How fast can the U.S. be destroyed by terrorists? This fast:
Put a nuclear suitcase bomb in the trunk of a car. Drive the car downtown and park it.
Do this with dozens of suitcase nukes, in dozens of other cars, in dozens of cities across the United States... Then give the order to detonate.
Within just a few minutes you could bring the United States to it's knees.
I hope we have some kind of plan to prevent this.
Keep a Close Eye on Your Neighbors
You know that foreign neighbor that moved in down the street last year? Truth is, he or she could be someone planted in the United States with the sole goal to set off a dirty bomb or nuclear suitcase bomb, in a coordinated attack with other terrorists in multiple cities across the nation.
According to world news reports, hundreds of suitcase nuclear weapons are reported to have been made in Cold War Russia, many of which are now on the black market and sought after by global humanitarians such as Al Qaeda.
Even before Al Qaeda, these suitcase nukes may have already been planted here --
At least if you ask former Soviet spy, Stanislav Lunev. You see, back in 2000 the one time military intelligence colonel and Soviet defector testified that his prior mission for the Soviets had been to find "dead drop sites," in the United States that could be used for hiding and / or storing communications devices and weapons. In fact, he said the following according to an article on CNN:
"I had very clear instruction: these dead drop positions need to be found for all types of weapons, including nuclear weapons." See World News: Former Soviet spy: Small nuclear devices planted in U.S.
Continued below...
Clearly not good news for the United States. Though what Lunev testified to really has no parameters - in that he could be speaking about any number of weapons - it sure does seem to point to the possibility of suitcase bombs and dirty bombs being planted in the United States, for later use by terrorists.
Picture a scene from War of the Worlds, with Tom Cruise and the rest of the metropolis running down the streets to escape distant explosions...
The bombs were here all along, buried in selected sites under our cities...
What is a suitcase bomb?
Back in 1997, the United States became aware of a nuclear weapon that they hadn't even known existed. This weapon, invented by the Soviet Union, was called a suitcase bomb. What's more, they learned that hundreds upon hundreds of them had been made ( and some people in the know believe that some were actually sold to Al Qaeda ).
How dangerous are these weapons?
Let's put it this way: one of the suitcase bombs the U.S. studied had an explosive charge of roughly one kiloton. That means that it had the explosive power of one thousand tons of TNT.
A suitcase bomb can come in sizes quite small ( 60 X 40 X 20 centimeters ) as well as quite large ( two footlockers ). Generally, the warhead is made of a tube with two pieces of uranium. A firing unit, sometimes in the suitcase, would need to be decoded to cause detonation.
In terms of power, a suitcase bomb could conceivably devastate a mile radius and more (depending on the size and power). Then, of course, there's the nuclear fallout that will be discussed to an extent later in this piece.
What is a dirty bomb?
A dirty bomb is not a nuclear bomb. Repeat: a dirty bomb is not a nuclear bomb. Actually, the term dirty bomb refers to a conventional explosive like dynamite laced with radioactive residue. When the bomb is set off, the residue is also.
Obviously, dirty bombs can come in sizes quite small or large also, depending on the purpose and means of those wanting to set it off. Generally, though, they are only made to wreak havoc within and even more frequently, far less.
Where do they get the radioactive waste? It can be found at medical facilities, food irradiation plants, and chemical and manufacturing plants, to name some.
How to survive a dirty bomb or suitcase bomb
When it comes to a dirty bomb, it's quite possible that the devastation wouldn't necessarily be as grand as some might have you believe. Generally, if you're a mile away from the explosion, you're probably fine ( or at least that's what John Zielinski, professor of military strategy and operations at the National War College in Washington, estimates according to an article at obsidianwings ). In fact, it's quite possible that, "you could be within a couple hundred yards of it, and if you are upwind, you might not have a problem at all," he says.
Of course, that doesn't help those close to the blast or standing downwind.
Though the impact from the explosive itself would likely be the most damaging aspect of a dirty bomb being set off, that's not to say that the radioactive material couldn't be damaging. Thus, people in the general area that weren't extremely close to the blast might want to do the following:
1) Get inside of a shelter.
2) Shut off your ventilation system to the greatest extent possible.
3) Take off your clothes, put them in a garbage bag, and wash yourself with soap.
4) Listen to the radio or television for emergency information.
5) Drink bottled water.
Now, if you were right next to the blast, you should:
1) Stay put ( taking shelter, of course ). According to Zielinski, "If the response is good, they are going to try to decontaminate folks closer in as opposed to those fleeing. Even if it takes an hour for authorities to respond, you are going to get better treatment there than going to a hospital."
2) Don't panic and cause a mass issue. Exposure, for most, probably won't be deadly.
We're talking mostly the same kind of thing for a suitcase bomb, really (though these are nuclear bombs, so the fallout risk is likely greater ). However, for both, it might be good to know what to expect if you've been contaminated by radioactive material and weren't, of course, killed by the explosion. This is what emergency personnel might do or recommend.
What to expect if you've been contaminated with radioactive material:
1. First, most radioactive material can simply be cleaned off of clothes and the body with soap and water. Bleaches and mild abrasives, however, might be used if that doesn't suffice.
2. If radioactive material was ingested, treatment will begin to reduce absorption. Such things as laxatives and aluminum antacids could conceivably be used.
3. Of course, open wounds and physical injuries will be dealt with and cleaned.
4. If radioactive material were to find its way into a person's vital organs, that would be dealt with through the use of diluting and blocking agents. One of the most popular of these is potassium iodide. In fact, some people out there have decided to have this on hand in case of such an attack in part because it has been shown to fight Radioactive Iodine ( I-131 ), a form of iodine that collects in the thyroid gland and may cause cancer.
In sum, the far majority of people severely hurt in the instance of a dirty or suitcase bomb explosion would be those devastated by the actual impact. However, those in the immediate vicinity would be at- risk for radiation exposure that could kill within days, weeks or years (via cancer ).
Thus, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Unfortunately, with the hatred of the U.S. growing internationally and the ever increasing threat of terrorism these days, an unfortunate incident like this is probable at some point. Therefore, knowledge may be the key to your survival.
DISCLAIMER - Please understand that this article is only meant to point readers in the right direction regarding such situations. Always consult with medical and emergency personnel immediately when available during such situations as they may have updated information and / or different directions for those exposed. This article does not take the place of that.
