# Have you heard of a plan to move San Diego, California to Alaska or this just a rumor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214 "2013-06-05T15:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/61 "2013-06-06T02:37:38Z")
It’ll be a while before it gets there, however… 🙂 Tectonically speaking, [San Diego is on](http://geology.com/articles/san-andreas-fault.shtml) the [Pacific Plate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Plate), which is slipping northwestwards past the [North American Plate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Plate) at a rate of about [50mm per year](http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/socal-faults.html). A quick Google Earth measurement puts Alaska’s Aleutian Islands (part of the North American Plate) at about 4000km NW of San Diego. At this rate, about 800 million years from now, (what is now) San Diego may indeed show up in Alaska. So **Mr Quatro** may be onto something! Mock him at your peril – he sees the future! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/62 "2013-06-06T03:03:47Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Shit. The OP’s right. I googled it, and [there is some discussion](https://www.google.com/search?q=moving+san+diego+naval+base+to+alaska%3F&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari) already on the net. Gödelian recursion! ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/63 "2013-06-06T03:06:58Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve heard of a plan to swap Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. Not sure anyone would notice. And I live in PA. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/64 "2013-06-06T03:42:22Z")
> [@Antonius\_Block](#): > > It’ll be a while before it gets there, however… 🙂 > > Tectonically speaking, [San Diego is on](http://geology.com/articles/san-andreas-fault.shtml) the [Pacific Plate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Plate), which is slipping northwestwards past the [North American Plate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Plate) at a rate of about [50mm per year](http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/socal-faults.html). > > A quick Google Earth measurement puts Alaska’s Aleutian Islands (part of the North American Plate) at about 4000km NW of San Diego. > > At this rate, about 800 million years from now, (what is now) San Diego may indeed show up in Alaska. > > So **Mr Quatro** may be onto something! Mock him at your peril – he sees the future! Our esteemed and honorable reptilian overlords anticipated this, but decided the timeframe was too slow even from their long view perspective. Hence the beams and anti-gravity and the utter suppression of the news media about reporting this. I can only thank my lucky stars that I found a friend within the ranks of the reptiliods. Otherwise, this would be utterly nonsensical. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/65 "2013-06-06T04:36:45Z")
Can the OP please provide a link to this rumor other than this thread? ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/66 "2013-06-06T12:08:26Z")
after 50-some posts, it falls to me to receive the honor of pointing out the obvious reason for moving the fleet to Anchorage: So Sarah Palin can see it. * * * (Thank you. You may now click on [www.instantrimshot.com](http://www.instantrimshot.com) ) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/67 "2013-06-06T13:55:56Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > I didn’t miss the fall of the wall in Berlin I think that was 24 years ago > and I didn’t miss the increase in submarines being produced by Russia/China > the kind of nuclear submarines that carry missile’s tipped with nuclear war heads > that can go 3,500 miles. Well, the number of Russian submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and the submarines that launch them (SSBNs) is fixed by treaty and cannot change. The Chinese are probably building more SSBNs, but as of a few years ago had only ONE, and it demonstrated embarassing depth-control problems. More to the point, San Diego would be a strategic target even if there were no military facilities located there at all. One main tenet of nuclear weapons targeting is to hold the potential adversary’s populations under threat. In any sizable exchange, San Diego will get a warhead (or several) regardless of the Navy’s presence. The _only way_ to change that is to move enough people out of San Diego that it becomes too small to bother attacking. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/68 "2013-06-06T14:03:40Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > after 50-some posts, it falls to me to receive the honor of pointing out the obvious reason for moving the fleet to Anchorage: > > So Sarah Palin can see it. Sarah doesn’t need to see it. She instinctively knows when the Fleet is in. