ACTUAL RESULT:
Patriot missiles strike nuclear missiles somewhere over... checking map... umm... Syria or Jordan.
Hey guys? You might wanna take a look at this!
That's right: If Iran fires its nuclear missiles, it will be risking the annaihilation of Syria. Turkey, Iraq, and Jordan are also at risk. Saudi Arabia sort of is, but that part of Saudi Arabia is just about the emptiest place on earth. My guess is that the Patriots would strike their targets over a place that is closer to Israel than Turkey or Iraq is, although the empty, Western desert in Iraq is vulnerable
LIttle bit a good news... There's plenty of ocean around the US. We can kill nukes heading at us in the upper atmosphere (that's where they'd have to be travelling), or at worst, over the ocean... Israel would have to destory them over Syria.
I am of the impression that intercepted nuclear missiles would fall as wreckage with no detonation. I would think there wiould be the potential for radioactive waste wherever it hits the ground. Is that the case?