NationStates Jolt Archive

Suppose that at 16:00 9/11/05 a 1 megaton thermonuclear device detonates in downtown Los Angles...You are the President of the US, What is your response?

I started this as an adjunct to the nuking Mecca thread, I wanted to broaden the conversation.

Me, I would declare martial law close the borders expel all non citizens send all possible aid to California. Apologize to the American people for failing to keep them safe. I would then wait 48 hours to prevent any rash actions and gather intel.

I would do my best to prevent the US from "Avenging" LA by responding in kind but I would mobilize the US like it was in WWII and literally "scour the earth" to find and destroy those responsible covertly if possible militarily if necessary and without remorse or recognition of national borders and treaties. I would try to keep civilian loss of life to a minimum but anybody found to be party to this action even if a head of state would be called to account lethally.

Sounds alright. Knowing who to point the guns at, and making sure the survivors are safe are the first few things that should be in everybodies minds before you start bombing Mecca. :p. Plus Bombing Mecca wouldn't help, just piss off more muslims.

I would detonate another nuke in NYC to make things balanced. It's probably a gangsta' rap thing, anyway.

I would have the VP take care of it while I confer with my handlers and find out what my response is.

Then, a quick nap.

First I would declare a state of national emergency and find out who done it, I doubt it would take long.

Intel on the findings ( a possible framing of another country ? )

Once we had the source i'd then join the army and go in myself for pure patrioism leading the soldiers without using any nukes, ask UK to help and any other countrys willing to aid in the destruction of this nutter with nukes !!

Once we got the highest leader of this attack it would be my job to slit his throat live on t.v ..

But hey im not president (thankfully)

first, declare emargancy situation, with all the things that including in that. right after universal information agencies give the smallest (and clear) clue of the terrorist base, start great operation to crack them down.

Maybe you should change the title to "What if the US got nuked?" before you give someone a heart attack?

Maybe you should change the title to "What if the US got nuked?" before you give someone a heart attack?
I agree. I just logged on and this was the first thing I saw, so exclaimed "holy shit!"

Think of it as marketing


Maybe you should change the title to "What if the US got nuked?" before you give someone a heart attack?

Oops, my handlers decided not to wake me. The VP has gone and suspended Civil Liberties, and I ended up on live camera with bed-head.

Nuked downtown L.A.? Declare a holiday, cheer, celebrate.
(I used to live there)

Suppose that at 16:00 9/11/05 a 1 megaton thermonuclear device detonates in downtown Los Angles...You are the President of the US, What is your response?

I started this as an adjunct to the nuking Mecca thread, I wanted to broaden the conversation.

Me, I would declare martial law close the borders expel all non citizens send all possible aid to California. Apologize to the American people for failing to keep them safe. I would then wait 48 hours to prevent any rash actions and gather intel.

I would do my best to prevent the US from "Avenging" LA by responding in kind but I would mobilize the US like it was in WWII and literally "scour the earth" to find and destroy those responsible covertly if possible militarily if necessary and without remorse or recognition of national borders and treaties. I would try to keep civilian loss of life to a minimum but anybody found to be party to this action even if a head of state would be called to account lethally.

When you say 'you,' do you mean you personally?

I'll panic, log on NS, make a thread called "The US just got n00ked, now what??" and pray that some guy/gall comes with advice which I can use.

I'd cheer my head off and throw a party. Then feel a little sad later when I remembered that NYC, Washington and all those other shitheaps were still standing.
So then I'd probably nuke them too, just to even up the number of Americans killed in unreasonable and unfair military strikes compared with the number of innocents elsewhere killed in the same manner by the neo-imperialist US military-industrial complex.

My un-presidential appearance and the erm, 'incident' are kicking my popularity into the basement. I better find a scapegoat but quick. Gimme an atlas.

A... B... C... the other one... uhh, G... ...P...?

What's this one? Paraguay?

My fellow Americans... we will not rest until the vicious anti-democratic forces of Paraguee, uh, Paraguay, are brought to heel for this monstrous act...

Our intelligence assures me we knew all about this plot beforehand, so don't think any of it'll stick on me. I'll leave that for the next president to handle.
Rest assured, we will not stop until we have haemorraged enough cash to provide you, the American viewer, with enough war footage to tide you over between meals...

Seeing as it would probably have been North Korea, I would just bomb them to... I would say hell, but they are already there... making sure to detonate all their nukes with my little bombs :p

Well, doing away with LA would make the country run alot smoother

Well, seeing how LA is a crime infested hellhole with celebrity egotism to boot with a lovely infestation of wannabe arrogant assholes (forgive the stereotypes), I'd probably cut my losses and call it a day. :p

Seriously? Declare martial law and evacuate all the survivors to a safer spot and help them rebuild their lives, while mobilising an international force of allies, mainly NATO to help the US deal out justice accordingly, so that those who have hurt our civilians are repaid. It would be done in an elegant fashion - Blitz fashion; go in and terrorise their army, kill their leader and take over their parliament by force and annouce that the people in that country are not to blame and that their country politicians are.

