An EMP attack on America seems likely
An EMP attack on America seems likely, Dan Miller’s Blog, April 19, 2015
(The views expressed in this article are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of Warsclerotic or any of its other editors. — DM)
Some consider North Korea to be the rogue nation most likely to use an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) to attack America; Iran is also seen as quite likely to do it. It matters little which succeeds.
Here is a lengthy 2013 video about an EMP attack, what would happen and why:
The possibilities and consequences of an EMP attack on America are too horrific to contemplate; the “legitimate news media” generally ignore them. We therefore tend to relegate them to the realm of remote “tin foil hat conspiracy theories” and to focus instead on more congenial stuff — the latest sex scandal, Hillary Clinton’s campaign van parking in a disabled-only space and other matters unlikely to impact America to an extent even approaching that of an EMP attack. Meanwhile, most of “our” Congress Critters, who should know better, focus on opinion polls, filling their campaign coffers and getting richer personally while neglecting our atrophying missile defense systems and other potential means of avoiding or recovering from an EMP attack.
Here is a 2013 video about the likelihood of an Iranian EMP attack on America that would paralyze the country for a very long time.
North Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran have long cooperated in the development of nukes and means to deliver them. I wrote about their cooperation here, here, here and elsewhere. It now appears that Iran intends to use them for an EMP attack on America.
The issue of a nuclear EMP attack was raised in the final hours of this week’s elections in Israel when U.S. authority Peter Vincent Pry penned a column for Arutz Sheva warning of Iran’s threat to free nations.
“Iranian military documents describe such a scenario — including a recently translated Iranian military textbook that endorses nuclear EMP attack against the United States,” he wrote. [Emphasis added.]
Here is a March 7, 2015 video about the impact of the P5+1 “negotiations” on Iran getting (or keeping) nukes and the likelihood of an Iranian EMP attack on America:
In April of this year, John Bolton had this to say about the Iran – North Korea connection, how much we don’t know and the ongoing P5+1 “negotiations.”
Perhaps Israel can take out Iran’s nuke capabilities.
Here is a February 2015 video about what’s (not) being done to harden our domestic power grid:
As of February of this year, Govtrack US opined that the chances of passage of the SHIELD act were zero percent. Be that as it may, simply hardening the power grid would not solve communications or transport problems — most modern communications devices, as well as vehicles built after 1987, depend on computer chips and, when the chips are fried, will not function. Even if food and water could be processed, getting them to consumers in sufficient quantities to keep them alive would be an enormous if not impossible task.
Problems of a human nature would also arise and remaining alive would be difficult. If one’s family were about to starve, how many would try to steal food and water from those who still have even enough for a few days? How many roving gangs of armed criminals, quite willing to kill, would do the same? The police would likely have no communications ability and might well be otherwise occupied, tending to their own families. Military forces not confined to base would likely have the same problems and be doing the same.
That suggests another problem in restoring infrastructure seriously damaged or destroyed by the EMP attack. It would not only require the availability of transport, communications and undamaged equipment. It would also require the availability of personnel, not otherwise occupied in scrounging for food, water, medical supplies and other resources to care for their own families, while protecting them from those lacking such resources, as well as from armed gangs.
Now, the U.S. military is taking steps to protect itself by reopening a cold war bunker at Cheyenne Mountain, abandoned in 2006.
Cheyene Mt. Complex
The Pentagon last week [early April 2015] announced a $700 million contract with Raytheon Corporation to oversee the work for North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command.
Admiral William Gortney, head of NORAD and Northern Command, said that ‘because of the very nature of the way that Cheyenne Mountain’s built, it’s EMP-hardened.’
. . . .
‘And so, there’s a lot of movement to put capability into Cheyenne Mountain and to be able to communicate in there,’ Gortney told reporters.
‘My primary concern was… are we going to have the space inside the mountain for everybody who wants to move in there, and I’m not at liberty to discuss who’s moving in there,‘ he said. [Emphasis added.]
The Cheyenne mountain bunker is a half-acre cavern carved into a mountain in the 1960s that was designed to withstand a Soviet nuclear attack. From inside the massive complex, airmen were poised to send warnings that could trigger the launch of nuclear missiles.
But in 2006, officials decided to move the headquarters of NORAD and US Northern Command from Cheyenne to Petersen Air Force base in Colorado Springs. The Cheyenne bunker was designated as an alternative command center if needed.
Now the Pentagon is looking at shifting communications gear to the Cheyenne bunker, officials said.
‘A lot of the back office communications is being moved there,’ said one defense official.
Officials said the military’s dependence on computer networks and digital communications makes it much more vulnerable to an electromagnetic pulse, which can occur naturally or result from a high-altitude nuclear explosion.
Under the 10-year contract, Raytheon is supposed to deliver ‘sustainment’ services to help the military perform ‘accurate, timely and unambiguous warning and attack assessment of air, missile and space threats’ at the Cheyenne and Petersen bases.
