Posted on 09/15/2009 8:24:32 PM PDT by kingattax
Perhaps one of the most frightening terrorist-attack scenarios is one wherein a nuclear-tipped missile is launched by terrorists from a seemingly harmless cargo ship somewhere off the coast of the United States.
In such an attack, the missile could be hurtling skyward almost before our current missile-defense system had time to blink. The missile’s warhead could then be remotely detonated somewhere 20 to 60-plus miles above the visual horizon, and -- in addition to killing everyone in the blast and radiation radius -- trigger an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which would basically fry every single electrical circuit in the blast’s line-of-sight for hundreds of miles in every direction. An EMP would effectively knock out all electrical grids, aircraft, trains, ships, automobiles, computers, medical equipment, ATM machines, cooling and heating systems, TVs, radios, telephones, blackberries, flashlights, electric toothbrushes, and children’s toys in an instant.
In less time than that required to take a breath, a huge section of North America would be catapulted back to the 18th century. Yet because we are so completely dependent upon 21st century technology, the ensuing chaos, crime, starvation, and disease would be something unimaginable.
A single enemy missile could do this to us.
(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...
So you say.
No worries though... I’m sure Bambi will defund this program too.
Yes, aweawombaweee.
Why would they launch it?
Just bring into port buried deep in an oil tanker. I’d guess the oil would provide some significant radiation shielding - though I’m not even slightly an expert on that...
Heck, just fly it in on a chartered plane/air freighter. Customs is too late on the ground... The plane never needs to land.
Too many try to add too much complexity to what a terrorist has to do. There are any number of simple, direct and very affective ways to do their evil deed in an open society.
At least the cargo ship can be seen. A stealth submarine could do as much mischief and we wouldn’t know what to watch.
One Second After?
This is why you have to be psychologically prepared for cannibalism.
If the author is saying that the blast happens at 20-60 miles above the surface, the blast and radiation won't kill anyone - too far away.
I'm no expert, but seems to me a few THAAD batteries could provide more comprehensive coverage at lower cost. No round the clock flights of very expensive 747s - probably a dozen or more, which would mean roughly 3x that to keep up 24x7 patrols.
A couple of state of the art radars with SAM missiles along the SE border might do wonders for discouraging the smuggling trade. I'd say rotate the crews through there for periodic refresher training. Smugglers are free, target drones and missiles are expensive. :-O
The terrorists are NOT MORONS... their crazy but not stupid..
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