What will be the American reaction to a nuclear strike on the US?

Originally posted by thermopolis
Based on how our nuclear weapons have been reorganized after SAC has been shutdown, America will not be capable of any return stike.

A single high altitude air burst of 100 MT over Kansas will close the doors on America.........

The only hope will be a sub commander with any guts, if there are any left.

America will go glowing into the night.........period

Dude, this is referring to a terrorist attack or a small-scale nuclear attack. We're talking a single nuclear strike of a yield of only 10 kts. Our ability to respond will be almost unblemished.

The Cold War ended 15 years ago. MAD is no longer a realistic possibility. Its time to move on, friend.

Originally posted by thermopolis
Based on how our nuclear weapons have been reorganized after SAC has been shutdown, America will not be capable of any return stike.

A single high altitude air burst of 100 MT over Kansas will close the doors on America.........

The only hope will be a sub commander with any guts, if there are any left.

America will go glowing into the night.........period

Is this true? I don't know anything about it, so if you could educate me, that would be great.
What is the reorganization of nuclear weapons which occurred?
Also I would have to assume that if it is a "terrorist" attack, that it would not be a high altitude burst. Perhaps on the upper floors of a skyscraper, but not a high altitude burst in the sense that you mean it. Now if it were a high altitude burst, it would pretty much have to be an ICBM, yes? Now the US would know exactly where it came from, and have her birds in the air before it even got here.

1. Shut down our borders and increase military presence in the streets

2. Park every nuclear sub we have off the Middle Eastern Coast and arm ICBM's.

3. Give 48 hours of warning to the world.

4. Level the capital and all major military installations of each country tied to the terror sponsorship with air, land and sea based missles.

5. Give an ultimadum that if this happens again, there will be no cause for pause.

China and Russia would undoubtedly unapprove but it is not their country that was nuked. They need to stand aside. Even if we lost Tiawan in the process.

The only wildcard is the use of WMD's prior to our response by another country for personal gain, such as Iran or NK or even Israel. The US would have to react, the only question is how severe would they react when this happens.

Originally posted by esdad71
3. Give 48 hours of warning to the world.

48 hours?! Wow, that's too long. I'd give an hour at the most.

5. Give an ultimadum that if this happens again, there will be no cause for pause.

Well, I say there's no way it could happen again. Because, we should vaporize the people who did this, therefore, making it impossible for those spicific people to do it again.

The US would have to react, the only question is how severe would they react when this happens.

I say a very strict, devistating, destructive response. It's a way to get who did this to us AND show off to the rest of the world what they'd have to deal with if they tried this very same thing, hopefully intimidating them and making us that much safer.

48 hours provides time to allow for a mass exodus of civilians. I would like to see a strike military installations within the first 24 hours. We did it before, and we will do it again. It ended one war, maybe it would end another.

Originally posted by esdad71
48 hours provides time to allow for a mass exodus of civilians. I would like to see a strike military installations within the first 24 hours. We did it before, and we will do it again. It ended one war, maybe it would end another.

I say you go in immediately and nuke military installations, like you said. Then proceed with the ground war to take out the regime. Then you GET OUT!!!! You DO NOT occupy. See, that's our problem when it comes to strategic planning of wars. I believe we're in Iraq for the oil, which would require a ground force, no I don't agree with it, but that was just an observation. BUT! clearly we're not too good at occupying a country. We know how to fly in, knock out all of the essentials to their military, and with Naval and ground forces, completely de-militarize them in a matter of a few days at most. We're really good at that. But what absolutely hurts us, and makes our military look weak or "stretched thin" is the occupying force. You go in, bomb it, overthrow the government, and get out. Allow the people to form a government that's about THEM and their rights and not elect people who will take advantage of them.

Reaction: alot of people extremely upset. Crying alot. Scared, for the ones who lived through it. Worried about any loved ones who were in the area. Hoping that the President will do something back to whoever was involved.

Originally posted by thermopolis
Based on how our nuclear weapons have been reorganized after SAC has been shutdown, America will not be capable of any return stike.

A single high altitude air burst of 100 MT over Kansas will close the doors on America.........

The only hope will be a sub commander with any guts, if there are any left.

America will go glowing into the night.........period

First of all, 100MT would hardly incapacitate all of America. I would feel for the people in Kansas and it's neighbors to the east who bear the fallout. The EMP would probably fry alot of electronics too, but incapacitate the whole of America? Um, no. Beyond that, how would anyone fly an ICBM into American airspace undetected? It would be tracked and we would know it's origin. Chances are it could be shot down prior to detonation. The country responsible would be vaporized within the hour; completely and unequivocably!

A more likely scenario is that terrorists would smuggle low-yield nuclear devices into the US and detonate them on psychological targets, as low-yield nukes wouldn't flatten an entire city. Detonating them on the Mall in Washington DC, or in the Sears Tower, or during the superbowl or world series - those would have high-terror psychological impacts in addition to collassal damage.