Raytheon’s contract also involves unspecified work at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
When will the site be fully operational, for what and who will be allowed to go there?
Some other military bases are probably being hardened, at least to an extent that might (or might not) preserve their electrical grids. If it works, they may serve as refugee centers for adjacent civilian populations. However, the military installations would likely run out of food and potable water before very long and, with food and water processing centers no longer operational, there would be substantial difficulties in getting — as well as transporting — large quantities of food and water. Were the processing centers to become operational, transportaion difficulties would remain. Communications between the military installations and the outside world? Likely zilch, at least initially, because radios, telephones and other modern communications devices (as most now are) depend on computer chips and would be fried by an EMP attack. Some might eventually be restored at some military bases, but that is not likely to be the case with those not on those bases.
Conclusions
What would you do in the event of an EMP attack? In a major metropolitan area, you would probably be SOL very quickly. In a small town? Marginally but not much better off. An isolated small farm, close to a mountain spring and adequately stocked with food, medical supplies, firearms and ammunition, could provide reason to hope that you might eventually be able to grow or slaughter sufficient food and have access to enough potable water to survive; at least until roving armed gangs arrive and overpower you.
This video is about a massive world-wide pandemic. In the event of a pandemic, electricity, automobiles and communications would still function, at least for a while. Following an EMP attack, the consequences would likely be substantially worse and last far longer.
Here is a link to a novel about one family in a small city and its efforts to survive an EMP attack on America. It does a reasonable job of summarizing the potential consequences.
Explore posts in the same categories: Congressional Critters, Department of Defense, Diplomacy, Domestic policy, EMP attack, Foreign policy, IAEA, Iran, Iran scam, Iranian EMPs, Iranian missiles, Iranian nukes, Israel, North Korean missiles, North Korean nukes, Obama, P5+1, Rogue nations, U.S. Congress, U.S. Military, Urban areasTags: Congress Critters, Department of Defense, Domestic policy, EMP attack, Foreign Policy, IAEA, Iran, Iran Scam, Iranian EMPs, Iranian missiles, Iranian nukes, Israel, North Korean missiles, North Korean nukes, Rogue nations, U.S. Congress, U.S. military, Urban areas
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WarSclerotic 
April 19, 2015 at 7:55 PM
If only the post limited itself to EMP, then there existed the possibility something of interest might have been written. But No, EMP was just the hook. What then came forth was more loopy drivel, another example of “Let’s throw all the shit we can at ’em and hope something sticks.”
“legitimate news media” [quotes yours] – go back to Journalism 0.01. Look up the nearest junior college, enroll, see what sticks.
April 20, 2015 at 1:10 PM
Give me a break, IF Iran or N Korea launched such and attack it would instantly be picked up by NORAD and blown out of the sky!
Also let’s not forget US ballistic submarines; any country stupid enough to try such a stunt would be instantly vaporized. NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!!!!!
It’s much more likely a terrorist attack with a suitcase nuke would be tried, much harder to trace source. An EMP requires an high altitude explosion, something a terrorist could not pull off.
April 20, 2015 at 1:11 PM
Thanks for playing….
April 20, 2015 at 2:57 PM
FALSE !
“EMP: A Terrorist’s Dream” – 1 minute – 24 second VIDEO
April 20, 2015 at 4:59 PM
Give me a break, do you really think a phone call would be all that would be done. Don’t be a fool! You have NO idea what US military capabilities are. Do believe every thing you read and every video you see.
April 20, 2015 at 6:52 PM
After the Saudi led attack of 9-11-2001 the US attacked Afghanistan & Iraq. If there were to be an Iranian attack against the US I could imagine and invasion of Mexico & Canada and an endless rain of US dollars over Tehran. (And Fox-Sky-News would find some way to blame Israel http://tinyurl.com/9u9mqc9 )
April 20, 2015 at 7:19 PM
Just as an example of the drivel that falls on this site.
“After the Saudi led attack of 9-11-2001” It was Al Qaeda that led the attack, some of whoms operatives were Saudi citizens. This is a far cry from a Saudi led attack
On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.
April 20, 2015 at 8:17 PM
From an article published back in 2007…
Certainly would have changed things today had he done so. Besides, a lot of US soldiers might not have died in vain given all the bullshit that followed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran and ISIS.
April 20, 2015 at 8:50 PM
Copy & Pasting WIKI or White House releases hardly qualifies as journalism or critical thinking. Remember “The White House should be called the ‘White Tent.”? http://tinyurl.com/24sjdx4 (2002-Daniel Pipes)
What about this recent one: FBI accused of whitewashing Saudi Arabian involvement in 9/11 http://tinyurl.com/l6znceg
Andrew Napolitano: The Saudi Arabian Government’s Involvement In 9/11 Finally Revealed; FBI, Bush and Obama All Covered It Up http://tinyurl.com/pzeweat
I hope you don’t unflinchingly accept the White House or Mainstream Media’s version of events in my country, Israel.
