The Sum of All Fears

[EndtheMadnessNow]

20 years earlier...

DIRTY BOMBS AND BASEMENT NUKES: THE TERRORIST NUCLEAR THREAT (Mar 6, 2002) Chaired by Sen. Joe Biden.

[excerpt from Joe Biden]
I have long believed and felt--and have attempted to raise the alarm--about the risk of terrorism with weapons of mass destruction. September 11 introduced the possibility of terrorists prepared to give their lives in undertaking their activities. The ante is raised by that; we now face potentially more dangerous avenues of attack, such as the use of radiological weapons.

We had thought that extremely radioactive sources were "self-protecting.'' We had thought that no terrorist would use them because his own death was guaranteed by exposure to the radiation they emit. We now know that's not true. Today there's a new reality. Today we know that radiological and nuclear attacks on the United States are not only possible, but there are enough screwballs out there willing to risk or even give their lives to use them against the United States.

We know such attacks would be terribly devastating. And today we realize that there are those who would literally die to use them. If a dirty bomb were to be detonated in the center of Washington, or if a can of highly radioactive powder were emptied from a rooftop, it could kill dozens--it would not be the catastrophic event that many might think it would be, but it would have a catastrophic psychological effect on the United States. Even worse, it would so contaminate part of the city that we'd have to evacuate and perhaps demolish a number of buildings. The economic impact could be devastating.

...
Whether they've been successful is doubtful, but Time Magazine, this week, reported an alleged plot to bring a nuclear device into New York.

September 11 vividly showed us the kind of hatred we face, the kind of people who--were they to get their hands on such weapons--would have no hesitation to kill Americans. We have a new perspective--in many ways, a more realistic perspective.

We see the clear and present danger and we understand the threats that exist. We also understand that we must address these threats. Before we can successfully protect against them, we have to have a complete understanding of them. We have to know exactly what a terrorists can do with nuclear materials, from the simplest application to the most sophisticated.

Nothing in politics today is new. The only thing new is the history you don't know. But, hey don't worry I'm sure nothing will slip past our open southern border.


Speaking of radiation, I did not know about this one...

The Wisconsin Forest We Roasted with Radiation

In the mid-1960s, men in dark suits from the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) visited the folks at the Institute of Forest Genetics in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The AEC had an odd request: slow cook 1440 acres of gorgeous northern Wisconsin forest with 10,000 Curies of radiation for about six months.
On the surface this might seem a brutal request, but for a country knee-deep in the Cold War, knowing if our forests could withstand prolonged and intense radiation was useful information. Humanity-saving information.

The AEC’s request was tempting for the Institute. It included a comfortable stipend, the promise of continued employment, and the prestige of heading a landmark study. In the circles of US Forestry, the Rhinelander outfit would become rock stars, or the academic equivalent of rock stars.
The Institute agreed, and by 1967, the ball was rolling.

[kdog]

Makes you wonder about the PSA in NYC about what to do during a nuke attack.  

Ever seen the movie ? 



I have a feeling this is how it will play out.