Oh No!, Another EMP Thread...

I have read alot of the posts on this site about EMPs. Most of these threads go into the feasibility of building, and the use (delivery)of, such weapons...
Frankly I am bored with reading all about the technical side of EMPs.

Suppose that one could be detonated over an extremely large area (say, three - five e-bombs used to effect most of the US).
Also suppose that this was achieved without having been the after-effect(s) of a nuclear explosion(s).
(I'm just trying to avoid the moral/ethical implications associated with nukes by saying that).

What I am currently interested in is the consequences of such a weapon being brought to bear over the general population...

What are your thoughts on the ecomonical/social repercussions of such a thing happening?
Do you think it would be more or less like that tv show Dark Angel? (Without all those genetically engineered kids running around, of course).

Thanks for the input!

--Mods, please move this thread if you feel it is in the wrong place.--

It really depends on the power grid of the coutnry. I know that a lot of european countires have recently modernized their grids - especially france as since it relies on nuclear power, it has to be able to shed a lot of load if one of the plants goes *boom*. The US grid (as seen in the blackouts last november) isn't capable of shedding much load (ie dealing with excess power), so all transformers and substations would be wrecked. Likley, many power plants would go spin out of control as most aren't hardened. Vehicles, communications, basically anything that isn't hardened (Farady cages and such...) and that uses electricity will be fried. Socially, we're going to be isolated, alone, and afraid. We aren't used to dealing with *complete* darkness, which is what will happen at night. No refrigeration, no cars, no nufin'. People will panick, there will be riots, looting, and probably a lot of death - especially at hospitals and such. It's a scary thought.

Haven't seen the movie you're talking about - but if you can imagine a world without any electricity at all for several weeks if not months, then it's about right. And no ATS!

Originally posted by Assassin
What are your thoughts on the ecomonical/social repercussions of such a thing happening?

Western civilisation would go couple hundred years backward.