U.S. responds to Terrorist Nuke strike

Multiple threads have discussed the possibility that OBL and AQ may have various forms of Nuclear Weapons ranging in size from 3kilotons-10Megatons. If it happened, and terrorists detonated a weapon on U.S. soil I have the following questions:

1) What would the political response be and to whom would it be directed?

2) What would the posible resulting military response be?

3) What would the response of "society at large" be?

4) Would there be collateral responses from International powers?

5) IF there were collateral responses, what form would they take?

6) What do you think the average joe would do?

No mud slinging and Good Luck with your Essays!


[edit on 16-11-2004 by Chuck Stevenson]

Originally posted by Chuck Stevenson
Multiple threads have discussed the possibility that OBL and AQ may have various forms of Nuclear Weapons ranging in size from 3kilotons-10Megatons. If such were true, and terrorists detonated a weapon on U.S. soil I have the following questions:

1) What would the political response be and to whom would it be directed?

2) What would the posible resulting military response be?

3) What would the response of "society at large" be?

4) Would there be collateral responses from International powers?

5) IF there were collateral responses, what form would they take?

No mud slinging and Good Luck with your Essays!

1) Assuming the bomb came from some country and was not put together by the group themselves (kinda tough) I'd assume to reaction to that country would be kinda strong. I'd also assume and it would send a signal to all nuclear nations to keep a tighter grip on their stockpiles.

2) It all depends on where the bomb came from. If it's an old KGB suitcase nuke sold by the russian mafia, I highly doubt Moscow would be bombed in the morning. Unless there was some direct link, which is possible, I doubt there would actually be a nuclear strike. Probably just a massive attack on Iran and North Korea with a feeling of "we won't ever allow this to happen again and won't allow rogue nations to have nuclear ambitions."

3) Who knows.

4 & 5) Difficult to predict, it depends on the source of the weapon.

[edit on 15-11-2004 by rangeroftheeast]

Originally posted by Chuck Stevenson
Multiple threads have discussed the possibility that OBL and AQ may have various forms of Nuclear Weapons ranging in size from 3kilotons-10Megatons. If such were true, and terrorists detonated a weapon on U.S. soil I have the following questions:

1) What would the political response be and to whom would it be directed?

2) What would the posible resulting military response be?

3) What would the response of "society at large" be?

4) Would there be collateral responses from International powers?

5) IF there were collateral responses, what form would they take?

No mud slinging and Good Luck with your Essays!

Remember, 10 MEGATONS is a sizeable device. We're talking large container, the size of a pickup bed to transport. Add shielding and cover, and you're now talking the size of a minivan for transport. Won't happen - if it does, they really know what they're doing. Anywho, regardless of size, here is what I think:

(1) Political response - condemning terrorism (as always), to our enemies (As Bush will put it), means AL QUEDA/RADICAL ISLAM.

(2) Military Response - nothing, except continued strenghthening of forces in the middle east

(3) Society At Large - some would undoubtedly be reminded of Nagasaki and Hiroshima -- in the end, it would most likely be a small topic of interest to the world. I think most people who view the US as a bully would imagine this was long overdue, and thus -- wouldn't make a large deal of it.

(4) International powers wouldn't act as we -- in #2 -- wouldn't act necessarily on one entity. Face it -- who do we bomb? More rocks and rock-caves in Afghanistan? More innocent civilians in Fallujah? Nope. We just continue our imperialist march and continue to occupy foreign nations illegally.

(5) See #4.