We'd leave their infrastructure in place but take away some of their military power and help the people hold a proper election based on their current laws (this wouldn't be changed should they not have a two-bit tinpot authoritarian dictator at the helm. If they did, make an open democratic forum and hold elections after that). The whole while, the army would be minimal there. They'd only be at the bases to prevent any counterattacks. All civilian centres would be left to the nation's regular police force.

The previous politicians who were in pwoer would be brought before a tribunal, much like that of the Nuremburg trials and the justices would be international ones from the ICC.

After the elections are over to help the country establish a leadership, there would then be a conference held to draw up a peace and alliance treaty so that the two countries would know where they stand and that there is no need to be enemies.

What I would want to do: after properly soiling myself, I would curl into the fetal position in a corner of Air Force 1 and cry my eyes out. One minute later, I would declare Martial Law over the television, order everyone to remain indoors until further notice and order the military to immedately organize the evacuation of all urban areas--but i don't even know if that would be possible.

What I would actually do would be to address the nation, ordering everyone to remain calm and informing them that the police forces will remain in effect at 100% capacity. Absent sufficient evidence to the contrary, I would presume that a terrorist network was responsible for the action. I would introduce the proper legislation necessary to do away with "privacy" rights (the actual existence of these "rights" are debatable anyway), except for the basics against unwarranted search and seizure under the 4th amendment. i would significantly redirect the nation's budget revenues toward military spending. i would conquer the middle east, or the countries of those responsible, and place those areas under permanent U.S. control.

It assumes you are President of the US, not just some schmoe.


When you say 'you,' do you mean you personally?

I'd ask to see if it was somehow legal to move UN headquarters to the area affected by radiation....

Declare martial law.

Find who the hell did it.

Castrate them with a rusty cheese grater,

And if a foregin government ordered it....

Start WW III.

Someone WILL get PO'd by this post. Let me assure you that I will NEVER become president, and I'm having a bit of fun online. Please don't call me an idiot, warmonger, or anything else offensive because I'm just having a bit of harmless fun. Thank you and have a nice day. Except LA, you guys just got screwed over.

Declare a national state of emergency and ask the Red Cross and other aid organisations to dispatch as much aid as possible to California. Evacuate as many people as humanly possible from the danger zone. Order the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, and everyone who can to investigate the source of the attack.

If it turns out to be a country, I'd retaliate in kind.

...and after bombing Paraguay back to the stone age, we'd immediately set up a dict - ahhh, a democratic regime more in keeping with what Hallib - ahhh, the American people...ahhh...

*help me out here, Karl*

*what do you mean, 'executed'? Treason? What?*

*no, I did not get the memo - I was asleep, for God's sakes*

...rest assured, we are strong. And smart. And we will stay the course in Paraguay. And even once we realize there's nothing there to exploit, we'll stay resolute in kicking the Paraguayans around for the next twenty years or so.

Hail to Me!

Bomb 'em all back to the precambrian.

Bomb 'em all back to the precambrian.

My summer cottage is on the Precambrian shield, and I don't want people emigrating to my bunkroom, thank all the same.

Maybe you could bomb 'em all back to somewhere else. Like Appalachia.

...and after bombing Paraguay back to the stone age, we'd immediately set up a dict - ahhh, a democratic regime more in keeping with what Hallib - ahhh, the American people...ahhh...

*help me out here, Karl*

*what do you mean, 'executed'? Treason? What?*

*no, I did not get the memo - I was asleep, for God's sakes*

...rest assured, we are strong. And smart. And we will stay the course in Paraguay. And even once we realize there's nothing there to exploit, we'll stay resolute in kicking the Paraguayans around for the next twenty years or so.

Hail to Me!

cries out loud:
HAIL DOBBSWORLD!!!

seriously, some pretty funny stuff you wrote :)

I'd be worried about the population getting too tense and angry so my 1st act would be to get everyone to chill out by making weed compulsory for a week! :p

...and after bombing Paraguay back to the stone age, we'd immediately set up a dict - ahhh, a democratic regime more in keeping with what Hallib - ahhh, the American people...ahhh...

*help me out here, Karl*

*what do you mean, 'executed'? Treason? What?*

*no, I did not get the memo - I was asleep, for God's sakes*

...rest assured, we are strong. And smart. And we will stay the course in Paraguay. And even once we realize there's nothing there to exploit, we'll stay resolute in kicking the Paraguayans around for the next twenty years or so.

Hail to Me!
Hails magnificent DobbsWorld...

dont forget the deal...I am to be Paraguay ViceRey...I mean President...

cries out loud:
HAIL DOBBSWORLD!!!

seriously, some pretty funny stuff you wrote :)

Hail to the Endorian people! Thanks for the shoutout.

