Dear editor, Timothy Birdnow's article "EMP and the Unfought Victory [7/1/2006] is pure fiction. As demonstrated in 1962 thermonuclear tests in the upper atmosphere, it takes a fairly heavy hydrogen bomb [10 megaton+] to generate significant EMP waves over thousands of miles that will actually cause anywhere near the devastation claimed in Mr. Birdnow's article.  Even then, no mass wipeout of all vehicles as described is likely at all due to shielding of steel vehicle body, and most of the power plants could soon be put back on line. Smaller weapons, even as much as the "Starfish Prime," 9:00 9 July1962 (GMT), at Johnston Island, Airburst; 248 miles up, Yield:  1450 kt, did not do extensive EMP damage at only 800 miles distance.* The only known nuclear weapon that N. Korea has is the limited fission type of weapon that is comprised of either enriched Uranium 235 or plutonium U239.  Both types are restrained by the "critical mass" limit, above which a single element...(Read Full Post)