4.9 "Earthquake" Nuclear Bomb North Korea

[TLRMADE]

4.9 earthquake detected in North Korea....they said the last time they tested a nuclear bomb it registered as a 4.2 magnitude! They're testing bombs! Get ready!!!

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/11/earthquake-detected-in-north-korea-usgs-says/

[StPatrick]

Multiple confirmations late last night / early this evening.  Coordinates of the epicenter match a previous test site.  Approximate yield 20 megatons, so equivalent to Fat Man.  I saw an earlier report (Drudge? can't remember) that said the Norks had given advance warning to several countries, allegedly including the U.S., early Monday.

 

The UN Security Council will be issuing a strongly-worded letter shortly, I'm sure.

[peejman]

So they're nuking themselves?  Um... I'm good with that.

 

 

 

The UN Security Council will be issuing a strongly-worded letter shortly, I'm sure.

 

 

That and $1 will get you a cup of coffee. 

[Mike.357]

so is the US supposed to sit and wait until they actually successfuly launch a nuke our way?

[peejman]

so is the US supposed to sit and wait until they actually successfuly launch a nuke our way?

 

 

Let them continue to waste their time and money building it and when they do finally launch one, shoot it down.

[Jonnin]

Its like a kid with a box of firecrackers lol.   We should just give them a wad of the good stuff and see if they are stupid enough to test it underground.  OOO a 23.7 quake.... derp.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Jonnin

[GlockSpock]

I've always wondered...how exactly does one test a nuclear device underground?

Also...what does testing a nuclear device underground do to the water supply?

[JayC]

It's not the nuke that hits us that I'm worried about...  It's the nuke that detonates 200-300 miles above us that scares me.

 

You need a pretty good space program to re-enter a satellite so that it comes down over a specific populated area, something the Norks are decades from having...

 

You don't need much technology to place a nuke in orbit and set it off somewhere over the Central US...  EMP is a much bigger threat than a FatMan sized nuke going off perfectly at the center of a major city.

 

so is the US supposed to sit and wait until they actually successfuly launch a nuke our way?

 

[peejman]

I've always wondered...how exactly does one test a nuclear device underground?

Also...what does testing a nuclear device underground do to the water supply?

 

Step 1: Dig a really deep hole.

Step 2: Put bomb in the hole.

Step 3: Fill hole back in

Step 4: Detonate bomb.

 

In theory, you've checked the water table before digging the hole and determined that it's much deeper than the hole you need so it doesn't get contaminated.  Also in theory, the blast is contained and doesn't release radioactive material into the air.  I'm sure the North is highly aware of these things and took the appropriate safety measures....

[Jonnin]

It's not the nuke that hits us that I'm worried about...  It's the nuke that detonates 200-300 miles above us that scares me.

 

You need a pretty good space program to re-enter a satellite so that it comes down over a specific populated area, something the Norks are decades from having...

 

You don't need much technology to place a nuke in orbit and set it off somewhere over the Central US...  EMP is a much bigger threat than a FatMan sized nuke going off perfectly at the center of a major city.

 

Yes and no. 

Blowing away a city with the loss of life of say around 1 million would be a big, big, big deal.   The actual damage to the USA in the "grand scheme" would be minor, but the impact on society and the world and more would be beyond comprehension.  

 

EMP just does not carry that far, I think the bomb has to be over the target city +- some radius but one fatboy sized nuke over iowa or something isnt going to take out the lights in TN and NY and LA all at one go.   Also --- emp is not too hard to make without a nuke, though a city-sized blast takes a bomb the real danger is hitting a critical system with a small localized pulse.   And, there are defenses against emp for truly critical systems.

 

I think loss of life would have a greater impact at this time due to the psychology of the average US citizen.

 

I think NK could land a nuke somewhere in the USA (its a big target) without a lot more tech than they have.  I doubt they could hit DC or NY or anything on purpose, but it does not matter at this stage in the game.  If they can land one *anywhere*, even the middle of nowhere, the result would be .... war, chaos, and a whole lot of things happening across the world.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Jonnin

[Erik88]

EMP scares the sh*t of me personally. I'm curious to know how far we are willing to let North Korea go before we act.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

With the current president, I wouldn't trust him to allow the shot to be fired to take down the missile. It could make it easier

for him to continue his fundamental transformation of this once great nation. I hope an order like that wouldn't have to

come from him.