April 21, 2015 at 1:10 AM
Skipster, what was said about American and its position visa vie the rest of the world both militarily and economically is fact. No form of wishing otherwise will change that.
April 21, 2015 at 1:13 AM
Skipolator, if you really think the Saudis led the attack on the World Trade Center, well what can I say…..
April 21, 2015 at 1:22 AM
“I hope you don’t unflinchingly accept the White House or Mainstream Media’s version of events in my country, Israel.”
Always been a big fan of Israel and for a long time Netanyahu. Still a big fan of Israel, but Netanyahu, not so much. With Netanyahu too much posturing and not enough action putting Israel in a very dangerous position.
April 20, 2015 at 2:59 PM
We may have to preEMPt.
April 20, 2015 at 4:17 PM
Let,s start with iran not getting a nuke.
April 20, 2015 at 3:13 PM
Remember, no good deed goes unpunished. Besides… America can’t even get it through its head that it needs to protect itself, to harden it’s electrical infrastructure. If Iran doesn’t EMP us, the Sun will eventually do it anyway. The whole electrical system could be hardened for a pittance, compared to the cost of failure to prepare. Maybe it will take a partially successful Iranian EMP attack to wake everyone up to the danger.
April 20, 2015 at 5:03 PM
GOOD GRIEF, Iran is a 7th class military punk. The US is the greatest military power this world has ever seen by a light year. Let’s get real!
April 20, 2015 at 5:09 PM
Good point JP. I suspect Russia is a 2nd class military punk and without it’s nuclear arsenal, it would be nothing more than a formidable tank force. Of course, I could be oversimplifying here.
April 20, 2015 at 6:13 PM
Still Indispensable
“In a recent speech at West Point, Obama made a strong case that the United States still stands firmly atop the global pecking order. The U.S. military has no peer, our economy remains the largest in the world, new drilling technologies make the long-sought goal of U.S. energy independence suddenly plausible, and, as Obama noted, from Europe to Asia “we are the hub of alliances unrivaled in the history of nations.”
“So the United States is and remains the one indispensable nation,” Obama said, resurrecting a description of American power coined by the Clinton administration in the unipolar moment of the post-Cold War 1990s. “That has been true for the century past, and it will be true for the century to come.”
In arguing that rumors of American decline are in some cases greatly exaggerated, Obama has a point. In his recent book, “Still Ours to Lead: America, Rising Powers, and the Tension between Rivalry and Restraint,” author Bruce Jones notes that of the top 20 economies the world, 15 of those countries are U.S. allies. Equally important, the potentially challenging powers often referred to as the “BRICs,” (Brazil, Russia, India and China) face a dilemma as they attempt to elbow their way into more prominent positions in international affairs: their economic ascent and well-being is dependent on a stable world order underwritten by U.S. power. Thus they cannot successfully challenge U.S. leadership without undermining their own interests.
“I think the Obama administration is right to play the long game, recognizing that when it comes to managing the challenging ascent of the BRIC countries, even the most powerful country in the world must make tough choices in terms of when to lead, and where to focus its resources and energies,” Jones, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said in an interview. “It’s important to note, however, that in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the only effective deterrence to regional rivalries and conflicts is still U.S. military power, and the willingness to use it.”
STRATEGY, STRATEGY & POLICY
The New Great Power Triangle Tilt: China, Russia Vs. U.S.
By JAMES KITFIELD
on June 19, 2014 at 11:46 AM
April 20, 2015 at 6:22 PM
For all of you who are throwing up stupidity on this sight, try reading a little.
April 20, 2015 at 6:47 PM
It would defiantly make for a more intellectual discourse.
April 21, 2015 at 8:24 AM
like this
http://www.futurescience.com/emp.html
April 20, 2015 at 6:45 PM
Well actually, it is quite easy to launch from offshore the US mainland and air defences wouldn’t have a chance to intercept.
Former Director of Central Intelligence, R. James Woolsey agrees.
The Imminent EMP Threat to America http://tinyurl.com/mzsayo3
If the American government wanted to protect their citizens they wouldn’t continue to train Iranian nuclear engineers at US universities.
April 20, 2015 at 7:27 PM
“Well actually, it is quite easy to launch from offshore the US mainland and air defences wouldn’t have a chance to intercept.”
REALLY! This simply proves your clueless. Any vessel that approches the U.S. coastline is monitored very closely, the closer it approaches the tighter the monitoring. Rest assure trigger fingers are at the ready at these situations. Please stop, you’re just embarrassing youself.
April 21, 2015 at 9:44 AM
Like 911 ?
John there is always a possibility , not a big one but .
http://www.examiner.com/article/11-missing-planes-passenger-planes-missing-libya-spark-9-11-anniversary-fear
Or a nice big hot air balloon with a hilary campaign commercial on it .
April 21, 2015 at 12:59 PM
“John there is always a possibility , not a big one but.” True enough Joop, never say never….