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/69 "2013-06-06T15:38:29Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Well, the number of Russian submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and the submarines that launch them (SSBNs) is fixed by treaty and cannot change. The Chinese are probably building more SSBNs, but as of a few years ago had only ONE, and it demonstrated embarassing depth-control problems. > > More to the point, San Diego would be a strategic target even if there were no military facilities located there at all. One main tenet of nuclear weapons targeting is to hold the potential adversary’s populations under threat. In any sizable exchange, San Diego will get a warhead (or several) regardless of the Navy’s presence. > > The _only way_ to change that is to move enough people out of San Diego that it becomes too small to bother attacking. I see the mistake I have made in saying “Have you heard” or “is this just a rumor” This board requires you to dot your eye’s and cross your tee’s … “I wonder if it would beneifit the population of San Diego, California (some four million people in the area) if the United States Naval Base now presently located in San Diego were to close down and all of it’s ships and men and supplies transfered to another area more strategic to fighting the real threat of a nuclear first strike/sneak attack to the fleet stationed in San Diego?” I had to look it up too and I am on dial-up with the only results being a pizza place in Alaska or the country of Ireland. I realized in the OP that there was no port in Alaska that could hold a fleet of that size and so stated the fact as so. Sailboat is one of the few that made sense in his reply … Let’s stop being silly that this thread has anything to do about moving an entire city from one place to another, when the real subject is the lives of a few million people that live in San Diego. as for the known enemies of the United States that could or would launch a first strike/sneak attack would be Russia or China. Russia has the ability to reload the ICBM’s silo’s and America does not, the submarines do not launch all of their missiles at the same time, but only a few and make a run for another area to launch the rest. The hot line would already be burning hot to give up or we will launch the rest of our mobile and submarine missiles and by now reloaded ICBM silo’s. Would the President of the United States give in to save the rest of the population that has not been already blown to smitherians? The Artic circle has become the next war zone for submarine launched missiles from the top of the world they can reach every city in North America. The threat of war is real … why not be ready? This would take years to do of course with conferences and the openess of America we could never keep it secret. Turn the bases into federal reserves for ex-military and government employees to enjoy their retirement years. San Diego would be better off … the red dots for south California would disappear for first strike/sneak attack and if you move Beal Airforce base (home of the Strategtic Air Command) near Sacramento in northern California there would be no targets left. Make fun of it or see the benefits … PS I love San Diego, California and have many friends there … I love America too, but this is about the truth of a few million peole being better off without the US Navy (which I also love) > **[China, India, Pakistan boost nuclear arsenals: study](https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_India_Pakistan_boost_nuclear_arsenals_study_999.html)** > > Stockholm (AFP) June 3, 2013 - Three of the world's nuclear powers - China, India and Pakistan - have increased their nuclear arsenals over the past year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said Monday. > [@](#): > > Three of the world’s nuclear powers – China, India and Pakistan – have increased their nuclear arsenals over the past year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said Monday. > China now has 250 nuclear warheads against 240 in 2012; Pakistan has increased its warheads by about 10 to between 100 and 120; and India has also added roughly 10 for a total of 90 to 110, SIPRI said in its annual report. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/70 "2013-06-06T15:42:11Z")
As noted above, San Diego is toast in a nuclear exchange whether or not the Navy is there. It’s one of the finest, if not THE finest anchorage on the West Coast. And the 8th largest city in the country. So you are proposing spending trillions of dollars to reduce the threat to a city not one iota. In fact, moving the Navy would cripple the city for the next 100 years or so. Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/71 "2013-06-06T15:49:26Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > I see the mistake I have made in saying “Have you heard” or “is this just a rumor” > > This board requires you to dot your eye’s and cross your tee’s … > > “I wonder if it would beneifit the population of San Diego, California (some four million people in the area) if the United States Naval Base now presently located in San Diego were to close down and all of it’s ships and men and supplies transfered to another area more strategic to fighting the real threat of a nuclear first strike/sneak attack to the fleet stationed in San Diego?”] Thank you for finally admitting full responsibility for this asinine and ill-thought-out “idea”. