Terrorist Using Nuclear Weapons...Poll

Possibility of terrorist using nuclear weapons on USA?

  • Very possible

    Votes: 46 45.5%

  • 50/50 chance

    Votes: 19 18.8%

  • Low chance

    Votes: 33 32.7%

  • Never happen, just science fiction stuff.

    Votes: 3 3.0%
  • Total voters
    101
I voted YES as it doesn't have to be big just strategically placed. Most likely scenereo would be combined with air bourne cancer causing agent. or at any one of the reifineries across the country. Just imagine a small nuclear device that also caused gas to increase by $1 or $2.
 
I'm more leaning towards "does this matter?"

It's questions like these, when taken to very bad ends, start up that security vs. liberty debate. As is almost always the case, fear and paranoia leads to more security and less liberty. We got the last 6 years to prove that.

I can google instructions on building a crude bomb. Of all of the USSR's arsenal, how many of their nuclear warheads are still accounted for? You run a nuclear power plant long enough [COUGH]iran[/COUGH], one of your fancy by-products is a nice stash of plutonium. It's going to happen.

or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
 
I think it is only a matter of time before someone uses a Nuclear device again. We have had over 60 years with no Nukes, but it won't last forever. Maybe not even that much longer..
 
4) Dirty bomb - conventional explosive technology, using radioactive materials in bomb casing, to be spread by the explosive. Very constructable by terrorists, if they are provided with radioactive material. And not requiring the fissile material. Nuclear "waste" material would serve.

Neither of the last two will have the impact of the first two, as they are not atomic explosions, but a criticality device can kill a number of people, particularly if properly planted, as it could be constructed to emit only radiation, and thus be virtually undetectable without radiation detection instrumentation.

A dirty bomb could contaminate a multi block area, possibly with dangerous levels of hazardous materials, requiring an intensive, and expensive decon effort, but nothing that is technically difficult.
Click to expand...

How much nuclear waste materials come from Hospitals?

http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub815_web.pdf

http://www.fas.org/faspir/2002/v55n2/dirtybomb.htm
 
I might point out that a emp based item is also possible, and would not violate the Muslim law that bans nukes.
 
Very interesting so far. The "very possible" is just barely ahead of "low possibility".

One point on the dirty bomb. This can be conventional or nuclear. If you add enough nasty material that has a long half life you can have a very dirty bomb. Just imagine a large area of a major city that you cannot inhabit for the next 50 years. This has already happened in Chernobyl, and that is without trying to make a dirty bomb situation. (this was only a melt down). This is not "the sky is falling", it's just engineering and science....not nice but just the real possibility.
 
The problem is more than just obtaining a nuke. The weapon is, after all, simply a tool. The will to use it is what makes it dangerous. With MAD, we had the assurance that the other guys (Soviets) didn't want to die as much as we didn't want to die. That's not the case anymore with Muslim extremists. If they somehow produce or obtain a device capable of producing a nuclear yield, I have no doubt whatsoever that they have the will to use it.
 
I might point out that a emp based item is also possible, and would not violate the Muslim law that bans nukes.
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I don't think the terrorists that would use one are all that concerned about any Muslim law. They seem to violate quite a few of them as they see fit on a daily basis.

Given the right set of circumstances, I expect we'll see it happen eventually.
 
Not necessarily a tactical nuke but certainly a "dirty" bomb that they could make with materials procured from certain warlord dicatators. *cough*IRAN*cough*
 
As far as Islamic law goes, I think we are forgetting that it does not apply to us the unbelievers. Quite the opposite in fact.

I believe it is more a matter of when than if. There are too many unaccounted for devices, both from former soviet stocks and other sources, to assume that at least one has not found its way into the hands of these extremists. The real question will have to be what is the appropriate response?

As far as to why there has been no mass exodus from high target areas. There was no exodus during the cold war when we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there were weapons aimed for these areas. People are capable of ignoring all but the most clear and present danger.

Thanks,
Jefferson
 
As far as Islamic law goes, I think we are forgetting that it does not apply to us the unbelievers. Quite the opposite in fact.
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That is exactly correct. I think the only thing preventing an attack is the, to date, inability of terrorist groups to obtain a weapon.

I think that ultimately there will be an attack using nuclear weapon is high, OTH I think that the probability of its use in the US is somewhat low for a variety of reasons. I do not however think it is impossible and I do think that the use of a nuclear weapon on US soil is something we all (government and individuals) should be prepared for.

As has been prior stated the materials necessary for the development of a dirty bomb are not that hard to obtain, using conventional explosives this type of weapon is a very real probability.

There are plenty of unaccounted for nuclear materials, however an non-government group will have a difficult time producing even the most simple nuclear device. I realize the information is readily available, but I just don't think the average group can produce one.

I do think a rouge nation or even an individual selling a device to a terrorist group is a real possibility.

I truly hope I never live to see a nuclear weapon used by a terrorist group, I am not foolish enough to discard the possibility.
 
I appreciate the thoughtful responses. It is interesting to learn how others think on this subject. This was my first poll. Maybe next time I can make one for 9mm VS .45ACP....take it easy, joking, joking.....just joking.:D
 
The procurement of nuclear materials and the science involved in making them into a viable device are not that big a deal. Both India and Pakistan managed to detonate thier test devices right under our noses. By the way, which one of those nations is predominantly Muslim with an unpopular ruler and is next door to a formerly fundamentalist Muslim Republic where they helped form and fund anti-soviet forces in the eighties who in the last decade have turned around to bite the Western world?

We like to think that everybody follows our Western sensibilities, but there are flaws with that concept. First of all, who says we are really sensible? If we were, we would not be having all the problems we do. Second of all, I noticed something during my time in the Army, life is cheap. You want to keep it, invest a few bucks in protecting it. Any terrorist who should acquire a nuclear device (a mere matter of time) will have no problem with killing a few thousand of us infidels instantly and tens of thousands more in the secondary and tertiary effects. The Muslim extremist will not stop when we are out of the "sacred land", the Muslim extremist will not even stop when the planet is 100% Muslim. He will stop when he's dead. Let's help him stop, I say... :)
 
I agree we need to stop any terrorist extremist groups that would use any weapons against this Country. I have always feared the terrorist with nukes much more that any country that seems to threaten. I think most know if a country attacks then the USA has the right to respond in kind, and that response would truly be devastating. So, few countries are willing to take that risk, but a terrorist will take that same risk in a heart beat.

That's why I feel this is "a clear and present danger". I would add that I feel Iran having nukes does increase this danger. Not because as a country Iran would attack, but because some in the Iran nuclear program will probably provide under the table aid (and material) to their fellow Muslim's.
 
I'm also of the opinion that terrorists will acquire a nuclear device in the near (within 25 years) future.
Fanatics will do anything...and there are countries/people willing to finance them.
 
Mr. Jackson,
I think that you are being too generous. 25 years is far too long a time frame. I have reason to believe that the time line should be more on the order of + or - 5 years as there is no reason to assume that they have not already acquired a tactical nuclear device. There are enough missing from former Soviet/KGB stocks.

Thanks
Jefferson
 
I was listening to a former CIA operative not long ago. He was asked if he thought that the terrorists could already have a bomb in the states. He said that it was possible. Lets not forget about the open boarder with Mexico and the miles of coastline. Lets also not forget that the soviets cannot account for all their material including suitcase sized bombs. It will happen eventually unless we kill them first.
 
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