Nuke over U.S. could unleash electromagnetic tsunami

worldtribune ^ | Wednesday, December 7, 2005 | Frank J. Gaffney and Colleagues

[seastay]

"The commission found that a single nuclear weapon, delivered by a ballistic missile to an altitude of a few hundred miles over the United States, would be "capable of causing catastrophe for the nation.....The energy of this pulse would reach everything in line of sight of the detonation. And it would do so at the speed of light. "

If anybody has goggle earth, looking at the center of US, Kansas for example tilting back the map to 200 miles, one will find the east and west coasts are not even visible to the line of sight due to the curvature of the earth. The altitude needs to be up about 1000 miles for the line of sight of such a blast to paint the whole US, if I am reading the map correctly?

I would not doubt the energy of such a blast, but is somebody off on the numbers, here? 1000 miles is 5xs higher than 200, and the energy would be much weaker at 5xs the distance?

[BagelFace]

the resulting shock would, at least temporarily, result in DU posts getting mixed up with FR posts...

[coconutt2000]

It may be a secondary pulse caused by the explosion's fireball's interaction with the upper atmosphere.

At least, that's what it sounds like they're talking about. And I'm thinking that may just be a theory.

[Mike Darancette]

We and the Soviets tested Nuclear weapons (many of them quite large) in the Atmosphere for years why did the lights in Vegas stay on?

[sionnsar]

I've read earlier reports on this and as I recall, you are correct. Still, even the devastation of losing one "coast" (half or third of the country) would be immense.

[Polybius]

The energy of this pulse would reach everything in line of sight of the detonation.

NOT "WITHIN LINE OF SIGHT"

[sionnsar]

We and the Soviets tested Nuclear weapons (many of them quite large) in the Atmosphere for years why did the lights in Vegas stay on?

Not high enough.

[NoCmpromiz]

1000 miles is 5xs higher than 200, and the energy would be much weaker at 5xs the distance?

inverse square law applies.. in other words, the farther away the weaker. Something 100 miles away is 10000 times weaker than something 1 mile away... so in your example, the distance is 5 times, the strength of any effect would be 25 times less.

[Concentrate]

Because they weren't plugged into computer chips, which may be more vulnerable to such things.

[Bender2]

Sounds like Spieberg's War of the Worlds wish list come to life...

Steven will be so proud if it comes about.

Don't know about the "Crusinator" as his and Katie's sonogram machine wouldn't work.

[dr huer]

With all the placing of our financial records online, will our banking system survive? Radio Shack destroys my check, and evidence that I have paid my bill lies in some computer somewhere?

[Anti-Bubba182]

The problem with doing that for the attacker is the the US Nuclear Forces are EMP hardened and our goverment would go absolutely ape and just might take out a selection of likely targets.

What good would do them? Anyone claiming credit would get Nuked themselves. Any country thought to have aided them would likely get Nuked as well.

[Hugin]

I've been saying since 9/11 that we need to publish a doomsday list of nations with WMD programs that also support terrorism, or share technology with states that do. Included would be N. Korea, Iran, Syria, and anyone else we think fits. We should make it official US policy that if a nuke is ever used against us we will immediately retaliate by nuking every major city of every nation on the list. In order for a nation to be removed from the list they need to take any actions we decide are necessary to assure us they are not a threat. No negotiations, no UN resolutions or multi-party talks. Just let them know if they are on the list and we are nuked they are dead, whether they had anything to do with it or not. So do they really want their existence dependent on every other terrorist group or nutcase dictator never nuking us.? I think you would see a mad rush to be cooperative.

[Republican Wildcat]

This was mentioned on Fox the other day.

[Pagey]

Isn't this the reason we have the Air Force operating HAARP in Alaska? (Someone had to pose the question)

[Paul C. Jesup]

It terrorists did this over a the U.S. we would be completely recovered in a year of so. But if terrorists did this over Eastern Asia, it would destroy the global economy because it would not only wipeout electronics there, but also the electronics used in the production of most of the worlds electronics.

[CurlyDave]

I've been saying since 9/11 that we need to publish a doomsday list of nations with WMD programs that also support terrorism...

What makes you think we haven't done this already?

The threat does not have to be published in the New York Times (which wouldn't carry it anyway) in order to be effective. A quiet diplomatic note would accomplish the same purpose without all of the fanfare and liberal criticism.

It also provides a face-saving way for the rogue nations to comply. If we publish the threat they would almost have to defy us. If it is quietly communicated they can comply without looking like wimps.

[ASA Vet]

This was mentioned on Fox the other day.

And some version of it is posted on FreeRepublic about every 6 weeks or so.

[Hugin]

What makes you think we haven't done this already?

The fact that NK and Iran are still actively acquiring nukes.

IMNHO to be effective this approach needs to be very public. It puts the world on notice that we are serious.

[jwpjr]

re: why did the lights in Vegas stay on?

Good question! What's more, I remember the people using radio and telephone communication immediately after the tests to discuss the results. And those nearest the test sites got into their vehicles and drove away afterwords, with no apparent damage to the electrical system of the vehicles.

As for the street lights going out after the US test, that would probably happen because of the bright flash. Heck, I can turn street lights off with a hand held spotlight.