Nuclear Capable Terrorists - How Would US/Others React to Detonation?

[cubby]

A recent article states that IS claims it will have a nuclear weapon, and have it smuggled into the US, by this time next year.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-Ne...4851432501713/

The article is certainly not great, as it was written by a journalist in captivity by the IS, so it's more propaganda than reality. However, if a terrorist organization actually detonated (or even just smuggled in but failed to detonate) a nuclear weapon within the US borders, what do you think our reaction would be? Should be?

[derpkitteh]

there would be a full scale invasion and ISIS would be completely decimated in all places but syria within a couple weeks.

war would probably be declared on syria if they wouldn't sign a truce and allow our forces to strike at ISIS within their borders, and depending how that goes, ISIS is either ground into a fine paste or things get a lot more heated as war is declared on syria.

[Reeve]

I think the kid gloves would come off and the US military would be a lot less concerned about civilian casualties. There's also some chance that there would be a more concerted effort to secure relatively insecure nuclear materials stockpiles. Possibly an invasion of countries that refuse to hand over certain nuclear materials.

I dunno if I'd agree with those things, but I definitely think the average US citizen would be ready to respond in force and not worry about civilians as much in that scenario.

[theostrichsays]

Who is the president in our hypothetical?
That alone could a big difference between accidently launching a retaliation nuke at Russia or a joint operation with the UN in the middle East.

[GennGreymane]

Yeah basically they would be wiped out in days. It becomes beyond a regional threat when nukes are involved and there is greater will power world wide in many countries to prevent nukes from being used.

[Rhine101]

If they have a nuke?
-We will send in a seal team to extract it and slay all involved. We would also track where they got it and take that op out too.

If they detonate in the US?
-Die. Provide cleanup to the area and treat victims. Bump up the Patriot act and National security to the point beyond all reason. Go to war with the group involved.


Dealing with terrorists sucks. You can't just bomb a country or have a treaty with terrorists. There really would not be much we can do AFTER a nuke is detonated in our borders. Glassing a country because if the acts of terrorists is a big no go.

[NuLogic]

Gotchu guys

[Gorgodeus]

Glassing a country because if the acts of terrorists is a big no go.

The residents of Nagasaki and Hiroshima would like a word with you. Simple fact is, civilian casualties don't mean a thing when it comes to using maximum force to defeat an enemy.

[Kryctos]

The whole middle east could become a glass crater and the US would say it was justified because the loss of life wouldve been greater if they invaded

[Kulanae]

It would not be pretty. The U.S. can be very indignant and righteous in its fury.

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." - Isoroku Yamamoto

[DEATHETERNAL]

Then America would actually fight a war instead of engage in such ridiculously self restrained policing activities as we have been in the current and previous administrations (assuming this happens when we have a new president who might have some backbone that is).

[Hooked]

I think it depends on who we have as president.

[Stormdash]

I've actually been thinking of this scenario, except with the terrorist attack being in Israel. I think the present administration would spend a lot of time publicly speculating about the possibility of an Israeli nuclear accident as the cause, waffle and investigate and waffle some more, and then do nothing.

An attack in the US directly? I still suspect it would involve (under the current administration or a like-minded one) going to the UN hat-in-hand for "permission" to do something about it.

[Rhine101]

The residents of Nagasaki and Hiroshima would like a word with you. Simple fact is, civilian casualties don't mean a thing when it comes to using maximum force to defeat an enemy.

I am talking about now. True or false. We have all done some shit in the past that would be condemned today? While I served, we were no longer allowed to shoot white phosphorus on people. Just because we nuked a place in teh past does not mean it is still okay today.

If we were to glass a country TODAY due to the acts of terrorists residing within, the entire world would have a shitfit and mobilize against the US. Even US citizens would appose this.

[DEATHETERNAL]

If we were to glass a country TODAY due to the acts of terrorists residing within, the entire world would have a shitfit and mobilize against the US. Even US citizens would appose this.

Oh come on... The entire world isn't going to commit suicide by striking America unless America starts declaring war on nation after nation with clear intent to continuously conquer.

[Rhine101]

Then America would actually fight a war instead of engage in such ridiculously self restrained policing activities as we have been in the current and previous administrations (assuming this happens when we have a new president who might have some backbone that is).

Agree here. People have no idea how restrictive the rules of engagement are for US soldiers. I have seen people detained after emptying a several magazines at my friends. When they run out of ammo they just drop their AK's and toss up their hands. We no longer can shoot at them at that point. And then we must actually gather evidence and testimony for their trial. There is a very good chance that the person involved will be set free and be fighting us again and there is not much we can do about it.

My commander once explained that our battalion alone had the firepower to completely destroy the city we were operating in. Yet everything we did the first and foremost concern was mitigating collateral damage.

I'll translate for those who do not understand.

