[Milsurplus] (OT) Question about EMP

[David Stinson]

> If there were a nuclear exchange, I beleve
>  the US would come through with minimal loss...

Friend, I wouldn't count on that.
The first salvos would be EMP weapons- that's a given-
going for command-and-control hits.
They burn down the "electronic village" that absolutely everything
in the modern world depends upon. 
With the exception of our old vacuum tube stuff- (and there won't be
enough of us to make a difference to the "big picture")
if electrons run in it, it's probably toast.  Even if your IPOD survives, 
there's no power to charge it, or to cook your FEMA can of beans,
or to light your outside lights so you can aim at the maruaders.
Even a small exchange- say, New York, Washington, the missile fields 
and a couple of transport/comm hubs like Kansas City, 
and it would be very bad.
With national government/communications/transportation/energy distribution
knocked out, we're back to 1854, but with bigger guns and empty bellies.
FEMA?  Bah!  They'd spend the first year 
fighting with the state people over who owns what turf.
The next couple of years would be an unspeakable horror
of violence, disease and starvation.
I've felt the earth convulse when we've popped these thingies,
and so did people a hundred miles away.
And those were "little" ones.
They wicked.  Very wicked.
Regards,
D.S.