Posted on 09/09/2011 5:22:26 PM PDT by Kaslin
National Security: The Sept. 11 commission stated that our biggest failure was one of imagination. Imagine an Iranian nuclear device detonating high over the American heartland. They're working on it.
On the same day the 9/11 Commission issued its report, another commission issued a report on a threat that could change our world and way of life in ways we can scarcely imagine. It is a real and credible threat, and it is largely being ignored.
The threat is a phenomenon known as electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, and demonstrates why the issue of homeland security extends beyond the need for body scanners or taking our shoes off at the airport. It's why ignoring Iran is dangerous and why a robust national missile defense should be of the highest priority.
This threat to our national security was the subject of study by the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, established by unanimous consent of the House and Senate. Released on the same day as the 9/11 Commission report, few paid attention.
It is a scenario worthy of Hollywood, but it is a frighteningly real possibility. A solitary ballistic missile, perhaps an ICBM launched by a decaying North Korean regime or an Iranian mullah, or a terrorist Scud launched from a ship off the Atlantic Coast carrying the first Islamic nuke, detonates its warhead 25 to 300 miles above the U.S. mainland.
Nobody is harmed or killed immediately by the blast. But life in America, the world's only superpower and largest economy, comes to a screeching halt as a country dependent on 21st-century technology regresses almost a century instantaneously.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Thanks for posting this article.
I’s a good post that helped spread the word about EMP and prompted some thoughtful, informative and provocative responses.
You’re right we don’t know for sure. What we do know is the types of components used in today’s electronics are generally much more sensitive than the electronics used in the 50s when EMP effects were observed from the nuke testing.
“What we do know is the types of components used in today’s electronics are generally much more sensitive than the electronics used in the 50s when EMP effects were observed from the nuke testing.”
We also know that portable devices, for instance, have very little area to absorb energy. So a great many of the devices - because of design practices and other things will have a statistically significant survival rate. We just don’t know what it is.
“So a great many of the devices - because of design practices and other things will have a statistically significant survival rate. We just don’t know what it is.”
If we don’t know what it is then how do we know it will have a statistically significant survival rate?
We don’t. We do know much less energy is required to damage the devices.
“We don’t. We do know much less energy is required to damage the devices.”
Did you know that a very small number of vehicles tested by the EMP commission had any damage when subjected to a simulated worst-case pulse?
The vast majority had no impact, the majority of those impacted simply needed to be restarted. Others remained functional but lost significant systems. Some needed to be repaired.
That tells you a lot. If systems in a car can survive, many other systems will survive at statistically significant rates.
We know a great deal about the physics and it’s manifestation as electromagnetic energy. The biggest problem is the energy grid, and the willingness to invest in replacing and retrofitting things that aren’t broken.
I know there are a lot of sources which disagree with your statements.
“I know there are a lot of sources which disagree with your statements.”
There are. There is a lot of hysterical information out there. you appear to be quoting some of that information.
Read the EMP commission report. I didn’t make this stuff up.
It’s a problem for sure - if you have electronics that you deem a requirement for your convenience, or more importantly your existence - for instance medial equipment, you should consider the threat.
There is no actual basis to assert that every electronic thing will be rendered inoperative though. but again, it’s impossible to know with certainty what survives and what breaks - there is no routine testing of consumer stuff.
Again, the biggest problem will be the electrical grid. That WILL go down in such an event. It will be reconstituted over some period of time, and it may be some extended period of time for some areas.
fernando valley ??? /80s baseball geek...
“There are. There is a lot of hysterical information out there. you appear to be quoting some of that information.”
Really, the only quote I’ve used was from the State of Washington. Meanwhile you’ve stated a lot of “facts” without anything supporting your argument.
Yes the grid will be a big problem. Its silly to discount the rest of the electric universe when all available testing shows the opposite.
BTW, medical devices generally aren’t for my “convenience”, they are for things like breathing and keeping peoples hearts beating.
