Today's Movie-Plot Threat: Electronic Pulses from Space
No. Really:
The United States is highly vulnerable to attack from electronic pulses caused by a nuclear blast in space, according to a new book on threats to U.S. security.
A single nuclear weapon carried by a ballistic missile and detonated a few hundred miles over the United States would cause “catastrophe for the nation” by damaging electricity-based networks and infrastructure, including computers and telecommunications, according to “War Footing: 10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World.”
“This is the single most serious national-security challenge and certainly the least known,” said Frank J. Gaffney Jr. of the Center for Security Policy, a former Pentagon official and lead author of the book, which includes contributions by 34 security and intelligence specialists.
The “single most serious national-security challenge.” Absolutely nothing more serious.
Sheesh.
Nik • November 23, 2005 8:03 AM
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists had a good myth-dispelling piece on this last month (“EMPty threat?”, http://www.thebulletin.org/past_issues/061_005.htm).
Subscribers only unfortunately (but I can thoroughly recommend subscribing!)