What should be done if Manhattan is nuked by terrorists?

[Djamila]

You could simply arrest all those proven to be involved in a court of law and sentence them to life in Copsa Mica. They'll only live a few years anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copsa_Mica

 

[Booko]

You want our response to be "tactically effective", Booko? Damn! You're asking for a lot!

I am a very demanding bird. Just ask my local rooster.

Me, if terrorists attack Manhattan, I'm for nuking France. It's time we did something to cut down on the high cost of visiting Paris.

But then where will I get good brie??? (I'll skip the chablis part.)

Oh, the horror of it all! :thud:

 

[doppelganger]

If the attackers came from Saudi Arabia and Iran, then the answer is obvious.

Attack Iraq.

That's really funny. It'll be Venezuela this time though.

 

[NoahideHiker]

Interesting. What sort of strange stuff?

-The famous memo that the FBI had filed prior to 9/11 that warned of persons of interest taking flying lessons was actually called the Phoenix Memo and was filed by the Phoenix office. It stated..."Phoenix has observed an inordinate number of individuals of investigative interest who are attending...civil aviation...colleges in the State of Arizona.".

-The 9/11 report contained 59 references to terrorist activities in the Phoenix and mentions a classified CIA/FBI report called "Arizona: Long Range Nexus for Islamic Extremists.". The report is still classified and closed to the public.

-A man, Sisayehiticha Dinssa, was stopped in Detroit with $80,000 cash and a laptop that contained information about cyanide and nuclear plants and suit case bombs. He was heading to...Phoenix.

-Mubarak al Duri, Wadih El-Hage, Wael Hamza Jelaidan, Hani Hanjour who are/were all Al Qada heavies (one is a 9/11 hijacker) all lived in Phoenix from 1990-1994.

When we see these things going on, plus the fact it's near a board that is so open it's not even a real border, plus the fact that Phoenix lost 60% of it's Homeland Security funds (more than any other major city) and it's a recipe for something big.

 

[Booko]

-The famous memo that the FBI had filed prior to 9/11 that warned of persons of interest taking flying lessons was actually called the Phoenix Memo and was filed by the Phoenix office. It stated..."Phoenix has observed an inordinate number of individuals of investigative interest who are attending...civil aviation...colleges in the State of Arizona.".

Oh yes! That one! Interestingly, we had the FBI crawling all over my old hometown after 9/11, and they're still keeping an eye on things. One of the universities has a big flight school there, and one or two of the 9/11 terrorists were there as well.

-The 9/11 report contained 59 references to terrorist activities in the Phoenix and mentions a classified CIA/FBI report called "Arizona: Long Range Nexus for Islamic Extremists.". The report is still classified and closed to the public.

Well, I can see why it would still be classified. I wonder though, with LA being a rather obvious target, if there isn't some connection there.

-A man,

Sisayehiticha Dinssa, was stopped in Detroit with $80,000 cash and a laptop that contained information about cyanide and nuclear plants and suit case bombs. He was heading to...Phoenix.

-Mubarak al Duri, Wadih El-Hage, Wael Hamza Jelaidan, Hani Hanjour who are/were all Al Qada heavies (one is a 9/11 hijacker) all lived in Phoenix from 1990-1994.

When we see these things going on, plus the fact it's near a board that is so open it's not even a real border, plus the fact that Phoenix lost 60% of it's Homeland Security funds (more than any other major city) and it's a recipe for something big.

It would certainly be enough to cause me to keep my eyes very open.

Hm...Phoenix is more populous than I thought. Yeah, anything with a population over 1 mil, it would be easier to keep a low profile and not get noticed.

 

[XAAX]

I said your comment was stupid, unless you actually think that would be the best course of action for the country at that time. oh wait. then it still would be stupid. How would that help anything?

by the way. that "moron" also graduated from Yale (with better grades than Kerry) and Harvard Business school.

Oh my God, He also got kicked out of the air gaurd, and had numerous failed buisness vertures that were heavily funded by the Bin Laden family...Yes Bin Laden, remeber the guy we are now looking for, but for some strange reason we can't find...more there than you obviously realize about Bush. Might try looking in Crawford Texas..

 

[Mathematician]

The first thing that should be done is mantain domestic obedience and civility. Riots would form all across the nation if ever there was a disaster that big, and Muslims (or even those presumed to be Muslim) would be the source of frustration. You would also have to quarantine the area and help move the millions of survivors to temporary health stations to make sure they don't further spread the radiation.

If it's proven that the Saudi and Iranian governments were involved, immediately push for the UN and NATO to assist with the US bombing the military bases and political outposts, as well as cut off all trade immediately. Chances are even France, Russia, and Germany would be more than willing to help, and within weeks riots would form in the two countries.

Of course the world economy would be shot no matter what.

 

[anders]

Very hypothetical. Long before any "terrorists" bother about Manhattan, it will be flooded because of global warming.

 

[silvermoon383]

If you want my opinion, read Tom Clancey's book Executive Orders.

 

[Booko]

The first thing that should be done is mantain domestic obedience and civility. Riots would form all across the nation if ever there was a disaster that big, and Muslims (or even those presumed to be Muslim) would be the source of frustration.

Good thought, Gene. I remember right after 9/11 2 school girls were attacked in the DC area. They were Baha'is, but were Persian looking, so sometimes that's all it takes.