[GKar]

If the NKorean device was the equivalent to Fat Man, it would be approx 20 KILOton. 20 megaton would put their device right up there with thermonuclear capabilities...perish the thought.

[Jonnin]

EMP scares the sh*t of me personally. I'm curious to know how far we are willing to let North Korea go before we act.

 

Would you have us declare war with "they have weapons" as our justification to the rest of the world?  If not, what action would you have us take?  We are unwilling to play to win, so it is not in our interest to get into any war at all.  And this would be a much bigger fight than against a third world military.   Worse, it would prove the leader for life "correct" in his assertation that  the USA is a threat and agressor, and all that goes with the bad press, if we attack first.

 

EMP IS scary.  I just feel that a hole where a city used to be would be a bigger deal to the average citizen and the UN etc.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

If the NKorean device was the equivalent to Fat Man, it would be approx 20 KILOton. 20 megaton would put their device right up there with thermonuclear capabilities...perish the thought.

And a device that size, even for the North Koreans is probably undeliverable unless they had some serious help from their silent

partners next door, or maybe Russia, which I doubt.

[Wingshooter]

With the current president, I wouldn't trust him to allow the shot to be fired to take down the missile. It could make it easier
for him to continue his fundamental transformation of this once great nation. I hope an order like that wouldn't have to
come from him.

I don't trust him to care anymore about the Americans here than he did about the Americans in Bengazi. He's a "Never let a good crisis go to waste" kind of guy

[Erik88]

Would you have us declare war with "they have weapons" as our justification to the rest of the world?  If not, what action would you have us take?  We are unwilling to play to win, so it is not in our interest to get into any war at all.  And this would be a much bigger fight than against a third world military.   Worse, it would prove the leader for life "correct" in his assertation that  the USA is a threat and agressor, and all that goes with the bad press, if we attack first.

 

EMP IS scary.  I just feel that a hole where a city used to be would be a bigger deal to the average citizen and the UN etc.

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying I hope we don't wait until they lauch a nuke to react.

 

 

Speaking of which, do we currently have the means to shoot down nukes over the US?

[gjohnsoniv]

I've sat through missile defense seminar and honestly I don't think the N. Koreans could get a missile close enough. They already have enough trouble getting one to launch much less get here.

[Jonnin]

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying I hope we don't wait until they lauch a nuke to react.

 

 

Speaking of which, do we currently have the means to shoot down nukes over the US?

I do not think that question is "allowed" to be answered outside of the idiotic obvious answers.  I mean, its public domain that we have a variety of anti-missile-missiles --- but that is like saying we have airplanes and submarines.  Actual capability .... is not discussed.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That's a big maybe, Erik88. The technology exists, but as far as it's total reliability and the hardware capability, it's been

being worked on for decades, but I doubt it. A multiple launch of nukes would see a few get through. Depends on what's

coming and where it's headed. I don't keep up with that stuff, but a space detonation would be real hard to deal with.

[Wingshooter]

I've sat through missile defense seminar and honestly I don't think the N. Koreans could get a missile close enough. They already have enough trouble getting one to launch much less get here.

I hope they're not good poker players

[gjohnsoniv]

I hope they're not good poker players

 

 

I hope they're not good poker players

They're the ones who always say they have the best hand but you can clearly tell they have no clue what's happening.

[mcurrier]

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying I hope we don't wait until they lauch a nuke to react.

 

"React" to what?  'We' didn't "react" to anything in Benghazi, why would we react to Kalifornia getting nuked?  0bama would just apologize to N. Korea.  Some may think I am being extremely sarcastic, but...we will see...

[Guest ThePunisher]

A few nukes from NK hitting the US would be icing on the cake for the commie in fundamentally transforming America.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying I hope we don't wait until they lauch a nuke to react.

 

 

Speaking of which, do we currently have the means to shoot down nukes over the US?

Have you read "Bear and the Dragon", by Clancy? It gives an idea about taking out nuke sites in China. Actually, he mentioned

it in "Debt of Honor", also. Military pain in the ass is what I got out of it. Otherwise something has to be launched and shot down

in re-entry, which he mentioned in his books. I know that is a possible shady way to ascertain info, but Clancy is probably more

close than most sources would ever admit.

 

I'm not up on the EMP thing, and don't know how much of a blast and where it takes place to guess on any of that, so I'll only say

I ain't too happy about that, either, Erik88. But I do know if all of my electronics, including my cars get trashed because of one, I

will be pissed off.