It's not a matter of "if", it's a matter of "when"

by DanTheMan 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  SixofNine

  I'm not so ready to give up on the "if" part yet. It is not a "given", it's a "could happen... heading that way".

  But this whole discussion is why I think it is so very important that Clark be our president. "If" we are going to avert this disaster, we need the absolute most brilliant, most determined, most dedicated person at the helm. Someone who really believes in the power of friendships with allies of common interest (which where terrorism is concerned, is most everyone, don't forget). Someone who understands what our military is good at, and what it isn't so good at, and why, and will use it accordingly. Someone who believes war is a last resort, not a preventative measure.

  And "if" it does happen, then we need someone like Clark who truly believes in governmental transparency and accountability and in respecting the things the country was built on at the helm to get us through the crisis, as opposed to people eager to seize any opportunity to cloak government in secrecy.
• 

  avishai

  If it's Al-Quaida or some such faction without a geographic boundary, then how could America even retaliate?

  Nuke Medina, and tell 'em Mecca is next. Remember, 15 out of the 19 al-queda terrorists were Saudi. Undefined, my butt!
• 

  Purple

  Hmmm scary thought.....if you look at Hiroshima it appears a fate that you would not wish on your worst enemy, not even the Borg! If it does happen it will mean the most powerful nation on the earth is even more vulnerable than was thought and that no country on earth would be safe. There would be no such thing as security.

  A more realistic liklihood is taking out the nations online life that controls absolutley everything. Taking out a nations IT would do more damage than a neuclear bomb. IT would cripple the nation financially, economically and everything else. Think about it. It would be more effective to strike IT than a nation and damage more powerful people that a bomb would. Do you think that a small nation would risk the full force of american military might retalitating in self defence? There would be no world left and the living would envy the dead indeed. No one is mad enough to prove the Borg correct are they??????????
• 

  JH

  Lets hope that terrorists don't have this.

  Arab Newspaper Says Al Qaeda Has Ukrainian Nukes

  Sun Feb 8,12:24 PM ET

  Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!

  CAIRO (Reuters) - A pan-Arab newspaper said Sunday that the al Qaeda organization led by Osama bin Laden ( news - web sites ) bought tactical nuclear weapons from Ukraine in 1998 and is storing them in safe places for possible use.

  There was no independent corroboration of the report, which appeared in the newspaper al-Hayat under an Islamabad dateline and cited sources close to al Qaeda, which the United States blames for the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

  The newspaper said al Qaeda bought the weapons in suitcases in a deal arranged when Ukrainian scientists visited the Afghan city of Kandahar in 1998. The city was then a stronghold of the Taliban movement, which was allied with al Qaeda.

  Al Qaeda would use the weapons only inside the United States or if the group faced a "crushing blow" which threatened its existence, such as the use of nuclear or chemical weapons against its fighters, the paper quoted its sources as saying.

  Ukraine inherited nuclear weapons from the Soviet Union but in 1994 it agreed to send 1,900 nuclear warheads to Russia and sign up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

  After the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, a former Russian National Security Adviser, Alexander Lebed, said that up to 100 portable suitcase-sized bombs were unaccounted for. Moscow has denied such weapons existed.

  Lebed said each one was equivalent to 1,000 tons of TNT and could kill as many as 100,000 people.

  Al-Hayat did not say how many weapons al Qaeda bought or say who exactly had provided them.

  A Pakistani government official said Secretary of State Colin Powell ( news - web sites ) was expected to visit Islamabad soon to discuss nuclear proliferation, after a top scientist there admitted passing atomic program secrets to third parties.

  The United States has repeatedly said its worst fear is that a group like al Qaeda might obtain access to weapons of mass destruction and use them against the American people.
• 

  undercover

  The United States has repeatedly said its worst fear is that a group like al Qaeda might obtain access to weapons of mass destruction and use them against the American people.

  Remember, this is coming from the same government that said Iraq had WMD.
• 

  stillajwexelder

  Easy - if proven beyond doubt it is North Korea or Iran etc. 1 ballistic missile submarine has 24 missiles each is MIRVED (Multiple Independentally Targetable Re-Entry vehicle) with 8 warheads -- 192 warheads -- North Korea would cease to exist -- a powerful message would be sent

  If it is Al Qaeda -- a massive push by all Allies and massed armed men /special forces into Afghanistan/Pakistan mountains and ANYWHERE where they are even suspected of being -- it will make the Normandy LANDINGS OF 1944 look like a day out at a barbeque by comparison --
• 

  avishai

  The United States has repeatedly said its worst fear is that a group like al Qaeda might obtain access to weapons of mass destruction and use them against the American people.

  Remember, this is coming from the same government that said Iraq had WMD.

  What do you call two 747s? Al Queda already HAVE used WMD's against the american people.
• 

  Dawn

  It's definately a possibility. It's also a possibility that a huge meteorite could strike the planet sometime in the next century and destroy all life.....or that some new disease/plague could spread killing all but a few survivors..........or that I could die in one of the many plane trips I take for work.

  If you live your life worrying about all the "what if's" you won't really get to live much will you? I think it's best to plan for the worst (ie: military preparation and homeland security measures) - but keep in mind that anything is possible and right now the world is beautiful - so enjoy it.
• 

  undercover

  What do you call two 747s? Al Queda already HAVE used WMD's against the american people.

  I call 747s or 767s(as used on the WTC) airplanes, designed and built for transportation. They were not designed as WMD, therefore they are not WMD, despite the fact that a terrorist group was able to gain control of them and use them against innocent people. They were not owned by the terrorists, they were hi-jacked. The fact that they resorted to this means of attack shows that they did NOT possess WMD at that time. If they did, they would have used them.

  I'm all for the military to go round up any terrorist outfit that has attacked or is trying to attack the US or any of its allies. I am not for over-reacting and believing every report that comes out of Washington regarding the strength of said groups and thinking that we are doomed to living in fear of being attacked.
• 

  Yerusalyim

  IF it happens, and it's a VERY DISTINCT possibility, the US might finally stop playing games and get serious about the War on Terror. Oh, and the economy of the entire world will tank, which would be part of the purpose for doing this.