An expert on nuclear weaponry security and terrorism

[Aubrey 10]

I found this informative, and simultaneously worrisome. If only our government leaders would watch this; I hope they will secure our ports and prepare our cities before this information ever becomes necessary.

Irwin Redlener (from TED.org) on the threat of nuclear terrorism, and how to survive a nuclear attack

FYI this is not some nut talking, but an expert in his field at a TED conference:

"The annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes)."

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

very interesting to watch.

[Aubrey 10]

bump

[Laura+Tom 2]

We had a leaflet in the post a couple years ago from the government on what do do in case of nuclear attack.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I read something recently that the country is supposedly wide-open to an EMP attack - basically nuclear device detonated in the upper atmosphere which would basically crippled the electronic infrastructure of the country.

The US apparently had hardened electronics during the Cold War to prevent just that eventuality, but this was decommission in subsequent years.

[alienlovechild 75]

The US apparently had hardened electronics during the Cold War to prevent just that eventuality, but this was decommission in subsequent years.

Or it could be vaccuum tubes aren't affected by EMP waves. Most of the Cold War hardware was DXed with newer but more vulnerable technology. Also, the rise of the Internet has lead to more systems being interconnected and more dependent on one another.

It's funny to think how there were protests in the U.S. and especially Western Europe in the early 80s about how deadly nukes are but now there's an entire generation raised after that era that thinks a nuke detonation would never happen and it's just "fear-mongering" so why worry about it.

My bet is on an LNG tanker getting blown up. You don't need a nuke to cause serious damage.

"In an interview with Energy Security Fay said a terrorist attack by a boat bomb - such as the one used against the USS Cole in 2000 or the French tanker Limburg off the coast of Yemen in 2002 - could cause at least half a cargo hold's worth of LNG to seep out of the ship and ignite. "In just over three minutes, the fire could spread two-thirds of a mile from the ship," Fay said. "There is nothing safety officials can do in such a case. They would have no time to evacuate people or to put out the fire." Fay also predicts damaging thermal radiation within a mile radius of the tanker which could set fire to thousands of homes and cause significant losses of blood and treasure. "Like the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, there exists no relevant industrial experience with fires of this scale from which to project measures for securing public safety," he says. Fay insists the methodology of his modeling is sound."

http://www.iags.org/n0121041.htm

I'm getting ready for my "It was an inside job from the Obama White House with the help of his Muslim terrorist friends to boost his sagging popularity and seize more power" post. It will also prove Obama hates white people

Edited September 12, 2008 by alienlovechild

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I never believed the hooey that the Bush WH was capable of orchestrating 9/11 - I mean... they can't be both imcompentents & mustache twirling Bond supervillains.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

My bet is on an LNG tanker getting blown up. You don't need a nuke to cause serious damage.

[alienlovechild 75]

I never believed the hooey that the Bush WH was capable of orchestrating 9/11 - I mean... they can't be both imcompentents & mustache twirling Bond supervillains.

Didn't know about Bush's secret base in a volcano staffed by chicks in bikinis toting M-16s? I mean he's a got musclebound Republican governor with German accent as his enforcer. That's a sure sign he's up to no good.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm actually surprised that there haven't been more attacks on mass-transit.

Before the incident in the UK (but after 9/11) - there were public awareness ads all over the place - on the tube - there was one billboard poster that I really had to laugh at of a near empty subway car with a guy standing and another sitting down and a "suspicious" bag a few feet away from both of them - and the tagline "Is that your bag mate?".

Needless to say you'll rarely find a subway car where you'll have the choice to sit or stand...

Given the impossibility of policing the sheer volume of people that go through mass transit rail stations every day, its wide open to that sort of thing. There's nothing that can be done to prevent it either - without implementing airport style security on the trains - but that's just unworkable.

[alienlovechild 75]

Before the incident in the UK (but after 9/11) - there were public awareness ads all over the place - on the tube - there was one billboard poster that I really had to laugh at of a near empty subway car with a guy standing and another sitting down and a "suspicious" bag a few feet away from both of them - and the tagline "Is that your bag mate?".

Mind the gap. Mind the gap. Mind the gap. Mind the gap. . . too much time on the Tube.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The New York subways are the same. I mean look at what happened in Japan a few years ago...