Find out who is responsible, cngradulate them, and give them the coordinates of San Francisco. :eek:

Hails magnificent DobbsWorld...

dont forget the deal...I am to be Paraguay ViceRey...I mean President...

*Shhh, not in front of the cameras. You'll queer the deal...!*

I agree. I just logged on and this was the first thing I saw, so exclaimed "holy shit!"


I wasnt that concerned. I dont expect to find truthful facts of much importance in here.

I must admit, Dobbsworld is on a roll. Mostly funny stuff.

*Shhh, not in front of the cameras. You'll queer the deal...!*We made sure only Patriot Reporters get the White house Press tag...remember?

You Just need to remember not to behave like a Chimp when we are away from home...If thats not too much to ask...your highness. :D

Suppose that at 16:00 9/11/05 a 1 megaton thermonuclear device detonates in downtown Los Angles...You are the President of the US, What is your response?

out of the 20,200 nuclear weapons 20,000 belong to the U.S. or Russia so with a process of elimination then i would nuke the the 10,000 largest cities in the middle east and tell them what now to all 5 remain muslims

out of the 20,200 nuclear weapons 20,000 belong to the U.S. or Russia so with a process of elimination then i would nuke the the 10,000 largest cities in the middle east and tell them what now to all 5 remain muslims
first, there many muslims outside the middle east.
second, there aren't 10000 cities in the middle east.
third, it probably the worst thing you may do, because it will start ww3.

if you want to be presiedent, you should get better idea.

Deploying 10 000 nukes'd probably kill the rest of the planet in any event.

Deploying 10 000 nukes'd probably kill the rest of the planet in any event.I don't sure. if you drop all of them in some little area, I think the other side of the world will be safe.

out of the 20,200 nuclear weapons 20,000 belong to the U.S. or Russia so with a process of elimination then i would nuke the the 10,000 largest cities in the middle east and tell them what now to all 5 remain muslims

Round about nuke..o say...1000, your starting to hit things like a 20 people family, living in tents, raising goats.


As for me, I'd want to find out exactly why my multibilion dollar a year "intelligence" agencies hadnt clued me in on the when and where of this attack. Heads will roll.

Providing care for the wounded, dying and survivors would be number two on the list of things to get done.

Getting the people responsible would hopefully take a lot less time then getting Bin-Laden. I asume it was done by some sort of organization that hates the US, and as creative punishment i'd have them sentenced to life-watching-the Bold and the Beautiful(you hate our society? well your gonna have to get the worst bits then).

I would use it as an excuse to take over all anti-American nations but of course I would first ruthlessly kill the attackers (mind you would you notice if a nuke had gone off in los angeles?)

as creative punishment i'd have them sentenced to life-watching-the Bold and the Beautiful(you hate our society? well your gonna have to get the worst bits then).good start, but there are some south-american telenovelas that should be added to their punishment.
anyway, I think it is against geneva convention, the international law, and the basic human rights. at least, give them fair trial, before you make such drastic move.

So the US just got nuked, huh?

DUCK AND COVER!

Find out who is responsible, cngradulate them, and give them the coordinates of San Francisco. :eek:
:eek: indeed! Nuke Dallas or Denver (They had shitty TV series - those that play in SF are pretty neat!!!)

I don't sure. if you drop all of them in some little area, I think the other side of the world will be safe.
While you don't sure let me tell you that detonating 10.000 nukes on one little area will definitely have an effect as in RADIATION FALLOUT spread AROUND THE WORLD!

I would use it as an excuse to take over all anti-American nations
it may long time, because the number of the anti-americans will double himself with all anti-american nation you will take over.

While you don't sure let me tell you that detonating 10.000 nukes on one little area will definitely have an effect as in RADIATION FALLOUT spread AROUND THE WORLD!we can't get compromise on that issue.
maybe we make simple test, and check your theory?