When you are getting ambushed and dozens of people are shooting at you with AK's and RPG's. Your commander would deny your A=10 support. The Apache pilots would not be able to shoot at the guy shooting at them until someone on the ground witnesses this too, Mortars would be denied because of the impact radius, and the commander would watch a drone in the air of the people trying to kill you and consider what he can approve that will do the least amount of damage to the area.


And yes. There was an apache gunship in Afghanistan getting shot at and they could not shoot back because you need a minimum of two separate forms of positive ID before they can engage.

And peopel think we are just there blowing shit up and killing innocents left and right.

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Oh come on... The entire world isn't going to commit suicide by striking America unless America starts declaring war on nation after nation with clear intent to continuously conquer.

If America bombed Iraq and decimated EVERYTHING. Hence the term "glassing a country", you mean to tell me the entire world would not be like "Holy shit America! Overkill much? I don't feel comfortable with you having nukes anymore."

I don't think you guys understood what I said. I will explain.

ISIS sets off a nuke in America. America nukes the fuck out of all of Iraq and kills every man woman and child and makes the entire country a mirror. You think the world would be cool with that?

[Rumred]

Doesn't need to be the entire world.

Soon enough Dear Leader Eternal President Kim Jong Un will stand up and say "say no more!" and vow to end the oppression of America and its perverted capitalist interventionism. Through His strategic mind and His military cunning He'll single handedly topple the corrupt elite in the US that sees itself fit to judge other nations and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity and finally the western world will know democracy. True democracy. Mandated and regulated by the Dear Leader Himself.

I couldn't help but think of that video when you said that. North Korea would prob get the same reaction from the rest of the world.

[Surfd]

The residents of Nagasaki and Hiroshima would like a word with you. Simple fact is, civilian casualties don't mean a thing when it comes to using maximum force to defeat an enemy.

Simple fact is, No country in their right mind would EVER. EVER. seriously consider using nuclear missiles, period. Sure, terrorists or psycopaths might drop one somewhere, but even if they did, a nuclear retaliation would have about a 99.999% chance of never happening. Mutually Assured Destruction is not called that for shits and giggles. The first country to actually launch a nuke as an intentional act of warfare would cease being an independant entity within a matter of weeks as the rest of the planet came down on it like a ton of bricks. Either that or they better be prepared to start world war 3 and come out ruler of the world.

[DEATHETERNAL]

ISIS sets off a nuke in America. America nukes the fuck out of all of Iraq and kills every man woman and child and makes the entire country a mirror. You think the world would be cool with that?

Being okay with it and actually doing anything about it are two entirely different things. The world would not commit suicide by uniformally confronting America.

Soon enough Dear Leader Eternal President Kim Jong Un will stand up and say "say no more!" and vow to end the oppression of America and its perverted capitalist interventionism.

All Hail Glorious Leader!

[Rhine101]

Simple fact is, No country in their right mind would EVER. EVER. seriously consider using nuclear missiles, period. Sure, terrorists or psycopaths might drop one somewhere, but even if they did, a nuclear retaliation would have about a 99.999% chance of never happening. Mutually Assured Destruction is not called that for shits and giggles. The first country to actually launch a nuke as an intentional act of warfare would cease being an independant entity within a matter of weeks as the rest of the planet came down on it like a ton of bricks. Either that or they better be prepared to start world war 3 and come out ruler of the world.

Yup. This is all I was saying. Sure, we will retaliate. But it will be using drones and troops.

Stopping an organization from using nukes would yield the best result. We can deal with that. But reacting after a nuke? Not much we can do to be honest. Dealing with terrorists is not like dealing with a nation. If Iraq the nation used a nuke we can go to war and topple their government. If terrorists use it, we are still at square 1. They won. We will go back into the area and it will be Iraq 2.0. And when we leave someoen else will take their place.

The only thing we can do to have a real effect is going after whatever nation supplied the nuke. Having a nuke go off in the U.S. would be a win for terrorists. And of course politicians will use this as a bastion to get more Patriot act laws passed.

It would honestly end badly for us.

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Being okay with it and actually doing anything about it are two entirely different things. The world would not commit suicide by uniformally confronting America.

I think you over estimate the US forces. Yes, we have massive power in that regard. And yes we will give the world a run for their money. But if the world condemned us (which they will) what can we do? We can't survive isolated.

Now, I admit, they probably will not wage war on us. No one wants that. Even if they won they would be decimated beyond reason. The cost is too high. But let's assume they did mobilize against us. We have a good chance of losing.

Russia has a good Army. England too. Canada etc. If they all rose against us to take away our nukes, they can easily use Canada as a launch point and they would fuck us up. We would have no choice but to control Canada, secure Alaska and Hawaii, and hope to god Mexico is on our side. Cause if not we would be hurting rather bad with the combined force of the world against us.

But that is assuming they took that route,. Most likely they would stop all trade and sanction the shit out of us for a while.