h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There'd be a big mess. Do we know who did it?

A disgruntled postal service worker.

It depends on precisely where in "the west", and how it was delivered and by whom. The list of even potentially hostile nuclear powers is short.

It is highly unlikely the former Soviet states would take the suicidal step of launching a strike on purpose.

I don't think there needs to be much debate if the target were the USA or anywhere the US is interested in, and the delivery system were a missile of any kind. The place of origin of the missile would be identifed within minutes, possible seconds, and would be a smooth layer of fused glass within the hour.

The question is interesting if we assume the gadget is in the back of a van and is detonated somewhere in Europe by person or persons unknown. Presumably some group or other would step forward to claim responsibility fairly sharpish, and in any case it's inconceivable that any terrorist group could assemble a weapon without the help of a government. There's a fairly short list of governments who are capable, and an even shorter list of those prepared to share the tech with mad-eyed loonies ready to nuke civilians.

If it went off in the UK, I imagine the response would be slow, considered, conventional, pointless and misdirected.

If it went off in France, I think there would, very shortly afterwards, be large "unexplained" nuclear accidents near Tehran and Islamabad.

If it happened in the territory of a non-nuclear power, it depends greatly on exactly where and by whom.

It's a reasonable assumption that if a non-missile-delivered nuke were to be used in Europe, Muslims would be responsible, whether Iran or Pakistan sponsored. And even if they weren't, they would almost inevitably get the blame. If they had the bad judgement to target Austria, Switzerland or Holland, I think it would be a very, very short road to all Muslims in those countries being rounded up. And those are just the countries I know to have active, vocal and electorally successful far-right anti-Muslim political movements and public attitudes.

This post has been removed.

"I'd say if it happens round em up over here...it would sort out our housing problem..."

Yeah! Muslims taking our houses!

What a ridiculous thing to say.

Dirty bombs' psychological effects are far more devastating to the target than their radiological ones.

Mr603
< "I'd say if it happens round em up over here...it would sort out our housing problem..."

Yeah! Muslims taking our houses!

What a ridiculous thing to say >

Correct which is why I did not say that at all...at was a slightly satirical comment on one of todays news stories about the lack of affordable housing...

Reportedly, the USSR made a bit over 100 suitcase-sized nukes, each of which could destroy an area of around a square mile. More recently, they did a stock-check, and could only find around 80 of them!
By implication, it would not be impossible for someone with a few million in the (Swiss) bank (as, for instance, the Bin Laden family did, and possibly still do) to acquire one of these devices. Getting it from one country to another would be a challenge, but nothing a few $100k couldn't sweep away. Once it's in the country, intercity rail links could get it undetectably into the very heart of any major city, especially if the carrier is willing to not leave it unattended until his body is vaporised along with everything around him.
As terrifying as this sounds, there is yet another element to add to the fear: it could be anyone, not just Islamists. Anyone with enough cash to buy the underworld influence, enough more cash to make use of it, and a psychotic grudge against "the West/capitalists/whites/royalists/Zionists/etc." or anyone deemed to be aiding or harbouring them, could do it.

Alfster, you need to put a or something after some comments to make explicit the fact that you're kidding...

Indeed, I thoguth we'd left the hard of thinking back at the Beeb Beeb Ceeb.

It dopesn't matter tho as the post has been hidden...did we bring over some over-sensitive moderator from the BBC when we moved who can't see a satirical joke when they see it?

if I see many more posts hidden like that I'm off - I thought we'd gained some common sense when we moved...

Still just humans from earth, bud.

I was hoping for a better class of human though.