[Kristen]

They (NATO) have proven themselves careless again and again. This own the first incident in Pakistan, so their reaction is certainly understandable

[scas]

Global nuclear war could perhaps precipitate the collapse of civilization and slow the effects of global warming. The nuclear winter may even allow trees, fish, and Arctic ice to regrow. Always look on the bright side of things. Hell, we can even explode some nuclear weapons in space to block sunlight with a radioactive ash cloud. Bring on the apocalypse.

[Cog]

They (NATO) have proven themselves careless again and again. This own the first incident in Pakistan, so their reaction is certainly understandable

A well-placed bribe of military aid and all will be forgiven.

[evilgenius]

First off, I have to get something out that really bothers me concerning the issue of nuclear proliferation in this part of the world. Namely, why doesn't the United States simply come right out and declare a policy of the right to overwhelming and considered reprisal toward any state or regional actor that uses nuclear weapons against it or any of its allies, in kind? What county is going to send nuclear weapons into a US harbor on board a freighter when it would mean the end of their political and or material existence via the mechanism of overwhelming nuclear counter-response brought about from thousands of miles away using ICBM's? There is seemingly only one reason why they wouldn't want to stand behind that policy when dealing with this issue, they want to reserve the right to invade any country they wish, for their own reasons (probably to deal with peak oil). You see, if they invade and the invading troops get nuked how can they declare an in-kind response when they would be responding to an act of self-defense?

Further to that, how can they interject nuclear weapons into a situation that rises above the theater of the state or region in which it began? This thing with Pakistan smells funny. It comes at the same time as Russia has been making belligerent statements. Are those the US thinks are on its side about to jump ship to a new alliance? What happens if they do and the United States hasn't already thought through the potential ramifications? Are we talking about a potential nuclear attack against the US or its allies occurring without any retaliatory response because there was no policy in place beforehand? Perhaps this isn't the case, but certainly the perception of this on the part of players like Pakistan could push this situation toward the unthinkable.

[rangerone314]

What prevents a bad actor from placing a few nukes on a container ship and launching them against the US and then blow up the container ship in the middle of the Atlantic to cover up the evidence?

The US would have a good-sized list of potential suspects, all of them with nuclear weapons, obviously. We going to nuke them all and expect no retaliatory strike?

[careinke]

I can guarantee there is an operational response plan for ANY nuclear strike against the US. The military does not like being without a plan to deviate from.

[rangerone314]

I can guarantee there is an operational response plan for ANY nuclear strike against the US. The military does not like being without a plan to deviate from.

Course that doesn't mean it will work or is realistic. Somethings are unavoidable.

What is the military plan if a pulsar in space rotates around and illuminates the US?

[careinke]

I can guarantee there is an operational response plan for ANY nuclear strike against the US. The military does not like being without a plan to deviate from.

Course that doesn't mean it will work or is realistic. Somethings are unavoidable.

What is the military plan if a pulsar in space rotates around and illuminates the US?

You might be surprised. No one expects a plan to stay totally intact after the first action. They are there to give well thought out suggestions, made under less stressful times. Like I said, they give you a point to start from.

[Cog]

What prevents a bad actor from placing a few nukes on a container ship and launching them against the US and then blow up the container ship in the middle of the Atlantic to cover up the evidence?

The US would have a good-sized list of potential suspects, all of them with nuclear weapons, obviously. We going to nuke them all and expect no retaliatory strike?

Every reactor that produces nuclear material has a distinctive signature as to the radioisotopes it produces. A sampling of the fallout and we would know straightaway where the bomb material came from.

[EnergyUnlimited]

What prevents a bad actor from placing a few nukes on a container ship and launching them against the US and then blow up the container ship in the middle of the Atlantic to cover up the evidence?

The US would have a good-sized list of potential suspects, all of them with nuclear weapons, obviously. We going to nuke them all and expect no retaliatory strike?

Every reactor that produces nuclear material has a distinctive signature as to the radioisotopes it produces. A sampling of the fallout and we would know straightaway where the bomb material came from.

1. What if the bomb is made out of HEU enriched from virgin uranium, rather than from Pu made in reactor?
NB. HEU (U-235) bomb is much easier to make and doesn't need sophisticated electronics to be detonated.

2. What if Plutonium based fissile material used was stolen from Russian or (God forbid!) American facility?
Whom to nuke then?

3. What if Plutonium is produced in concealed facility and you are not in possession of sample for comparison OR (alternatively) what if isotopic proportion of Pu239/240/241 is altered comparing to original ex-reactor product, say by enrichment process?

[eXpat]

Here is a potential trigger for a new round of (escalating) hostilities
Pak army can hit back at Nato attacks: Kayani

Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday gave his troops "full liberty" to respond to any further cross-border attacks by Nato forces in Afghanistan in the wake of an air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, official sources said.

The powerful army chief told commanders of units deployed along the western border with Afghanistan that they had "full liberty of action to respond (by) employing all capabilities" available at their disposal, the sources said.

Kayani was quoted by the sources as saying that there should be "no ambiguity in the rules of engagement for everyone down the chain of command" if they faced an attack by Nato forces.

Such an action would "require no clearance at any level" and the army would "provide resources as required on ground", he was quoted as saying.

Following Saturday's air strike on two military border posts in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 soldiers, Pakistan closed all Nato supply routes and asked the US to vacate Shamsi airbase, reportedly used by CIA-operated drones.

