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An EMP attack could devastate the United States!

Michael Haltman's photo
Homeland Security Examiner

With the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks now history, the United States needs to address the potential for an electromagnetic pulse or EMP terror attack!

This article will look at the potential for millions of Americans to die in an attack that may initially kill no one!

Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) may be a terrorists weapon of choice that could kill millions without ever reaching the ground! Is this science fiction?

Imagine. US border security becomes so tight a terrorist wouldn't even think of trying to get himself in let alone trying to smuggle in a WMD as well.
 
Our missile defense systems, all aspects of surveillance and intelligence as well as every other aspect of national and homeland security have been honed to a point that the United States is impenetrable to outside threats.
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National and homeland security

Given the mentality and priorities of certain parts of our political system we already know that the above scenario of homeland security is highly unlikely.
 
The Obama administration has certainly not put a very high priority on national security and one could only imagine that this fact is going to remain in place.
 
Truth be told given the very size of our nation, monetary constraints and the freedoms we all enjoy to move about unfettered, airtight homeland security in the United Statesis really not possible.
 
That said, all of that may not matter in the event of an electromagnetic pulse attackor EMP!
 
And, rogue nations such as North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, etc. are well aware of this fact as are our "friends" such as the Chinese.
 
What is an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and what could the result of an attack on the United States from one be?

In simple terms an EMP attack results from an extremely high energy explosion (i.e. nuclear bomb or even solar storm) that would occur well above the earth resulting in changes to the electric and magnetic fields. There would be little or no death and/or destruction from the blast itself.

"As the bomb explodes it emits a powerful wave of gamma rays. As this energy release hits the upper atmosphere it creates a electrical disturbance know as theCompton Effect. The intensity is magnified. View it as a small pebble rolling down a slope, hitting a larger one, setting that in motion, until finally you have an avalanche.

At the speed of light this disturbance races to the earth surface. It is not something you can see or hear, in the same way you don’t feel the electrical disturbance in the atmosphere during a large solar storm.

For all electrical systems though, it is deadly…

... In far less than a milli second the entire power grid of the United States, and all that it supports will be destroyed…” (Source)

For a full and sobering look at the potential impact this weapon could have if deployed, please visit WorldNetDaily. 

Written by Michael Haltman, The Political Commentator

An EMP attack could result in the deaths of millions of Americans!
An EMP attack could result in the deaths of millions of Americans!
Photo credit: 
AP

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Michael Haltman writes The Political Commentator, with articles having been picked up by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Sun-Times and Houston Chronicle. He focuses much of his writing on national security, the war on terror, the presidency and politics as usual. Living in...

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