Lets see now. Hmmm.... a one megaton thermonucleur device ay? Well that would have to be either a hydrogen bomb or a British super atom bomb. Lets look at the facts... Los Angeles would be flattened, about 14 million people would be superheated to around 3 million degrees in under a second and the radioactive fallout would mean that anything within a minimum distance of 500 miles would be exposed to over 400 rads, a lethal dose. So San Diago is gone too, people probably would not survive longer than 24 hours, their bodies degrading and most dorwing in interal fluids. Most of Navada would be gone, Utah would feel its affects, the whole of California would be a write off, as would most of the Western seaboard and at least 6 states. People in North Oragon would be affected, even parts of Idaho. Carsen CIty (Nevada) would go bye-bye and even the lights of Los Vagas would be extinguished. Arizonia wouldn't fare any better. Basically if you are within 1000 miles of Los Angeles you are liely to recieve a does of radiation.
Anyway, back to the question.
Hmmm... Decalre a state of emergancy. Give the various forces permission to use lethal force on anyone who causes a problem in the exacuation of everyone in surrouding states, as California is a write off for the next 200 or so years, as will be most of western seaboard. I would convine an meeting of my most important Inteligance, Millitary and Medical staff and get their immediate reactions. I would set up radiation cleaning centres right around an agreed perimetre of the flash point (the centre of the bomb blast), mostly liely 1000 miles, with everyone inside this perimetre having to be put through these centres to be cleaned of radiation, and if it is possible to be examined by medic who can determine the quantity of radiation the people have been exposed to, and in extreame cases administer over-does of pain killers such as Morphine, to allow these people to die painlessly before they die of radiation sickness. The economy would collapse relusting in wide spread anachy. To help combat this I would bring out ever single policeman and forces personal I could to deal with people and reintroduce consciption. I would assemble a meeting of the most powerful world leaders (Canada, Russia, UK, France, Germany, China, Japan etc) and request assistance in any and all forms. I would instruct Special Forces and Intel services (CIA, NSA etc) to find those responsible and wherever possible take them to an agreed nutral location (eg the Hague) to be held for crimes against humanity, and I would later see to it that they are executed in the most inhumane way possible. I would ask Canada to take as many people as possible so as to relive the pressure on hospitals and the military, and I would pratically beg the goverments of key allies to send medical supplies. I would instruct farmers to produce as much food as possible, and I would ask the European Union to send as much of their surplus as possible.
Once all that has been done (not nessesarily in that exact order) I would deal with culprits. I would ask what the Intel people had found out. I would then do whatever seems best at that point.
When you are dealing with a situation of such magnitude you have to stop thinking of people, and starting thinking of numbers. If stopping 200 people from leaving California ultimatly saves 250 people from Nevada or wherever, sorry but the 250 wins hands-down.

Lets see now. Hmmm.... a one megaton thermonucleur device ay? Well that would have to be either a hydrogen bomb or a British super atom bomb. Lets look at the facts... Los Angeles would be flattened, about 14 million people would be superheated to around 3 million degrees in under a second and the radioactive fallout would mean that anything within a minimum distance of 500 miles would be exposed to over 400 rads, a lethal dose. So San Diago is gone too, people probably would not survive longer than 24 hours, their bodies degrading and most dorwing in interal fluids. Most of Navada would be gone, Utah would feel its affects, the whole of California would be a write off, as would most of the Western seaboard and at least 6 states. People in North Oragon would be affected, even parts of Idaho. Carsen CIty (Nevada) would go bye-bye and even the lights of Los Vagas would be extinguished. Arizonia wouldn't fare any better. Basically if you are within 1000 miles of Los Angeles you are liely to recieve a does of radiation.

You are VASTLY overestimating the destructive effects that a single, one-megaton weapon would have.

I don't have time to point out all of the errors in this part of your post, but I'm sure someone else will, and if they don't, I'll make sure to do so myself later tonight.

we can't get compromise on that issue.
maybe we make simple test, and check your theory?
That's not the way it works, on the contrary: My theory is based on the proven facts that nuclear testing (in the "small" scale in which it has been conducted) has already increased the level of radioactivity around the world.

That is why NASA is so interested in German Battleships sunk at the Scottish coast in 1919 to use the "preserved, non-contaminated" steel in their radiation gages. All the steel produced nowadays is - although only slightly - contaminated because of the nuclear explosions.

out of the 20,200 nuclear weapons 20,000 belong to the U.S. or Russia so with a process of elimination then i would nuke the the 10,000 largest cities in the middle east and tell them what now to all 5 remain muslims


North Africa and South east asia are almost all muslims, do not forget about Egypt, somalia, lybia, morroco, indonesia and pakistan

1. Evacuate LA
2. Give the UN an ultimatum to authorize war or leave
3. Begin commercial rationing and mobilization for all-out war
4. Draft a few million more soldiers
5. Nuke Iran
6. Start picking out targets for ground invasions

neat

Well, being Canadian I don't really know what to do. I would declare a national state of emergency, then delcare marshall law until everything got sorted out.

Hmm... Shit my pants, stay away from California, change my pants and underwear, put on a radiation suit, tell the rest of the USA that they are screwed and I'm moving to the UK.

Sounds like a plan!

Hmmm... I was just realizing that if I was president of the USA that must mean that things had been pretty shitty for a long time, and a nuke going off in LA could perhaps be considered a good thing.

Nevertheless, I stand by my original answer.

1. Evacuate LA
2. Give the UN an ultimatum to authorize war or leave
3. Begin commercial rationing and mobilization for all-out war
4. Draft a few million more soldiers
5. Nuke Iran
6. Start picking out targets for ground invasions
Are we nuking Iran because they did it, or are we just doing it for the principle of the thing?

Find out who is responsible, cngradulate them, and give them the coordinates of San Francisco. :eek:

Stole my mords. :D But wait for me and my gf evacuate first please :D

You are VASTLY overestimating the destructive effects that a single, one-megaton weapon would have.
The biggest nukes were the Russian 68MT H-Bombs, right? Or did they test bigger ones?
Hehe, an ICBM with multible of those warheads...think of the possibilities...