>>>In the book “Lights Out”, a Saudi king uses one of his super tankers, fills it with sand so it appears it is full of crude oil heading to the US for a scheduled delivery. He has two scuds on board. When the tanker gets off the coast of the US, they erect the missles launchers and send off 2 scuds to be detonated 300 miles above the US to set a major EMP in motion. The tanker is scuddled (sank) by the crew shortly after. If that played out..even if our subs counter-attacked, what good would it do us ? And without proof of the tanker, who would we go after? Instant 1800s. But that could never happen to us, could it ? Sheriff Joe Biden or maybe FEMA would take care of us...LOL. It’s going to take a good 15 years to replace the World Trade Centers. What would it take to correct a national disaster?<<<
Yes, an EMP attack is in the realm of possibility. Your scenario could be played out - it is plausible, it would work, it would create chaos.
However, the Islamic side of this war learned something after Flight 93. A surprise attack on the United States only works as long as the citizens are surprised. The 9/11 attacks worked for about 90 minutes, and then the citizens themselves formed the rough equivalent of local militias to take matters into their own hands.
Therefore I don’t expect an EMP attack, or biowar, or crazed gunmen running into a school screaming, “Allahu akbar.” I expect them to wage war on a far more subtle level, by leveraging our laws against us, by making us question whether or not we’re racists by standing up to Islam, by planting phony terror threats to watch us run around in panic, by slowly immigrating into the country and setting up enclaves and schools. They know that once enraged, free men are unstoppable. They also know that the best strategy is subversion.
We’ll be looking for bombs in the air, while they’re building madrassas and mosques in our cities and suing people who speak against them for hate crimes. They have the long view. They’ve been fighting us for 1400 years, and they can wait a century or two for the rot they encourage to collapse the structure.
Damn, that’s gloomy. I wish I was wrong. God help us.
Ping
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If water purification is dependent on electricity, what's the projected death rate from that? Can that be hardened easily?
When you say the grid will be down for 'some period of time and may be some extended period of time' - what are you talking about? Weeks, months, years... Will Nuclear power plants be able to function with their computers out?
“Meanwhile you’ve stated a lot of “facts” without anything supporting your argument.”
Did you read the EMP Commission Report I suggested and not find it to your liking?
“Yes the grid will be a big problem. Its silly to discount the rest of the electric universe when all available testing shows the opposite.”
The grid will be the main problem.
“BTW, medical devices generally aren’t for my “convenience”, they are for things like breathing and keeping peoples hearts beating.”
You need to change the batteries on your attitude defibrillator. They are running low.
Yeah all those medical devices are just for shits and grins. People like you seem to think you are the only people who know anything. That only your little world of power grids matters.
there’s a big world out there, you might open your eyes and try to see it
“If water purification is dependent on electricity, what’s the projected death rate from that? Can that be hardened easily? “
I don’t know a water system that is not dependent on power. If you are talking about large municipal systems, I’d imagine that they’d try distributing in some other manner than existing pipes, but it would vary by location and degree of thought put into it.
“When you say the grid will be down for ‘some period of time and may be some extended period of time’ - what are you talking about? Weeks, months, years... “
Major transformers on the grid will be damaged or destroyed by the EMP phenomena (there are lots of technical papers out there) So replacement and reconstitution will require using exsting stockpiled replacements, to the extent they are available, an acquiring new ones. We don’t make them in the US anymore (the big EHV ones)
nukes stop as soon as external power becomes unavailable. That how they are designed.
“When you say the grid will be down for ‘some period of time and may be some extended period of time’ - what are you talking about? Weeks, months, years... Will Nuclear power plants be able to function with their computers out?”
The nuke plant computers will probably be fine because they are so well shielded inside the building. however the entire power infrastructure will be destroyed for months at the minimum.
As for the water supply, all the pumps will be destroyed. So they’ll have to be replaced. Replacing them will be tough.
These days he’s much more likely to be in the booth giving Spanish language color commentary.
People die in three days without water... seem some ‘public servant’ should spend a little time thinking about this... Thanks - interesting insights.
Many parts of the west, including LA, Phoenix, and similiar places cannot exist without pumping water. What would happen to those people?
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