Pakistan also decided to boycott the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan to protest the attack.

The sources said Kayani had described the Nato attack as a "blatant act of aggression" that was "unacceptable". The army chief said he had issued directions that "any act of aggression" would be responded to with "full force, regardless of the cost and consequences".

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Pakistan/Pak-army-has-liberty-to-hit-back-at-Nato-attacks-Kayani/Article1-776847.aspx
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/02/pakistan-military-return-fire-nato

[The Practician]

In the latest "visions of earth" section of the National geographic there is a picture of three pakistani children on their way to do a family portrait. Believe it or not, the pakistanis do not dress their kids in turtlenecks or cute sweaters for such occasions. they dress them up like little generals, with the Hats and the stars and everything. They look like little Stalins. Pakistanis do not screw around.

[rangerone314]

I hate to admit it, but sometimes when I read about Pakistan, I wonder if Rudyard Kipling was right about that part of the world.

[Novus]

In the latest "visions of earth" section of the National geographic there is a picture of three pakistani children on their way to do a family portrait. Believe it or not, the pakistanis do not dress their kids in turtlenecks or cute sweaters for such occasions. they dress them up like little generals, with the Hats and the stars and everything. They look like little Stalins. Pakistanis do not screw around.

From what I understand of Pakistani culture is that they have a lot of emphasis on representations of appearances. They as a people have been compared to puffed up roosters for millenia but a rooster no matter how many feathers he wears is still just a chicken. The way Pakistan is viewed by other central Asian nations is comparable to how the Western nations view France. As I mentioned no other nation would stand for the BS Pakistan has been put through in the last few years and no other nation has responded as sheepishly to NATO aggression as Pakistan. They continue to live up their centuries old reputation of being cultural pushovers. This doesn't mean that they can't eventually be pushed too far but know that Pakistan is not looking for a war. Any war that starts here will be 100% on NATO and Western aggression starting it.


Rudyard Kipling, didn't he come up with the phrase: "East India was ruled 50 years by three people, a man, his wife, and a small child."

[M_B_S]

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=160834
Artificial petrol shortage
FOLLOWING the government decision to reduced price of petrol and diesel, it has become a rare commodity in all most all cities of the country with most of the outlets refusing to sell the fuel under the pretext of ‘no stock’. The acute artificial shortage created by the retailers hit motorists and drivers hard and there were scenes of fights and heated exchanges at several petrol pumps....
****************
Oh, a nice MAD MAX scenario in Pakistan (Nuclear Power, 190 mio. people).

https://www.cia.gov/library/publication ... os/pk.html

[M_B_S]

NO Gas NO Food!

http://paktribune.com/news/Food-crisis- ... 50766.html

Food crisis in Pakistan... By Sidra
19 June, 2012

Pakistan is as an agricultural country where 75 percent of the population lives in rural areas. The world's financial experts have placed Pakistan on the list of 36 countries that are facing a serious food crisis.

Wheat is used as a staple food in Pakistan. In 2009 and 2010, nine million hectares area was harvested for wheat in Pakistan by all provinces. The consumption rate of wheat is 124kg/year (GAIN), which is the highest consumption rate in the world with a population of 180 million. Pakistan needs an additional 300,000 MT of wheat each year in order to maintain the current level of consumption. There are 1,000 mills in Pakistan that properly serve only 40 percent population due to a shortage of electricity. Since 2008, the price of wheat increased 50 percent and Pakistani consumers pay the highest price of wheat in the world. Costly fuel is one of the main reasons for the ensuing food crisis.....
*************************************

Pakistan: no fuel no wheat and nothing to eat.

Peak Oil = Peak Food

M_B_S

[dsula]

They should apply for food aid, most overpopulated nations do. I'm sure they will also get extra rations to reward their nuclear ambitions.

[Tanada]

At least 52 people– mostly women and children– died Sunday in a suicide blast at a public park in Pakistan where Christians were celebrating Easter.

The blast occurred in the parking area of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, a few feet away from children’s swings. Around 150 people were injured in the explosion, officials said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 190 million people, is plagued by a Taliban insurgency, criminal gangs and sectarian violence. Punjab is its biggest and wealthiest province.

Eyewitnesses said they saw body parts strewn across the parking lot once the dust had settled after the blast.

The park had been particularly busy on Sunday evening due to the Easter holiday weekend.

Words can’t express the sadness we feel for the victims of this awful attack. It’s ridiculous that we have to deal with such unspeakable evil on what should be a glorious, celebratory day.

http://www.chicksontheright.com/breakin ... -pakistan/

[onlooker]

We effectively have a modern day crusades war going on in different areas of the world with different intensity. I just pray to God people find it in them to renounce violence.

[Timo]

And the methods of these religious crusades are becoming much more powerful. No more swords or spears. No more guns and cannons. Now we're into rocket launched grenades, bombs, IEDs, missiles, chemical weapons, and sooner or later, nukes. History suggests that the cause for most (but not all) wars merges the ideologies of religion with sovereign state politics. That's exactly what we're witnessing world wide right now. It's even manifesting itself into US politics. Yes, there is a political war occurring within the US right now, and things are starting to get violent. Don't be surprised if we see 1968 all over again here real soon.

Humanity does seem to be just a bit retarded in several regards. Which world war was it that was known as the war to end all wars?

Sorry. Better try that again.