Terry Yager said:
joe sixpack said:
I think a low yield nuke detination on the ground is the most likely.
Actually, a higher-yield (multi-megaton) device detonated at 250 miles above Omaha, Nebraska would generate an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) which would bring down the entire power grid of the North American continent, not to mention every satelite in the hemisphere. Every electronic device within range will be rendered permanently unusable, so that even if the power were brought back on-line in a timely manner, it'll do very little good, as nothing will be working. Even our transportation system will be brought to a standstill, as the computers upon which modern conveyances are dependant will be destroyed too. This scenario is much more likely, given the number of "communications" satelites <wink, wink> orbiting the planet at any given moment. Sure, we have our own satelite-mounted nukes too (shhh, it's a secret), but a country like China can do a lot more damage to us than we can do them, because we are more dependant on our high-technology than they are. (It would take a very strong EMP at a very close range to kill a water bufflo, it's nervous system is a lot more hardened than our electronic systems).
http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/emp.htm
http://www.tfd.chalmers.se/~valeri/EMP.html
http://www.nuclearpress.com/view.lasso?id=0012&-token.f=3
http://www.chapelhill.indymedia.org/news/2004/07/11209.php
...etc.
--T
Yup that looks like a whole lotta reading. Obviously you have done more
research then me, Here's what i know (or think i know)
low yeild nuke is 3megaton.
weapon grade plutonium 95-98% purity.
reactor grade plutonium less then 4% purity needed
full size nuke radius aprox 3 miles.
from what i understand it's very difficult to refine plutonium into weapons grade.
There for i say low yield because even a radius of half mile would be utterly devistanting in a downtown area.
It' would take far less matieral to make a low yield.
EMP? hmm well it is true that it would *$#% most electronics they can be shielded.
But im sure the fact still stand that almost no electronics are.
The government has been trying to develope a EMP weapon but has not
be able to match a nuke by any means.
It's also true that every thing has some magnetic properties wood,glass,plastic you me everything.
Im unsure what the effect would be, It seems like the iron in our blood
would just rip our bodies to shreds. Then again if it's that stong you must
be close enough that you'll just melt away long before the magnetic field gets you (speculation)
Then again there is a certin amount of electricity in our bodies so who knows.
As a side note i once seen them levitate a frog in a special magnetic tube. pretty cool.
"Even our transportation system will be brought to a standstill"
Ha! thats not to difficult now, where i live a few well placed parked cars
would due the trick.
As for japans millitary i knew it was not there stong points (least not anymore)
but i had no idea it was so small. Im reminded of a saying my mother use
to tell me, Im sure she was quoting someone else but i dont know who.
"A kingdom is only as strong has the knights that defend it!"
Oh by the way i think china would kick some major ass if they ever fought the US
China would lose in the end but they'ed do a lot of damage, but it will never happen in my lifetime.
They just out number by so much, Assuming they could find the weapons to equip all of them for battle.
But im even more worryed about north korea. They scare the living hell out of me.
I seen this documentry on PBS, I can't even list all the shit that goes on.
Im not so much worried they will attack out of the blue no no. Im worried
bush is going to keep running he's mouth and try to bully Kim jong Ill or how
ever you spell his name. That fact is the guy is scared of bush.. and with good reason.
Bush is a shoot first ask questions later kinda guy and i think N.Korea would
rather kill them selves off fighting rather then surrender.
Ok anyway except for a few nations the world is now one big economy.
For example: the U.S will not fight China anytime soon why? because
about 25% of there total economy is auto manufacturing, China asked
a lot of US auto companies to come invest some years ago late 80's i think
anyway they are to worried about growing as an economy to want to fight.
In fact the US is the largest economy on earth and the rest of the world
begins and ends there. With Japan being about half as large ranking 2nd largest in the world.
Everyone has something to offer and there no real way you could fight
a full scale war with any two major powers it would just be to detrimental to the world economy.
As i always say people are greedy by nature, Hit them in there wallet and things change.
Of the obvious problem with this is terrorist dont giva shit bout economy doing bad.
in fact thats half there goal.
Last thought: if japan has such a push over military it seems to me it would
be in there best intrest try and protect it's allies such as the US if it has the
power to due so. If a missle is headed for, say the US and they have a chance
to intercept it, Would'nt it be in there intrest to due so? if the missle goes by
them and they do nothing, It wont cost them any men to shoot it down.
But they let it go on by anyway, It hit's just as you have said and well say
that everything that could go wrong does. Then are'nt they a little F*#$ed If the person
who shot the first missle wants to invade? Ha missle defence system is prob about as
worthless as throwing rocks.
Well being such a push over that they are there major protector is gone
they get stomped... at least they did'nt violate there constitution i guess.