Terrorist Targets
The U.S. is a nation of networks; power, communication, railways,
trucking, shipping lanes, and natural resource pipelines. A terrorist
operation conducted by a small group of people against any one of these
networks not only would instill fear in people, but also paralyze large
sections of the nation.
The destruction of electric power grids in New Mexico would paralyze the
city of Los Angeles. Disabling a power network would do much more than
simply cause a blackout.
Computer networks would shut down, the port of Los Angeles would be
immobilized, vehicular traffic would be brought to a standstill, rail
lines would cease operations, airports would be disabled, and sewer
treatment plants would cease operations.
In addition crime would be rampant and police would be powerless to do
anything about it, as the police communications would also be effected,
and patrol operations would be immobilized by mobs in the street.
Just as easy to attack would be any part of the U.S. transportation
network. Airplanes are kept flying by a series of isolated radar
stations, computer and communications antennae, and a series of 20 Air
Traffic Control Centers.
An act of sabotage against any link in this chain could seriously damage
all military and civilian aircraft transportation. Just as vulnerable is
the nations rail network. Two or three well coordinated attacks on the
rail system would effectively immobilize rail traffic for a large part of the nation. Sabotage against the rail system would be easier than
against an electric power network.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Bombing the Potomic River rail bridge in Washington, D.C. and the main
track line in Cincinnati, Ohio, would HALT ALL RAIL TRAFFIC in the NORTHEAST CORRIDOR and EASTERN SEABOARD.
Not as critical as the rail or air systems, but just as unprotected and
vulnerable, is the inland water system. Destroying a ship in the Saint Lawrence Seaway would stop all traffic between the Great Lakes and the Ocean. Strategically sinking a ship in the Intercoastal Waterway would bring to a halt 40% of the U.S. bulk cargo. Likewise all river traffic would be halted for weeks or months by an act of sabotage against a lock
and dam system.
Possibly the most vulnerable system of all is the U.S. pipeline system.
The most exposed pipeline is the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.
This pipeline is a four foot pip running for 800 miles from Prudhomme to Port Valdez, Alaska. It carries 1.2 million barrels of oil per day. One control center at Valdez, Alaska, is responsible for monitoring the entire pipeline. A terrorist bombing along this pipeline would not only interrupt the entire flow but would turn the 140 degree oil into a semi-solid. This disruption could take up to 1 year to clean up.
Three other Oil pipelines equally as vulnerable are the:
1) Capline pipeline between Saint James, Louisiana and Patoka, Illinois,
is 632 miles long.
2) Colonia pipeline on the East Coast.
3) Plantation pipeline in the South.
Much more destructive would be a terrorist attack against the natural gas pipelines. A small charge which lets air into the pipeline would DESTROY several miles of the pipeline, millions of dollars of property, and countless lives. By gaining control of a natural gas Control Center and increasing the pressure of natural gas, a terrorist group could cause a major explosion.
It should be evident from the few examples given above that the U.S. is
extremely vulnerable to large scale acts of terrorism. A large scale act
of terrorism does not mean the terrorist strike force must be large. One or two people could conduct acts such as those mentioned above.
NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL TERRORISM. IF YOU GO TO MSNBC.COM YOU WILL SEE A FANTASTIC SOURCE OF INFORMATION REGARDING HOW EFFECTIVE AND EASILY A CHEMICAL-BIOLOGICAL ATTACK (CB) COULD BE CONDUCTED AGAINST THE USA. |
