WHAT IF THE TERRORISTS GO NUCLEAR?

Center For Defence Information ^ | Sept 26, 2001 | Dr. Bruce G. Blair

[stuartcr]

If this happens, then a lot of us will die.

[spectre]

More of them will.

[stuartcr]

Actually I was thinking more of everyone.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I just have one question. Why hasn't the United States government rounded up every middle eastern male foreign national living in the U.S. and sent them home? We can throw any or all foreigners out of this country any time we wish.

[vannrox]

"...A credible threat to explode such a bomb in a U.S. city could have a powerful impact on the conduct of U.S. foreign and military policy, and could possibly have a paralyzing effect..."

I disagree.

Were the terrorists to do any kind of mass killing, especially Germ, or nuclear, our response wouldn't be so polite. We would storm the Whitehouse so that we-the-people, ourselves, would launch the nuclear arsenal.

[KantianBurke]

Cause being politically correct is more important than perserving citizens' lives.

[justabig]

Iran has a nuclear reactor project co-funded by Russia ($800MM) and defended by Russian missile system. Why do you suppose Iran would need more "energy?"? And if there are no terrorists in Iran there are no cows in Texas.

[michigander]

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

[PetroniDE]

What would be potential responses from the United States?

[VMI70]

A whole lot more.

[Bobby777]

they WILL ... if left to obtain this techology ... you can count on it ...

[breakem]

I don't think in that case we would have to storm the wh.

[goldstategop]

We'll neutron bomb them all into oblivion along with their fuckin precious Kaba. I hope it never comes to that but if they EVER explode a nuclear bomb in the United States they won't live to see the fruits of their success. That's a fact not a threat.

[MississippiMan]

If they have the ability to do it, they will indeed do it unless we annihilate them first. Whether our government has the resolve to do that remains to be seen. My fear -- and your opinion may differ -- is that we're gonna pursue a campaign of surgical strikes intended to punish only the guilty without collateral damage. If that's the case, we will be hit again.

If you kill only the guilty, they have thousands waiting to take their place with an even greater fervor. The point of war is to make the consequences so horrible that the perpetrators are scared to risk causing it again. Unfortunately, that means innocents will have to die. The guilty have demonstrated with perfect clarity that their own lives mean nothing, so you must attack something that does mean something to them.

MM

[Classicaliberalconservative]

No. Because the Constiution still matters and innocent people should not be punished because of the guilty.

[Lexington Green]

Then at least 700,000,000 muslims will be incinerated.

[Peter Libra]

I guess what the doctor is saying is: give up now, it is all over, until they strike again- in little portions.

[unamused]

Nuke 'em 'till they glow....
Use their 'do-rags for body bags....

[Dr. Frank fan]

[Why hasn't the United States government rounded up every middle eastern male foreign national living in the U.S. and sent them home? ] Because the Constiution still matters [...]

Of course, the Constitution does not require that the US allow foreign national non-citizens to live in this country indefinitely. In fact it specifically empowers Congress "To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization". And what good is such a "Rule" if it cannot be enforced?