India, Pakistan Exchange Shelling and War Threats; Six Dead

AP ^ | May 23, 2002 | Neelesh Misra

[TomGuy]

Posturing, or the start of the Big One in SE Asia?

[jaz.357]

What would happen in the USA if they do go nuke? How big are the bombs? Would it affect our air/water?

[My2Cents]

Well, if Bin Laden is in Pakistan, that would be one way of assuring he was obliterated.

I know I should care whether Pak and India wipe each other off the face of the earth, but I don't.

[ChicagoRepublican]

It's just posturing. Within two weeks this will die down until the next time the Indian population gets pissed at a terrorist attack.

[Fish out of Water]

*Index Bump

[Sender]

It would directly affect a large area, mainly whatever lies downwind of the area for hundreds of miles. The relatively heavy fallout would mostly enter the soil and groundwater after the next rain. Some lighter dust would undoubtedly make its way around the world, but I doubt that we would experience any significant contamination. The areas around and downwind of the explosions, however, would remain hazardous for a long, long time. These areas would not be like the desolation in sci-fi movies at all. They would have plenty of plant life and seem relatively normal. People would stay there or move back in. Cancer and birth defect rates would go up. In the end, we would get blamed for it all somehow and have to foot the bill for medical and cleanup. Most significantly though, if there is a nuclear exchange, the genie will be out of the bottle, so to speak. The first one is always the hardest. The next ones are easier. Or at least, no longer unthinkable.

[FReepaholic]

See the link below:

Trans-Pacific Fallout

[FReepaholic]

See post #10

[Dan Day]

Good analysis, including the political ramifications. That's my view as well.

[PsyOp]

Pakistan and human rights activists accuse Indian security forces of raping and torturing Kashmir's Muslims and executing Islamic militants instead of detaining them.

Muslims accusing non-muslims of masacres... I think I'll take the word of the Indians on this one.

[Lion's Cub]

Substitute India for Israel and Pakistan for "palestine". Same strategy-different location. Except this location would greatly help China make a move on Taiwan or the shipping lanes.

BTW, if Musharraf puts all of his forces on the border, who's left to contain the jihadists and prevent his overthrow? It could be that Bush is talking to Putin about a lot more than a new ABM agreement...

[Braak]

Honestly, not much...most of the weapons are low-kiloton range yield weapons...and frankly..the only folks who might have to worry is the Chinese and the Bangladeshis. The Indus and the Gangees might have an unhealthy glow to them as well.

[hchutch]

What's your take on this?

I can't type mine, I fear it would be nuked for profanity...

[Poohbah]

At least this isn't YugoNam, where we had to make an emergency airlift of vowels so we could pronounce the place names...