Is there a one-kiloton nuclear bomb in your backyard?

P

Peter Dolan

Registered Senior Member
The March 2000 issue of the magazine "Reader's Digest" had an interesting article entitled "The Sword and the Shield" (pgs165-170). In that article were revelations by former Soviet military officials that during the "Cold War" the Soviets had produced 132 suitcase-size nuclear bombs of which only 48 had been accounted for by current Russian officials. These suitcase-size bombs were intended to be part of weapons caches to be hid in other countries for when the need would arise to actually use them. If only 48 out of 132 of these suitcase-size, one kiloton nuclear bombs have been accounted for; where's the other 84? Interestingly enough, I use to work with a former Soviet soldier who liked to tell "stories" of his days in service to the Union. I don't know if anything he told me about his "exploits" were true or not and whether he had actually worked with GRU or not, but one of his "stories" that I do recall was one about "briefcase-size" nuclear bombs. He said that the Soviets had hidden one "briefcase-size" nuclear bomb in every single, major American city during the "Cold War." Another "glorified tale" from my Russian tovarisch or not? At the time, I didn't believe him, but on hindsight and after reading the "Reader's Digest" article, there is some logic behind it. For the longest time, American defense believed it had the famous "fifteen" minutes of warning time from first detection of Soviet launch of ICBMSw/MIRVS to final impact on American soil. This "fifteen" minutes always assumed that such an attack would be immediately detected through use of satellite info. taken from the famous Key Hole series of reconnaissance satellites to such things as the antiquated and now dismantled DEW line in Canada. What would have happened if the first wave in a Soviet nuclear attack had happened instantaneously?; utter chaos. How does one bring about this state of instantaneous chaos?; putting nuclear devices in place on your enemies soil to explode on a moments notice is one good way. So my question to all of you, is there a one-kiloton nuclear bomb in your backyard?

[This message has been edited by Peter Dolan (edited February 29, 2000).]
 
Wow. Well, I know it's not in MY backyard. Surely the Soviets would be smart enough to know that the all they'd have to do in my neighborhood is give all the rednecks some whiskey and some guns and they would take care of killing each other off themselves. :)

And that song by Jane's Addiction comes to mind so often when I'm reading out here..."Nothing's Shocking". We are soooooooo screwed up.

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You may think I'm a nut, but I'm fastened to the strongest bolt in the universe.
 
Peter,
There may be something like that in my back yard. Since I live right next to a key military base the chances are good.

Lori,
Being screwed up is only relative to the observer. If society changes much more those people who were model citizens
will be considered to be "srewed up".

I'm going to do a little digging in the yard.
 
Yea right Alien, everything's relative isn't it? See what I mean you guys? He's not even a real alien and he still spews their "everything's relative" BS. Whatever! *talk to the hand*

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You may think I'm a nut, but I'm fastened to the strongest bolt in the universe.
 
Alien ... a question I've come to ask myself recently (and a few people I know)....

Okay, you can get prescription psychiatric drugs for your dog. Are you shy? Then medicate! My point being that between the popularity of radio-shrinks, the availability of prescription psychiatric drugs for virtually any occasion, and the still-booming psychotherapy industry, there seems to be a whole lot of screwed up people out there.

I've been wondering, of late, when it is finally established that the former "troubled" are now the norm (statistical majority) ... does that mean we can put the happy, formerly "regular" people on massive amounts of "therapeutic" downers and badmouth them for being chronic idiots?

thanx,
Tiassa

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The whole business with the fossilized dinosaur eggs was a joke the paleontologists haven't seen yet. (Good Omens, Gaiman & Pratchett)
 
Theres only one answer guys. Move to Australia. :)

we're all crazy down here, and no one put any nukes in my backyard.
 
Not to much time, but...

If there was one in my back yard it would be becuase I put it there. I know out context but I am kinda burnt out.
 
Lori,
I'm sorry if you don't like that I guess you can blame God.You don't know me so how can you say that I'm not an alien?
Why don't you find out?

Tiassa,
Yes, I believe that would be the case.
 
Alien,


manny people and I do mean manny have tried what you are doing. In the end they sound well lets say not so inteligent. Ever sence the internet started we have had all kinds proclaiming to be something they are not and all for the attention
 
666,
I was just being funny I'm not an alien my reply was based on Lori's.
I happen to be an intelligent person .I'm sorry you took it serious.

[This message has been edited by Alien (edited March 02, 2000).]
 
<img src = "http://users.esc.net.au/~nitro/BBoard_member_gifs/bowser_anim.gif">It would be very risky political business--and an act of war--to plant bombs within the boundries of another nation. I doubt that it would be worth the gamble to risk war over a possible first-strike advantage. Certainly, this would not change the fait of total distruction for the offender.

Suitcase-size nuclear bombs aside. I think it is interesting and comforting to observe that we all share many common ideas, even when we disagree.



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It's all very large.
 
Bowser, It would indeed be risky bussiness, but the fact remains MOST of these bombs are unaccounted for. They were made for the purposes of planting them within the USA. I would suggest to you that it is VERY likley that these devises are still planted within the USA. I mean you said it yourself it would be an act of war, do you think that the soviets would admit to it now?.

The only thing that would move them off US soil is if the agent responsible for planting it managed to sell it to a hostile party.....and we all know that nukes are bought and sold on the black market.
 
<img src = "http://users.esc.net.au/~nitro/BBoard_member_gifs/bowser_anim.gif">We know only what we read and hear.

"...and we all know that nukes are bought and sold on the black market."

Everything else that we know is an assumption or speculation. But if you have recently purchased one of these bombs, then you have a good foundation to build your belief.

I agree that I don't know with certainty that there isn't a market, but it just doesn't sound probable that these things would be released into the wild after decades of control.

We would have seen a mushroom cloud by this time if the rumors were true.



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It's all very large.
 
Ok Point taken, however I think that needing absolute evidence to prove there is an underground arms market is nieve. These weopons are expensive, the USSR has had reports of the guards which stand guard over decomissioned (but still live) warheads actually taking one into a town bar and trying to SELL it. It all comes down to supply and demand, Is there a demand for these weopons by extremist governments that don't already posses them?, YES. Does the USSR have leaked reports of solidiers trying to sell these weopons?, YES, so is there an avenue to supply? YES.....now tell me its not happening again.
 
Rambler,

As I said, I'm not certain there isn't trading in NB's; and my knowledge about such activities is probably as comprehensive as your own in this matter. But once again, I think it unlikely.

Trust me, the sky isn't falling. <img src = "http://www.exosci.com/ubb/icons/icon10.gif">

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It's all very large.
 
<img src = "http://www.exosci.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"> Cool! Now I know where to go if I'm wrong.

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It's all very large.
 
And I thought the holes in my back yard were rabbit digs.
This could be real serious if that arab Bin Laden got control over a few, or even one suitcase bomb. The police did catch someone in Germany a while back trying to get one through customs.
How much do you think the Goverment would pay if someone walked into the FBI HQ and told them they knew where there were a few suitcase nuclear bombs hidden ? They could not seriously search for something like that and keep it a secret.
Ha ha she cried, shook her wooden leg and died !!
 
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