Many have no idea that EMP stands for Electromagnetic Pulse. Terrorists know the unimaginable damage an EMP attack would cause by using a small nuclear armed missile from any freighter off the US coast.

A nuclear explosion can react with molecules in the upper atmosphere, resulting in an invisible radio frequency, a million times stronger than the most intense earth radio signal. At an elevation of three hundred miles, the entire continental US would be exposed to a "line-of-site" pulse radiating down at the speed of light.

An EMP attack would cripple America, with its current infrastructure dependency on electricity and electronics [Nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) - Imminent danger to the US # 1]. Over-stressed power grids, non-shielded electrical systems, cascading loss of power, lack of refrigeration leaving food to rot, lack of transportation from vehicles out of gas (no electricity to pump), inability to sanitize or pump water-all leading to large scale rioting, and eventually starvation and disease.  read more »