I don't think the terrorists give a damn about first responders. Their objective is to start by killing four million Americans. They won't waste a perfectly good nuke on a site already struck. Law of Diminishing Returns._________________You're right about this. I didn't think it though. The hitting of first responders is a technique used by Palestinians - a low tech solution to cause maximum terror. It doesn't apply. _____________________
If this happens it'll be different cities across the country and at crucial choke points like the mouth of the Mississippi River or in hub cities for food and fuel distribution.
_________________ You're right here too. ____________________
Have you heard of the urban legend about the allegedly lost suitcase nukes supposed to be already secreted here on US Soil during the cold war era? _____________________I've heard that myth, but my larger concern is some stealth enemy would sell the nukes to Osama to take us out for their own reasons... My first guess would be a country that hated us, felt threatened by us, and didn't want to be nuked in retaliation - like Iran. Or as you say, maybe some retired KGB officer______________- If the Jihadis buy those from some retired KGB officer.....
If you had 4 nukes here is what a smart terrorist would do. Put them on boats and sail three of them into ports. A port in Washington, New York and Los Angeles. The reason to be in a port is because they have no way to check your cargo until your already in port and well within range of a nuke. The forth you attempt to sneak into Chicago in between O'Hare and the loop in an attempt to shut down many major expressways and the busiest airport. Not to mention Chicago is a cross roads for most of the country. An attack like that would immediately through us into the largest depression we've ever seen. Hell ill bet democracy doesn't survive an attack like that.
However most likely a terrorist would only have one shitty bomb and they'd use it against, Tel Aviv, London, New York.
In many ways a New York attack would be worse than DC.