Anyways, here is links to two simulators:

http://www.fas.org/main/content.jsp?formAction=297&contentId=367

http://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/gmap/hydesim.html

Have fun....

The biggest nukes were the Russian 68MT H-Bombs, right? Or did they test bigger ones?
Hehe, an ICBM with multible of those warheads...think of the possibilities...

Anyways, here is links to two simulators:

http://www.fas.org/main/content.jsp?formAction=297&contentId=367

http://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/gmap/hydesim.html

Have fun....1 megaton nuke = 1000 kiloton nukes... ????

1 megaton nuke = 1000 kiloton nukes... ????
Megaton is a unit of yield in tons of TNT (million tons of TNT exploding=1 megaton). Kilotons are 1,000 tons of TNT.

If I were president I'd declare a national state of shenanigans.

Here's a nice page describing the effects of a 50 MT nuke detonation: http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Russia/TsarBomba.html

Not only would I nuke Mecca, I would also nuke all the Holy Sites in the Middle East, no matter if they are muslim, christian or jewish. Just destroy them all. That way, there'd be nothing to fight over.

That's what Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad would do.

That's what Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad would do.
I seriously doubt it.

Maybe you should change the title to "What if the US got nuked?" before you give someone a heart attack?
That's me XD.

-snip original post*

See about hiring the Mossad (spelling?). They have a pretty good record. Israeli secret police-esque group. They hold good to their word. *shrugs* They said they'd track down and kill everyone involved in the kidnapping and murder of their athletes during the Olympics and they did.

Maybe you should change the title to "What if the US got nuked?" before you give someone a heart attack?


Nearlly gave me one......Jeezus man you scared the shit out of me for a minute.

id be like oh damn killa kam launch those suckaz then the world goes KABOOM!

First off, I would finish My Pet Goat(j/k)

Seriously, I would first decalre marial law, close all borders, evacuate all survivors from LA and all of southern California, expel all non citizens to their home countires, mobilize the army, scrabmle the jets, declare a state of national emergency, ready the nukes, and then get a massage to relax myself.

Then, depending on who the culprit was, I'd make their country uninhabitable for 1,000+ years.

After that, I'd open borders but screen people thoroughly before they enter the country.

Finally, I'd blame the democrats so I get re-elected.

Are we nuking Iran because they did it, or are we just doing it for the principle of the thing?
6. Open up camps for people that ask too many questions. :p

My response would probably start by closing all borders and declaring a state of emergency, just like everyone else.

Now from there, I would concentrate on giving aid to those caught within the blast radius, and then begin to gather intelegence, probably starting with asking countries that have a natural supply of Cobalt or Uraniam, or heavy water reactors, if they have had any unstable istopede compunds missing, and if so, what quantities were missing and who would have had access to them. If any nation proved uncooperative, I would try bribing high officials of that country or officials from indavidual cites.

Should that turn up nothing, I would proceed to direct intel gathering to make a list of all known scientists or organizations that have the knowlage to construct a nuclear bomb, cross-referance them, and try to find a (group of) missing scientist(s) that have spent over 1 month away from home on a non-varafiable trip.

Should this fail, I would turn over intel instructions to my cheif of staff, and then declare a christian crusade against those responsible, because if the U.S. wasn't able to find someone who had acesss to a team of scientists, Uraniam/Cobalt/Plutonium, as well as a secure place in which to hide all this junk, then I'm pretty much screwed anyway.

If, at any point I find out who is responsible, I will do all in my power to capture them, find their methods, put into place preventive measures using the newfound knowlage, and execute them for terrorism, manslaughter, 1st degree murder, et cetera, et cetera. If an organization was responsible and was being harbored by a nation, then I would warn the nation that the U.S. would ivade (using only conventional weappons) if a full investegation was not allowed to ensue in their country and the terrorists arrested. If the nation in question, or the nation responsbile, had nuclear capabilities, I would cut my losses and pull out. (Of course, if a second nuke was detonated I would then proceed to launch enough ICBMs at their major cities and military bases to cripple their country and constitute genocide, as well as have the possibility of creating nuclear night.)

You know, come to think of it, simultaniously detonating even 1000 nuclear bombs at once would probably create nuclear night, which wouldn't be such a bad idea. Mankind seems to be screwing itself over anyway, may as well end its miserable existance now. Granted, this would kill almost all life on the planet earth, as the dust shot up by the nukes would block out the sun, and because of the number of heterotrophs to autotrophs, food would quickly run out everywheere exept in thermal vents where tiny bacteria live, but it's a small sacrifice. :D

I would dump every nuke i had on my country, and the countries of all my alles, effectivly destroying this glob of society that was attacked for whatever reason by these terrorists. And then from the afterlife I would watch as the terrorists stared in utter confusion at what I had done, now having no one to terrorise, while saying. "What the fuck?"

