be very crippling and would require a new energy source that we don't have. Any idea of the actions we would take then?

[mmercier]

our boomers were developed specifically to insure that this eventuality would never come to pass; however at the time of their development it was assumed we were dealing with a rational opponent. this is no longer the case.

imo we should flash bang the mullahs preemptively... this will not happen however as the french would be upset with us.

many in this nation need to see the light (unfortunately for the rest, from a domestic nuclear ignition) before any action is even considered.

i need a new computer anyhow, maybe that would be my spur.

[Mike Darancette]

Well for Iran's sake I hope their one blast gets all of the missile submarines and all of the nuke cruise missiles in the fleet and in foreign bases. Otherwise, Iran would be in a little trouble.

I don't think Iran is capable of building a nuclear weapon large enough to to do the EMP thing.

[Gritty]

If the Mad Mullahs try this we should bomb them back to the Stone Age! Wait a minute, they already are back in the Stone Age!

[TexasCajun]

Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton are responsible for Evil-Axis twins North Korea and Iran having the nuclear capabilities they have today!

And don't forget the FOBs at Loral fixing the Chinese rocket systems for 'em!

And like good neighbors, the Chinese help Pakistan who in turn helps everyone with enough cash!

[Bullish]

Why haven't we obliterated their nuclear installations yet?

What are we waiting for?

[Rodney King]

Our response should be that if any nation detonates even one warhead on or above the US, the result will be a total retaliation with everything that we've got.

[granite]

BTTT

[A CA Guy]

EMP would not effect our military who shields everything including the important computers.

There is no way one nuke will have a 3000-5000 mile range.

[goldstategop]

I agree. We will have to act. I don't think it can be put off much longer. These people are serious when they swear they plan to destroy the United States and they should be taken at their word.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")