Article

2004-06-11 Home Front: WoT

Scientists say dirty bomb would be a dud

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Posted by Super Hose 2004-06-11 3:18:02 AM|| || Front Page|| [11128 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Agreed. But that in no way, shape or form would have mitigated the mass panic and economic disruption on the part of an ingnorant public caused by the release of radioactive material.

Posted by Michael 2004-06-11 10:45:04 AM|| 2004-06-11 10:45:04 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 A weapon doesn't have to be effective to induce terror in the population. To most people, "uranium" = "nuke", and if somebody said that a bomb laced with uranium has just been exploded, the panic would be horrific. Padilla's lawyer knows this and is just blowing smoke.

Posted by Jonathan 2004-06-11 10:47:44 AM|| [www.workaround.blogspot.com] 2004-06-11 10:47:44 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Whoops! Michael beat me by 2 minutes. Still, it's a point that bears repeating.

Posted by Jonathan 2004-06-11 10:49:40 AM|| [www.workaround.blogspot.com] 2004-06-11 10:49:40 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Now a little plutonium would be an entirely different matter.

Posted by RWV 2004-06-11 10:58:59 AM|| 2004-06-11 10:58:59 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 But uraniumâs extremely low radioactivity is harmless compared with high-radiation materials - such as cesium and cobalt isotopes used in medicine and industry that experts see as potential dirty bomb fuels

Thanks for straightening out Al-Qaeda's tactics, Mr. Journalist. Its bad enough we are paying for their bombs, do we have to design them as well? If they send some plans, I'm sure I can round up a couple of engineers to critique them. I will, however, need a return address to send the plans back, preferably with GPS coordinates for accuracy. :) I understand the Arab world is not too big on naming their streets.

Posted by Zpaz 2004-06-11 11:10:26 AM|| 2004-06-11 11:10:26 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Note to Zimmerdick & Editorial Staff of Seattle PI:
Our legal system is based upon intent. Look it up, twits. If Padilla is a fucking moron I'd suggest that's a good thing - which assuages his intent not one bit. One must also ask why publicizing ineffective threats is a good idea. I am glad that they have demonstrated a decidedly low IQ. Plz resist helping them to get a clue, thank you. Now shoot yourselves.

"I used a 20-pound brick of uranium as a doorstop in my office.", said Zimmerman, who has a very distinct lisp, leans noticibly to his left when upright, and has the odd habit of keeping a banger or two in his pocket for those odd moments of hunger. "I intend to eat Drano, soon." Most would agree that Dr Zimmerman should attend to that sooner, rather than later.

Posted by .com 2004-06-11 11:11:39 AM|| 2004-06-11 11:11:39 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Zpaz - Great minds... Lol!

Posted by .com 2004-06-11 11:12:19 AM|| 2004-06-11 11:12:19 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 And yet we're supposed to be horribly concerned about the dangers of depleted uranium.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2004-06-11 11:19:32 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com] 2004-06-11 11:19:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 Roger that .com, RC.

Posted by Zpaz 2004-06-11 11:30:34 AM|| 2004-06-11 11:30:34 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 Don't worry everyone according to the "experts" radiation isn't dangerous anyway so why worry about it? /end sarcasm/

Posted by Anon1 2004-06-11 11:32:20 AM|| 2004-06-11 11:32:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#11 you cannot make a radiological dispersal device with uranium. There is just no significant radiation hazard."

Don't expect the anti-depleted uranium crowd to believe that.

Posted by Steve White 2004-06-11 12:26:50 PM|| 2004-06-11 12:26:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Anon1
you dumbass. You do realize your computer monitor emits radiation?
you do realize your BODY emits radiation ?
if all radiation was dangerous you would be dead.

Posted by dcreeper 2004-06-11 1:08:01 PM|| 2004-06-11 1:08:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 For Anon1... in the nicest & most constructive way I can put it:

"We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it - and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again - and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore."

-Twain

Posted by .com 2004-06-11 1:18:56 PM|| 2004-06-11 1:18:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Our legal system is based upon intent.

Bingo, .com. In many respects, terrorism is all about intent. Whether successful or not, terror attacks seek to disrupt daily life and cause mass panic.

Operable or not, Padilla's plans intended to cause great and greivous harm to Americans and the nation's economy. That he has the IQ of a celery stalk in no way mitigates the heinous aspect of his conspiracy. The simple fact that his plot was in alliance with al Qaeda should be ample reason to baseline his sentence at a ten-year minimum (with no time off for good behavior).

I still maintain that, even if it is unsuccessful, were a dirty bomb to be detonated on American soil, Medina, or even Mecca, should be dusted with a similar isotope (immediately prior to the Haj) as a demonstration to the Islamic world of what is to be gained by such attacks. Repayment in kind ... it seems to be working rather well for the Israelis.

Posted by Zenster 2004-06-11 3:58:58 PM|| 2004-06-11 3:58:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 And you do not want to inhale this stuff. The article didn't mention anything about what happens to the uranium when it's exploded. It seems to me that lots of dust would be produced. But we don't have to ask scientists about that. Let's just quote the ones that agree with us that Padilla isn't a big threat.

Here's the comeback: there are hundreds of tons of DU laying around in Iraq and this type of Dirty Bomb would only spread a few pounds. And to that you say:

100s of tons over a very big, sparsely populated area. 10 lbs over a city block- very small densely populated area. Hmm, which is worse, Mr. Scientist?

/crazy talk

Posted by BigMutha 2004-06-11 4:06:50 PM|| 2004-06-11 4:06:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 Padilla has always reminded me of one of those homeboys who's seen "Scarface" too many times.

Posted by tu3031 2004-06-11 6:48:33 PM|| 2004-06-11 6:48:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 morons best dirty bomb made with ham grenade and dog poop

Posted by HalfJustVisiting 2004-06-11 8:29:15 PM|| 2004-06-11 8:29:15 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 Let's not forget that Padilla's OTHER plan was to blow up apartment buildings.

Zenster:
I still maintain that, even if it is unsuccessful, were a dirty bomb to be detonated on American soil, Medina, or even Mecca, should be dusted with a similar isotope (immediately prior to the Haj) as a demonstration to the Islamic world of what is to be gained by such attacks.

Anyone remember the title of Heinlein's pre-WWII short story about nuclear war? The war was fought by dusting with radioactives...

Posted by Robert Crawford 2004-06-11 8:41:28 PM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/] 2004-06-11 8:41:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 I hope some of you Wingnuts understood that Padilla is a stupid bad guy, but that does not excuse the present Wingnut AG when he says an idiocy such as that Jose's 'dirty bomb' would have killed thousands. he just frightened people. Blow up apartment buildings? Made a little sense.

Yeah, I remember the RAH story, Solution Unsatisfactory. Good idea; bad calculation. You can't make dirty bombs that dirty.

I stand by my comments.

Posted by Peter D. Zimmerman 2004-07-04 9:32:06 PM|| 2004-07-04 9:32:06 PM|| Front Page Top

20:05 .com
20:02 Frank G
19:47 Fred Fighter
13:00 Anonymous6081
21:32 Peter D. Zimmerman
21:00 zosolover69
13:01 jules 187
08:14 Tony (UK)
04:32 Bulldog
02:56 Tibor
02:49 Atomic Conspiracy
01:43 Dar
01:31 Atomic Conspiracy
01:18 True German Ally
01:02 someone
00:42 .com
00:26 RWV
00:05 Phil B
00:04 Jen
00:03 john
23:32 Infidel Bob
23:10 Robert Crawford
23:09 Robert Crawford
23:06 Super Hose