I would dump every nuke i had on my country, and the countries of all my alles, effectivly destroying this glob of society that was attacked for whatever reason by these terrorists. And then from the afterlife I would watch as the terrorists stared in utter confusion at what I had done, now having no one to terrorise, while saying. "What the fuck?"
:D :D :D
Hehe Good one!

Well I reckon I'd be neglecting my duties as president and be at my home in Texas with a dip in my mouth and a beer in my head, probably in the back of a truck shooting jackrabbits with the boys and when I heard about it I'd make a press announcement from the house and tell the terrorists they were a little off. San Francisco's more north. But I'd tell them nice try and just wait it out until they hit their real target. I'd congratulate them on a job well done on basically wiping out all that state and hopefully Governor Arnold'd be alright, if not he should have a hero's funeral. About that time I'd close the airspace, the Southern border (for good), beef up the guards at our Canadian border and have the Coast Guard patrolling the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts. Then when I found out who the culprit was I'd start strategical air attacks on them, guilty or not until their defenses were wiped out, then send in the ground troops (marines first), followed by the army of course and basically go on a "scorched earth" policy until they were wiped out. Then see if anyone else was involved and do the same. But...I'd withdraw our main ground component and leave the special forces, MFR, Delta, Rangers, Berets, SEALs, etc in the country/countries so that these coward guerilla troops couldn't get very far. But that's just me, that's how I roll.

I would say: "Oops. I guess Mr Vice President was right, I shouldn't have pressed that button."

Or I would say: "Oh well. Now where's that fat intern gone? My pants feel too tight..."

Suppose that at 16:00 9/11/05 a 1 megaton thermonuclear device detonates in downtown Los Angles...You are the President of the US, What is your response?

I started this as an adjunct to the nuking Mecca thread, I wanted to broaden the conversation.

Me, I would declare martial law close the borders expel all non citizens send all possible aid to California. Apologize to the American people for failing to keep them safe. I would then wait 48 hours to prevent any rash actions and gather intel.

I would do my best to prevent the US from "Avenging" LA by responding in kind but I would mobilize the US like it was in WWII and literally "scour the earth" to find and destroy those responsible covertly if possible militarily if necessary and without remorse or recognition of national borders and treaties. I would try to keep civilian loss of life to a minimum but anybody found to be party to this action even if a head of state would be called to account lethally.

are you fucking serious?? this is why we want to nuke you!!!! you stupid yanks jsut dont learn. if you get nuked then your actions are clearly not wanted by the rest of the world

are you fucking serious?? this is why we want to nuke you!!!! you stupid yanks jsut dont learn. if you get nuked then your actions are clearly not wanted by the rest of the world
What did he say that was so unreasonable? On the basis of it, that's a pretty mild response in that situation.

are you fucking serious?? this is why we want to nuke you!!!! you stupid yanks jsut dont learn. if you get nuked then your actions are clearly not wanted by the rest of the world

Because the best way to solve a problem is to destroy it. :rolleyes:

Suppose that at 16:00 9/11/05 a 1 megaton thermonuclear device detonates in downtown Los Angles...You are the President of the US, What is your response?

I started this as an adjunct to the nuking Mecca thread, I wanted to broaden the conversation.

Me, I would declare martial law close the borders expel all non citizens send all possible aid to California. Apologize to the American people for failing to keep them safe. I would then wait 48 hours to prevent any rash actions and gather intel.

I would do my best to prevent the US from "Avenging" LA by responding in kind but I would mobilize the US like it was in WWII and literally "scour the earth" to find and destroy those responsible covertly if possible militarily if necessary and without remorse or recognition of national borders and treaties. I would try to keep civilian loss of life to a minimum but anybody found to be party to this action even if a head of state would be called to account lethally.


I can tell you there are not a lot of Americans who would be interested in TALKING after such an incident.
You'd have riots in every major town, vigilantes assuming it was Islamic terrorists, and taking it on themselves to exact revenge from any Muslim, or Middle-Eastern looking people they could find...you would have vigilantes burning down mosques, and you would have a very loud near-majority...if not actual majority calling for immediate retribution, in other words, calling for them to be nuked back.

Good luck you trying to hang onto your power as Commander in Chief of the United States if you would not IMMEDIATELY counterstrike. with nukes.

The one thing Americans will not tolerate, as I have said in the Mecca thread...is the nuking of an American city. the majority of this country would want blood and not words at that point.

I'm telling you you would see chaos the like of which you have never seen before. You would see mob justice, vigilante justice everywhere, and you would be powerless to stop it. Most of the military and National Guard are overseas, you know. Good luck trying to gain any measure of control or security over this country.

I'd cheer my head off and throw a party. Then feel a little sad later when I remembered that NYC, Washington and all those other shitheaps were still standing.
So then I'd probably nuke them too, just to even up the number of Americans killed in unreasonable and unfair military strikes compared with the number of innocents elsewhere killed in the same manner by the neo-imperialist US military-industrial complex.
Flame bait.