The reality is that the IAEA and the US have a pretty extensive database of the varying radioactive isotopes produced around the world. It would be short order before we would be able to determine the radioactive signature of the material used and trace that back to a specific country where it was produced. Once done - BOOOOOM - that country becomes one radioactive filled glass bowl for hundreds of thousands of years!

The reality is that you would be witnessing the beginning of WWIII! Most countries who have been sitting on the sidelines during the war on terror but have seen their own terror (think Spain, Russia) would have no choice but recognize that their number is likely to come up soon as well. This would be a stupid tactical move on the part of the terrorists - as their reign of terror would come to a pretty immediate end.

As for me and my family - I take my family to our "Vacation house" out in the middle of nowhere and use my survival training to keep us alive and secure. Mankind lives on.

all scenarios are possible like taking out all enemies & turning country in to glass.

HOWEVER What US will do if Nukes goes off within US itself? I mean a smuggled nuke inside us goes off then what? which country is going to be responsible? all of our enemies?

Can anyone say hi to the brand new conspiracy theory.

Hmm this must have been done by either Bush and the neo cons or Bigfoot.
Which one do you think.

Originally posted by kozmo
The EMP would probably fry alot of electronics too, but incapacitate the whole of America? Um, no.

A 100mt blast at an sufficient altitude would render all electronics in the whole continental U.S. dead . No if ans or buts....all rendered useless.

read about it here

I think that we would try to determine who or what nation was responsible for the attack. At the same time, I think that we would take care of our people to the best of our ability and start to rebuild our nation.

Then, I think that we would counter attack. If a nation(s) was found to be responsible, I think that it would be nuked out of existance. If it was say a group affilitated with Al-Quada then I think that there would be a number of areas in different countries including Saudi Arabia that would be utterly destroyed. The roots of the Wahabi(sp) areas would most likely be nuked.

In the face of an attack like this, I think that you would also see wholesale deportation of people from most of the Arabic countries that had not yet obtained their citizenship. I also think that the civilian poplulation of the US would react violently to anyone who is a muslim.

Let's all watch "Jericho" and find out how we're supposed to react.

Another thing is to let loose with EMP weapons over the affected country, and send them back to the stone age.

here's what would happen:

The spectacle would be carried on all news channels....

The President will come on air and state "We will find the perpetrators of this act of terrorism" or something to that effect...

The borders will be closed...for those wishing to gain entry, and those wishing to leave....

All people within the US that are suspected of anything that would go against the government will be arrested and held in camps...

The authorities will be given the power to take any means necessary against a suspected terrorist....with or without sufficient evidence...

We will invade another country, most likely Iran, and claim they are harboring terrorists....The general (unknowing) public will rally behind our leaders and believe everything they are told.....

Welcome to the new America....Land of the not-so-Free, Home of the Victims of Fear....

Me personally, I think it's going to happen soon.....

[edit on 21-9-2006 by JSquared]

A 100mt blast at an sufficient altitude would render all electronics in the whole continental U.S. dead . No if ans or buts....all rendered useless.

UNSHIELDED electronics, my friend. That means mostly civilian. EMP blast is not ultimate weapon it's relatively easy to shield against it (if you want).
Also there was NEVER 100mt weapon. Tzar bomb had 50mt and it weighted tens of tons (i don't know the exact figure). It was so large that it couldn't even fit to aircraft properly. Todays ICBMs can carry app 1000-1500 kg payload - that's definitely not enough for such weapon. Considering the fact that the bomb would need to detonate high in ionosphere you'll need not only bomb but also kick ass space programme (shuttle can carry only 30 tons payloadon low orbit for example)/

Originally posted by JSquared
The President will come on air and state "We will find the perpetrators of this act of terrorism" or something to that effect...

Oh, something new? I was thinking like.. "We will find those responsible for these cowardly acts and bring them to justice" Ya know? Something we've only heard like 438271 times

yea instead of nucers (nuke) the us should engage in massive yeild EMP Weapons. I mean three of those on iran, in massive form should do very big damage. Also why dont we creat a space missle launcher. I mean it would probably work and we can target any place on earth in space.

You said it yourself...a myriad of situations.

Our response would be different in each of them.

If unknowns are responsible, you'd likely see a serious SLAM on the borders and security that makes Jerusalem look sloppy.....

If a known group, you'd see an instant conventional attack on every camp, every leader, and every ragamuffin member seen.

If a nation (and that is extremely unlikely), a conventional attack and quick takeover (making Iraq look like the tip-toeing it was).

Unless the attacker is a major nuclear power, I seriously doubt you'll see us retaliate with nukes. Even tactical nukes are a weapon of last resort. Simply too much chance of irradiating the neighbors...and that is not the goal of course.

You're all assuming that Bush survives. What if the last takes him out, but Cheney is now the president. Then, my friends, it's a different ball game. All the possible sourcs of the bomb glow in the night. A massive retaliatory strike at ANYONE who could have done this to us, and who might consider it in the future if we don't respond with such force that the ancestors of our current enemies feel the pain.