Just a question....?(nuke threats?)

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I have read on this post a lot about the anthrax info, and such. It has been very helpful in at least letting us know what we are dealing with. I have a question on what you think the chances of a nuke.. even a small brief case one.. going off??? Do you think that there is a possible threat or is it all just sensationalism? I have read that there may already be some in the country, but then I see that the Taliban are retreating like mad. I do not know if they would still be organized if they had such a weapon even. Is this something we should even be worried slightly about? I do not want to use any time on it if the risks are null. There is enough to do just with regular prepairedness for storms etc. Winter is almost upon us and that is usually good for an outage or two. I have read much on the net, but I do not know if it is reliable. Thanks!

-- notnow (notnow05@yahoo.com), November 15, 2001

Answers

I was watching a broadcast on some network where a "senior Intelligence Official" (can't remember his name) said that there has been absolutely no evidence of small suitcase sized nukes. There are however, backpack sized weapons that are large and bulky (I see no difference, but obviously there is). I believe I also heard that the weapons were in fact not stolen from the Soviet Union, they were just missing. Does any of this sound scary to you.

-- bill (bill@bill.com), November 15, 2001.

The minimum size nuclear bomb would certainly fit in a suitcase. The USA made nuclear shells for firing from the Davey Crockett field howitzer. I have heard that nuclear weapons do not have a long shelf life due to the reactive nature of the materials used so maybe if someone does have one of the aledged suitcase bombs it won't go off anyway. "Light blue touch paper and retire to safe distance". As regards the Taleban please bear in mind that until a few short weeks ago the Taleban were not enemies of the USA.

-- john hill (johjn@cnd.co.nz), November 15, 2001.

Just my 2cents worth..... We have some of the most loose borders of any country in the world. The number of illegal aliens alone is mind boggling. All the terrorists from 9/11 had S.S. cards, some valid some not. Security in the airports is still questionable. My point is that people are still managing to come and go in and out of the country fairly easily. Anything could have been brought into the country before 9/11, maybe even after. I know that the Taliban are retreating in Afghanistan, but were not in Afghanistan and the people who would hurt us are already here with us. They have infiltrated their way into every job that might help further their cause. I don't know about the suitcase bombs, but I believe the chances of them using a "dirty bomb" somewhere are pretty high. With that in mind, I still don't know how much the average person can do to prepare for a nuclear threat. Most of us just don't have enough cash laying around to build a bomb shelter for fallout. Truly, I wish I could build one but don't see how I could. If it should happen, I think we'll see it in a large, highly populated area where damage will be highest. I don't know how wind patterns will be or how far radiation might carry. So, yes, I worry about it and think it could happen. Pray it doesn't. Can't afford to do the bomb shelter thing so.... Wish yogood luck on whatever you decide to do!!

-- Kathy (kack@countrylife.net), November 15, 2001.

As Kathy says, we have loose borders. Texas ranchers have been trying for years to get the federales on our side of the border to do something. Instead, they have been told they cannot defend their own animals and property from the illegals that come streaming through, sometimes hundreds in a single night through a single ranch. Some of the Hispanic sheriffs down there even go out and look for the illegals to give them water, etc. so they can make it in safely. Now, many of these Middle Eastern people look like many of the Mexican people. They would blend right on in. As for the likelihood of "suitcase" nukes, or backpack nukes, or whatever---there has been concern for several years that there are some over here. Supposedly the Russians placed several over here as a "safeguard" years ago. Seems they don't know what went with all of them. Seems the Russians need to hire some accountants and require some accountability. They have too much stuff "missing" that is potentially deadly to large numbers of folks. Anyway, I think it is quite posssible. I think it will involve a city, if and when it happens. Probably a city that has some high importance and not just a lot of people. You know, some city that processes a lot of oil, or makes a lot of airplanes, or receives most of the incoming shipments of vital goods. You know, a two-fer. Two ways to inflict damage instead of just one. Classic warfare. I hope it doesn't happen, and I don't spend time worrying about it, but yes, it is possible. Meanwhile, as my Daddy used to say, prepare for the worst. If anything less happens, you'll be pleasantly disappointed. LOL

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), November 17, 2001.

There isn't all that much that you can do about it if it were to happen. It IS a possibility, but it sure isn't anything that I can fixate about. You may want to see about stocking some potassium iodate if you are close to a good target. You take this for a month and it will flood your thyroid with good iodine and minimize the radiation you absorb. Beyond that there isn't much to do in the way of preps unless you want to do a shelter and even then you need to know it's coming; which you wouldn't with a suitcase nuke. I'd just focus on what you have already determined to do and remember if there is a blast to not stand up after the first wave, but wait for the second.

As to the Taliban retreating like crazy, I am glad for that but don't understand a 25 million reward. My bet is Bin Laden isn't even there anymore.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), November 20, 2001.



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