I think you are over estemating the radiation area look here (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/bomb/sfeature/1mtfall.html)




Lets see now. Hmmm.... a one megaton thermonucleur device ay? Well that would have to be either a hydrogen bomb or a British super atom bomb. Lets look at the facts... Los Angeles would be flattened, about 14 million people would be superheated to around 3 million degrees in under a second and the radioactive fallout would mean that anything within a minimum distance of 500 miles would be exposed to over 400 rads, a lethal dose. So San Diago is gone too, people probably would not survive longer than 24 hours, their bodies degrading and most dorwing in interal fluids. Most of Navada would be gone, Utah would feel its affects, the whole of California would be a write off, as would most of the Western seaboard and at least 6 states. People in North Oragon would be affected, even parts of Idaho. Carsen CIty (Nevada) would go bye-bye and even the lights of Los Vagas would be extinguished. Arizonia wouldn't fare any better. Basically if you are within 1000 miles of Los Angeles you are liely to recieve a does of radiation.
Anyway, back to the question.
Hmmm... Decalre a state of emergancy. Give the various forces permission to use lethal force on anyone who causes a problem in the exacuation of everyone in surrouding states, as California is a write off for the next 200 or so years, as will be most of western seaboard. I would convine an meeting of my most important Inteligance, Millitary and Medical staff and get their immediate reactions. I would set up radiation cleaning centres right around an agreed perimetre of the flash point (the centre of the bomb blast), mostly liely 1000 miles, with everyone inside this perimetre having to be put through these centres to be cleaned of radiation, and if it is possible to be examined by medic who can determine the quantity of radiation the people have been exposed to, and in extreame cases administer over-does of pain killers such as Morphine, to allow these people to die painlessly before they die of radiation sickness. The economy would collapse relusting in wide spread anachy. To help combat this I would bring out ever single policeman and forces personal I could to deal with people and reintroduce consciption. I would assemble a meeting of the most powerful world leaders (Canada, Russia, UK, France, Germany, China, Japan etc) and request assistance in any and all forms. I would instruct Special Forces and Intel services (CIA, NSA etc) to find those responsible and wherever possible take them to an agreed nutral location (eg the Hague) to be held for crimes against humanity, and I would later see to it that they are executed in the most inhumane way possible. I would ask Canada to take as many people as possible so as to relive the pressure on hospitals and the military, and I would pratically beg the goverments of key allies to send medical supplies. I would instruct farmers to produce as much food as possible, and I would ask the European Union to send as much of their surplus as possible.
Once all that has been done (not nessesarily in that exact order) I would deal with culprits. I would ask what the Intel people had found out. I would then do whatever seems best at that point.
When you are dealing with a situation of such magnitude you have to stop thinking of people, and starting thinking of numbers. If stopping 200 people from leaving California ultimatly saves 250 people from Nevada or wherever, sorry but the 250 wins hands-down.

Well, seeing how LA is a crime infested hellhole with celebrity egotism to boot with a lovely infestation of wannabe arrogant assholes (forgive the stereotypes), I'd probably cut my losses and call it a day. :p

Seriously? Declare martial law and evacuate all the survivors to a safer spot and help them rebuild their lives, while mobilising an international force of allies, mainly NATO to help the US deal out justice accordingly, so that those who have hurt our civilians are repaid. It would be done in an elegant fashion - Blitz fashion; go in and terrorise their army, kill their leader and take over their parliament by force and annouce that the people in that country are not to blame and that their country politicians are.

We'd leave their infrastructure in place but take away some of their military power and help the people hold a proper election based on their current laws (this wouldn't be changed should they not have a two-bit tinpot authoritarian dictator at the helm. If they did, make an open democratic forum and hold elections after that). The whole while, the army would be minimal there. They'd only be at the bases to prevent any counterattacks. All civilian centres would be left to the nation's regular police force.

The previous politicians who were in pwoer would be brought before a tribunal, much like that of the Nuremburg trials and the justices would be international ones from the ICC.

After the elections are over to help the country establish a leadership, there would then be a conference held to draw up a peace and alliance treaty so that the two countries would know where they stand and that there is no need to be enemies.


Yeah? Is that the way you'd handle it if all the "innocent civilians" of said country danced in the street on news of the nuking of L.A...like the fucking Palestinians did on 9/11?

NO ONE dances in the street at our suffering and gets away with it! Nuke 'em! I'm serious...anyone who even ACTS pleased at our suffering would just plain get nuked.

What I would want to do: after properly soiling myself, I would curl into the fetal position in a corner of Air Force 1 and cry my eyes out. One minute later, I would declare Martial Law over the television, order everyone to remain indoors until further notice and order the military to immedately organize the evacuation of all urban areas--but i don't even know if that would be possible.

