In case of Dirty Bomb: it might take four years -- four years! -- to complete necessary testing.

[Flabbergasted]

El Paso Times

Dirty bomb: Report details nation's unpreparedness
El Paso Times Staff
Article Launched: 10/26/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT


There's much discussion about what form the next terrorist attack against the United States will take.

One of the possibilities is a "dirty bomb," a device that would explode and, depending on its power, spread radioactive materials over what could be a wide area.

A congressional report released Thursday predicts that if such an event were to occur, the United States would be woefully unprepared to handle it.

Specifically, according to the report, if a dirty bomb detonates in a major city and exposes 100,000 people to radiation, it might take four years -- four years! -- to complete necessary testing.

The reason is simple -- and chilling: There are too few laboratories to test the thousands of potentially exposed people.

The possibility of a dirty bomb isn't something we like to talk about, but it's something that certainly better be considered when preparing for possible terrorist scenarios.

The report prepared for the House Committee on Science and Technology said there are not many laboratories in the country that can perform the requisite tests and that available tests would only cover six of 13 radiological isotopes that could be used in dirty bombs.

more: http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_7279741

[Warpy]

1. The main problem after the initial aerosol dispersal

is cumulative exposure to radioactive dust. That's the kind of thing that takes a very long time to show up in cancers and things like thyroid dysfunction.

The initial exposure will kill few. The problem is that the area will have to be decontaminated it's safe enough to allow people to live or work there.

That cleanup runs into the tens of millions for even a small device.

[Wilber_Stool]

2. But what do you use to make this

bomb? It has to be something between uranium ore and spent fuel rods. Not easy to get fuel rods, harder to move them around.

[MasonJar]

3. Isn't that basically what we have done to Iraq in both wars we have

propagated there---depleted uranium?

[Flabbergasted]

4. Yes but we have to kill those people.

sarcasm

[yurbud]

5. yep

[Flagrante]

6. In a blue city within a red state

is where the dirty bomb would go off, before the '08 election.

/it will just be a coincidence though...