I could well imagine how low people in Dearborn might have to keep their heads should anything like this happen, even if it weren't Muslims. Remember the first assumption about Oklahoma City? It was that Arabs had done it -- turned out to be a homegrown white boy. sheesh

You would also have to quarantine the area and help move the millions of survivors to temporary health stations to make sure they don't further spread the radiation.

That would be plenty of work on its own. We are even less set up to deal with a disaster or this sort than we were for Katrina, and we know how *that* turned out.

If it's proven that the Saudi and Iranian governments were involved, immediately push for the UN and NATO to assist with the US bombing the military bases and political outposts, as well as cut off all trade immediately. Chances are even France, Russia, and Germany would be more than willing to help, and within weeks riots would form in the two countries.

Of course the world economy would be shot no matter what.

Pretty much. Although I would say that in such an event, while we would be really smart to get allies on line, we should not wait for them if they get stupid and suggest that just sanctions are a viable option.

Remember, France and Russia and Germany are all very connected to those places with business. They don't want to see their assets get destroyed, and just might resist the idea of military action of any sort.

They didn't resist in Afghanistan, because there were no business interests. . I'm sure it was also because that was a far more clearcut situation, too, but that's probably not the only factor.

 

[Booko]

Very hypothetical. Long before any "terrorists" bother about Manhattan, it will be flooded because of global warming.

Hm, dunno about that. They bothered Manhattan twice before already. While I seriously doubt anything involving nukes, that doesn't mean there isn't some possibility of more bombings. The subway in NYC is no less a target than in London or Madrid.

I'd prefer we get our act together in terms of intelligence and good police work and prevent stuff from happening rather than have to deal with the aftermath. It seems far more effective anyway.

But you're right -- I wouldn't be investing in Manhattan real estate either.

 

[Fluffy]

If America is nuked by another country then wouldn't the response be nuclear as well? You can't keep a deterrent effective if you fail to use it.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

"Hypothetically, lets say agents from Iran and Saudi Arabia are able to detonate a suitcase nuke in Manhattan and kill 2 million people.

What should the U.S. do?"

INVEST IN SUNBLOCK.....!!!!!!!!!!!!


duuuurrrr....!!!!!

If you know the basics of a nuclear blast you should know that everything in a certain radius will be affected. If you're in that radius i don't think there is much you can do. YOU might want to pary to god..... I'm making me a turkey and mayo sandwich... Ohhh how I love may...

I digressed......

Then there's the fallout... over time that radiation can contaminate food supplies and water sources for miles and miles....

 

[ALifetimeToWaitFor....]

If America is nuked by another country then wouldn't the response be nuclear as well? You can't keep a deterrent effective if you fail to use it.

The nukes are really there to defeat large armies that pose a huge threat and to make sure countries like russia and china don't have an advantage. We would go in with an incredible, incredible amount of force and there would be a flood of people wanting to enlist and a draft most likely.

If you know the basics of a nuclear blast you should know that everything in a certain radius will be affected. If you're in that radius i don't think there is much you can do. YOU might want to pary to god..... I'm making me a turkey and mayo sandwich... Ohhh how I love may...

I digressed......

I believe the question was more about how the U.S. should respond...

 

[ChrisP]

I said your comment was stupid, unless you actually think that would be the best course of action for the country at that time. oh wait. then it still would be stupid. How would that help anything?

by the way. that "moron" also graduated from Yale (with better grades than Kerry) and Harvard Business school.

I don't think you're viewing this properly. This is not terrorism This is a war instigated by greed and funded by the greedy on every side.

 

[Ody]

I don't think you're viewing this properly. This is not terrorism This is a war instigated by greed and funded by the greedy on every side.

An article in the Egyptian state-owned newspaper al-Akhbar on February 3, 2002 stated:

All the evils that currently affect the world are the doings of Zionism. This is not surprising, because the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which were established by their wise men more than a century ago, are proceeding according to a meticulous and precise plan and time schedule, and they are proof that even though they are a minority, their goal is to rule the world and the entire human race."
​

 

[ChrisP]

Propaganda and the intentions of it's deseminators are never the same.

 

[Quoth The Raven]

I said your comment was stupid, unless you actually think that would be the best course of action for the country at that time. oh wait. then it still would be stupid. How would that help anything?

by the way. that "moron" also graduated from Yale (with better grades than Kerry) and Harvard Business school.

And yet he still can't pronounce nuclear correctly, nor apparently stop himself from making incomprehensible statements in public. What did he major in: Embarassing Sound Bytes?:sarcastic
An education doesn't automatically make you smart.

 

[ChrisP]

Come now Quoth... the panda told me that by Texas standards he's honour roll material.

 

[Booko]

If America is nuked by another country then wouldn't the response be nuclear as well? You can't keep a deterrent effective if you fail to use it.

We can have enough conventional force to reduce a nation to rubble. We don't need to use nukes that will spread radiation all over the place, even over into neighboring countries. "Measured response" is sufficient.

Not to mention the ... uh...<expletive deleted> storm that would come at us if we did such a thing. Can you imagine how the world would react if we nuked someone in response when there were other non-nuclear options?

Also, I would point out that the deterrent effect of our nuclear arsenal was effective during the Cold War, even though we didn't use it. Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) worked during the Cold War. Thankfully.

Of course, we were dealing with nation states that were not interested in martyrdom, so one could argut that MAD may not work against non-state actors.