What I would actually do would be to address the nation, ordering everyone to remain calm and informing them that the police forces will remain in effect at 100% capacity. Absent sufficient evidence to the contrary, I would presume that a terrorist network was responsible for the action. I would introduce the proper legislation necessary to do away with "privacy" rights (the actual existence of these "rights" are debatable anyway), except for the basics against unwarranted search and seizure under the 4th amendment. i would significantly redirect the nation's budget revenues toward military spending. i would conquer the middle east, or the countries of those responsible, and place those areas under permanent U.S. control.


good luck enforcing your martial law on 300 million pissed-off, armed Americans, when most of your military and National Guard are overseas!

Find out who is responsible, cngradulate them, and give them the coordinates of San Francisco. :eek:

why San Francisco? You got something against San Franciscans?

You are VASTLY overestimating the destructive effects that a single, one-megaton weapon would have.

I don't have time to point out all of the errors in this part of your post, but I'm sure someone else will, and if they don't, I'll make sure to do so myself later tonight.

Hugely!

I live 80 miles from NYC, and approximately 75 miles from Philly. Yet, if either of those cities got nuked, i'd likely survive, though with some negative impact, and some low dosage, I imagine.

The mountains that surround the area I live in would afford some protection...as well as the fact that I am west of both cities, and the prevailing blow of fallout would follow weather patterns that tend to track eastward.

Now if you are talking L.A. getting nuked...well, San Diego is close enough to get some effects from it, I don't think San Diego would be too very healthy. San Francisco is far enough away to get minimal effect. As is Nevada. But Southern California would be decimated.

Then, too, a nuke of that much power could easily set off earthquakes which would harm other communities throughout California and the West Coast...due to existing faultlines in the area.

san Francisco would have to worry more about the effects of an earthquake resulting from such an attack than fallout. San Francisco is far enough north that the prevailing weather patterns would blow very little, if any, fallout...over San Francisco.

If LA gets hit, Anaheim gets cooked. Thats 2 large cities.

And if my country is nuked, I'm pulling all my soldiers home to enforce the Martial Law. Fuck Iraq, Americans come before Iraqis. I'm not even gonna go to the UN. If I became president, I'd suggest they go to Switzerland. I wouldn't be surprised if China did something either. By the time I'm eligible for president, the US may have stopped China from annexing Taiwan. Ronald Regan would be the perfect man for this situation.

NO ONE dances in the street at our suffering and gets away with it! Nuke 'em! I'm serious...anyone who even ACTS pleased at our suffering would just plain get nuked.we are special....1 US dead is more important than 1000dead foreigners...

ever heard of Horny-Blonde-Holloway ???

Suppose that at 16:00 9/11/05 a 1 megaton thermonuclear device detonates in downtown Los Angles...You are the President of the US, What is your response?

I started this as an adjunct to the nuking Mecca thread, I wanted to broaden the conversation.

Me, I would declare martial law close the borders expel all non citizens send all possible aid to California. Apologize to the American people for failing to keep them safe. I would then wait 48 hours to prevent any rash actions and gather intel.

I would do my best to prevent the US from "Avenging" LA by responding in kind but I would mobilize the US like it was in WWII and literally "scour the earth" to find and destroy those responsible covertly if possible militarily if necessary and without remorse or recognition of national borders and treaties. I would try to keep civilian loss of life to a minimum but anybody found to be party to this action even if a head of state would be called to account lethally.


I would deduce that a 1 megaton device isnt something a terrorist could make or buy for that matter, so it must of been a country that did it. Since to get over a megaton it would requre the weapon to be a hydrogen bomb, not just a normal nuclear device.

we are special....1 US dead is more important than 1000dead foreigners...

ever heard of Horny-Blonde-Holloway ???

Must be fun to have no patriotism or nationalism what so ever.

ever heard of the media covers it because it is a rare event in aruba that somebody just vanishes off a 1 mile island, let alone an american on spring break. stop being a dickhead thinking there is a conspiracy behind everything.

I'd shit myself for an hour or so, clean up, rally the country, blame Canada (while playing the South Park song about that), and make them the Upper United States of America. Then, I'd spin a model globe, randomly pick a nation, and convince the masses that that nation was in cahoots, and nuke every major city it had. Upon finishing that, I'd watch The Daily Show and eat ice cream.


Seriously though (well, only partly serious):

I'd shit myself, clean up, rally the nation after trying to restore order, offer incentives to sign up in the military, politely tell the UN to stay out of the way of our actions, find whoever did this, invade them blitkrieg-style while surrounding ever major town or city, giving the inhabitants 24 hours to leave, and once the deadline is gone, level every building and plant in the city, burn the rubble, salt the earth, and move on to the next city.

Actually you cant declare martial law in the US unless the courts have failed.

Must be fun to have no patriotism or nationalism what so ever.If I was Syrian I would have enough patriotism to try to change things...I would have enough Patriotism to fight for until Democracy and Justice prevails...