Avi Schnurr, July 2009
Since the first atmospheric nuclear tests fifty years ago, it has been known that a single nuclear weapon exploded above the Earth’s atmosphere produces an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), radiating down to the Earth in a massive electrical surge of over 10,000 volts per meter. An EMP weapon’s range is limited only by its altitude: it hits everywhere on a continent not blocked by the earth’s curvature, and strikes about ten times as fast as lighting,burning out computers, electronics, electrical networks and control systems.
EMP would destroy the country’s computers, bring the economy to a halt by disrupting its banking and financial databases and burn out telephones, cell phones, the internet, email, radio and television. It would destroy the electrical grid, stop cars and trucks on the country’s highways, disrupt the government, stop the nation’s water and waste management systems, drive oil refineries out of control and cripple the nation’s military. It would shatter the foundation of modern society.
The EMP Commission found that knowledge of this threat is particularly widespread in the world’s most dangerous nations, including Iran and North Korea. Iran, in particular, has been conducting what appear to be missile tests to simulate a nuclear EMP strike. According to Senate testimony, an Iranian military journal publicly discussed using EMP against the West.
"Once you confuse the enemy communication network,” the Iranian journal said,“ … you will, in effect, disrupt all the affairs of that country. If the world's industrial countries fail to devise effective ways to defend themselves against dangerous electronic assaults then they will disintegrate within a few years.”
