Think about this scenario: An ordinary-looking freighter ship heading toward New York or Los Angeles launches a missile from its hull or from a canister lowered into the sea. It hits a densely populated area. A million people are incinerated. The ship is then sunk. No one claims responsibility. There is no firm evidence as to who sponsored the attack, and thus no one against whom to launch a counterstrike.
But as terrible as that scenario sounds, there is one that is worse. Let us say the freighter ship launches a nuclear-armed Shahab-3 missile off the coast of the U.S. and the missile explodes 300 miles over Chicago. The nuclear detonation in space creates an electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
Gamma rays from the explosion, through the Compton Effect, generate three classes of disruptive electromagnetic pulses, which permanently destroy consumer electronics, the electronics in some automobiles and, most importantly, the hundreds of large transformers that distribute power throughout the U.S. All of our lights, refrigerators, water-pumping stations, TVs and radios stop running. We have no communication and no ability to provide food and water to 300 million Americans.
This is what is referred to as an EMP attack, and such an attack would effectively throw America back technologically into the early 19th century. It would require the Iranians to be able to produce a warhead as sophisticated as we expect the Russians or the Chinese to possess. But that is certainly attainable. Common sense would suggest that, absent food and water, the number of people who could die of deprivation and as a result of social breakdown might run well into the millions.
Let us be clear. A successful EMP attack on the U.S. would have a dramatic effect on the country, to say the least. Even one that only affected part of the country would cripple the economy for years. Dropping nuclear weapons on or retaliating against whoever caused the attack would not help. And an EMP attack is not far-fetched.
Twice in the last eight years, in the Caspian Sea, the Iranians have tested their ability to launch ballistic missiles in a way to set off an EMP. The congressionally mandated EMP Commission, with some of America's finest scientists, has released its findings and issued two separate reports, the most recent in April, describing the devastating effects of such an attack on the U.S.
Source: WSJ
Hat Tip: The Belmont Club
Related: United States Action EMP Threats
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1 comments :
I am reading article on an EMP attack on the US.
It is written in a very chilldish manner so as not to upset the children. For examople, "an attack would effectively throw America back technology into the early 19th century."
Actually, an attack over Chicago would destroy America! With 300+ million population only a fraction would be fed with emergency food from Europe, in time to prevent starvation. And millions would die of thirst with loss of all water pumping! Die of thirst, or then die of starvation!
The early 19th century had a technology that we can not quickly replicate today.
Railroads existed with steam locomotives. Sailing ships and early steam driven ships existed. The hundreds of thousands of horses do not exist today, and no one to speak of lives on a farm to grow food. Even starting to grow food where do the seeds come from? And it takes a year to produce a crop.
Can anyone hang on a year without eating?
Over 200 million people would perish from a famine of starving to death.
The article states an EMP attack would have a DRAMATIC effect.
Do you think?
TOM
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