How to Destroy the United States.....in a week or two

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: tonyb1968

You forgot to mention the fear factor that would ensue instantly throughout the country should such an attack happen, nevermind the logistical nightmare.

All hell would break loose, everybody's panic buttons would kick in. Citizens would be instructed to not leave their homes, martial law could be imposed until such a time that it can be determined that the terrorist attack is no longer a threat, army tanks rolling through the streets, curfews set into place, etc.

Stores, schools, airports, everything, would be shut down... for a day, two days, 10 days, who knows.

Imagine 4000 vans strategically placed throughout the country (important bridge connections, interstate hwys, city exit ramps, etc). They're blowing up simultaneously all over the country, anywhere and everywhere, during midday traffic, all at the same time on a Friday afternoon... and nobody knows who or what is behind it and whether or not there might be something worse to follow.

Terror is the name of the game. That's probably the more likely approach - do something that is going to cause panic.

Though why have every van go at the same time? The threat has come and gone in one moment. You want a threat that is always hanging over people, making them feel that no place is safe, no time is safe, no person is safe.

Pair a van and a car together. Van is the primary. Car is parked based on an assessment of most likely staging areas for first responders. Car goes up 20 minutes after the Van. First wave, multiple locations over multiple cities.

Randomly park vehicles in different locations where they won't stand out, not necessarily obvious targets but with local footfall. Have them go off at different times over the space of a few days or a week. Keep people wondering when and where. You're not safe just because you're away from the major landmarks. Have a few scattered across smaller population centers as well.

Have a few suicide bombers waiting until they're in the middle of rush-hour traffic. Perhaps have a few ready to slip into the traffic during any initial panicked exodus from the cities.

Every time people think the threat has finally passed, another walmart parking lot gets hit. For some of the places people have to go - hospitals, shops, etc - hit the same place again a day or two later if people are still using it. Again, no assumptions that anywhere is safe, lightning can strike twice.

Every car becomes a suspect, every vehicle has to be checked. Checkpoints are bottlenecks, another good location for a suicide bomber. You don't even need to get that close to the actual checkpoint, you just need to make people feel that sitting in the queue is enough to make them a target.

If you've got the money and resources for 4000 vans and explosives, and a group of people willing to die for their "cause", you can cause far more problems than just taking out a few bridges.

Realistically, however, I think that there is very little chance of a seriously planned and coordinated wide scale attack. One or two bombs, possibly, a few Mumbai-type gunmen, etc. You're sending the same message with less opportunity for it to be prevented, less coordination and resources needed.

a reply to: EvillerBob

Yes, a large scale attack like how I describe is highly unlikely... but certainly not impossible.

We should never underestimate our enemies.

I'm thinking an attack like that would have to be pretty much all at the same time because, within minutes, surely the military would be all over every van parked across the country ?


But the OP does have a valid point in terms of how easily unstable our society truly is. It really wouldn't take much to bring a country to a grinding halt... even if just for a short while. And that short while could have a nasty impact on an already very weak economy.

Have an enemy do that to you a few times here and there (small scale upheavals), and watch how quickly it chews away at the wallet of that country.

a reply to: EvillerBob

If you've got the money and resources for 4000 vans and explosives, and a group of people willing to die for their "cause", you can cause far more problems than just taking out a few bridges.

I think the point that the OP was making is that if you handicap enough main artery logistic thoroughfares, you can literally bring a country's internal operations to a stand still (or damn close to it).

Blowing up buildings is bad enough, but take out its economic functionality and you've got the makings of a third world country in short order.



In fact, now that I'm thinking of it... that's exactly what we do when we dole out sanctions to countries. We are literally cutting them off at the knees by way of the wallet. And the entire country (especially it's citizenry) suffer the most from it.

It's 'siege' style warfare.

It's a way to make your enemy leaders beg for mercy without risking a boots to the ground style invasion.

Sorry O.P., but the easiest way to destroy the United States is:

a) China and Eastern Europe dump their trillions in US Bond holdings.

b) Saudi Arabia dumps the Petro-Dollar in favour of some other currency.

The equation is thus: a + b = a complete and total collapse of the US economy.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: EvillerBob

Yes, a large scale attack like how I describe is highly unlikely... but certainly not impossible.

We should never underestimate our enemies.

Oh, I agree that it's not impossible, I just think that it is unlikely because it is a very difficult way to achieve aims that can be achieved in a much simpler fashion. It's also a shift in emphasis from attacking the country as an institution, to attacking the people directly. This is generally not the purpose of terrorism, it's usually more symbolic - unless you are making a statement that the institution cannot protect the people.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: EvillerBob

I think the point that the OP was making is that if you handicap enough main artery logistic thoroughfares, you can literally bring a country's internal operations to a stand still (or damn close to it).

Again, I would agree. I just think that the type and amount of damage needed to achieve that in a country with the size and resources of the US would take far more than a few thousand vans loaded with C4. It's a highly inefficient use of the resources.

originally posted by: Cynic
Sorry O.P., but the easiest way to destroy the United States is:

a) China and Eastern Europe dump their trillions in US Bond holdings.

b) Saudi Arabia dumps the Petro-Dollar in favour of some other currency.

The equation is thus: a + b = a complete and total collapse of the US economy.

This is far more practical! How likely, though, is another question, but neither action is outside of the realm of possibility.

a reply to: EvillerBob Been out another week or so. Just have tonight to say that some of you are beginning to comprehend the theory I originally put forth. With a few minor exceptions and examples for you to consider:
Once an attack such as this occurs--and it does NOT require thousands of vans--the U.S. Government would almost be forced to shut down most bridges while they are inspected and deemed safe to travel. This may take days to accomplish. Also, there would be no mobilization of the military as they get their fuel the same way everyone else does...trucks. In fact emergency response would be limited rather quickly due to the lack of fuel.
As a professional truck driver, I can tell you that the majority of truckers use the Interstates 10, 20, 30, 40, 70, and 80. These are all East and West routes. Interstates 5, 15, 25, 35, 55, 65, 75, 85, and 95 all run North to South and are the major ones.
The big 3 auto makers and other large companies now use JIT (Just In Time) trucking for the largest majority of their materials. Loads that are just an hour late may well shut down an assembly line all day. If raw materials cannot get into a plant, then finished goods cannot go out...therefore employees are not needed and sent home while the plant shuts down until materials can be shipped.
One case is Laredo, Tx. One of the busiest ports of entry into the United States. At any one given time 12000 trucks are delivering or picking up goods in Laredo. Every major carrier has a terminal there. I35/U.S.83 is the only MAJOR route north out of the area. Cut it, and all hell breaks loose rather quickly. The more minor routes out of the area could not support the influx of traffic.

a reply to: tonyb1968


Why not go the whole hog and poison the water supply with ricin just wait for the holiday period so that nobody is there working then take out the electricity