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/72 "2013-06-06T16:11:10Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Let’s stop being silly that this thread has anything to do about moving an entire city from one place to another, when the real subject is the lives of a few million people that live in San Diego. [http://www.sandiegobusiness.org/industry#key-military](http://www.sandiegobusiness.org/industry#key-military) > [@from link](#): > > San Diego is home to the largest concentration of military in the world. It is homeport to more than 60 percent of the ships in the U.S. Pacific Fleet and more than one-third of the combat power of the U.S. Marine Corps. The **defense industry represents one out of every four jobs in the region and includes leaders in unmanned vehicles, robotics, cyber security and shipbuilding**. (bolding mine) Dude, its just not feasible. The civilian owned shipyards alone make San Diego a strategic target, even without the military presence. Have you heard of the “MAD” doctrine? Have you any idea what made it work, after a fashion? Nuclear is supposed to be so horrible, we don’t get into one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/73 "2013-06-06T16:13:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Thank you for finally admitting full responsibility for this asinine and ill-thought-out “idea”. I love you Czarcasm, but you would’ve posted the same thing in June 1941 “Should we move the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor with all of it’s battleships to another location?” ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/74 "2013-06-06T16:20:09Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > [http://www.sandiegobusiness.org/industry#key-military](http://www.sandiegobusiness.org/industry#key-military) > > (bolding mine) > > Dude, its > > just > > not > > feasible. > The civilian owned shipyards alone make San Diego a strategic target, even without the military presence. > > Have you heard of the “MAD” doctrine? Have you any idea what made it work, after a fashion? > > Nuclear is supposed to be so horrible, we don’t get into one. Have you heard of chess? Have you heard of “Yamantau” Yes it is feesible … have you heard of the budget battles to reduce cost? have you heard of bases closing all over America? Have you ever been in the naval war college room in Rhode Island? San Diego would not suffer … the civilan shipyards would not suffer. Having a new International airport at North Island would not suffer. Tourism would not suffer. The only thing that would suffer is a bunch of stuffy old admirals that like I do, love San Diego. ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/75 "2013-06-06T16:26:16Z")
Wouldn’t that just move the base CLOSER to most potential enemies? Distance from North Korea to San Diego: 5,900 miles Distance from North Korea to Anchorage: 3,600 miles Distance from Beijing to San Diego: 6,400 miles Distance from Beijing to Anchorage: 4,000 miles Distance from Moscow to San Diego: 6,100 miles Distance from Moscow to Anchorage: 4,300 miles Distance from Tehran to San Diego: 7,700 miles Distance from Tehran to Anchorage: 5,600 miles ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/76 "2013-06-06T16:31:35Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > “Should we move the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor with all of it’s battleships to another location?” And you know what? The answer to that, even with hindsight–hell, especially with hindsight–would have been a resounding, “No, that’s an idiotic idea!” ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/77 "2013-06-06T16:37:48Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Yes it is feesible … have you heard of the budget battles to reduce cost? have you heard of bases closing all over America? > > Have you ever been in the naval war college room in Rhode Island? The War College?? What have they got to do with anything in this topic? Are you saying that the NWC in Rhode Island can “game out” a reduced cost move to Alaska? Really? > [@](#): > > San Diego would not suffer Despite losing 1/4 to 1/3 of it’s employment/job dollars? (see cite above, which does not include civilian jobs needed to support the civilian population moved, like supermarkets, police, fire, teachers…) > [@](#): > > … the civilan shipyards would not suffer. They are a strategic target themselves. Period. Even without the Navy. [shipyard](http://www.nassco.com/who-we-are/company-overview.html) > [@](#): > > Having a new International airport at North Island would not suffer. I am not so sure as you that the citizens of Coronado would want the NAS to become a busy International Airport. > [@](#): > > Tourism would not suffer. So? 😕 Nobody, but nobody, has argued that the military needs to stay where it is to protect tourism. > [@](#): > > The only thing that would suffer is a bunch of stuffy old admirals that like I do, love San Diego. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/78 "2013-06-06T16:38:53Z")
Let’s move all of our military assets to someplace where they 1. can’t be supported 2. can’t send their crews anywhere for I & I 3. costs 5 times as much to maintain 4. can’t deploy effectively 5. become totally useless Great idea, **Quatro**! Let’s cut military costs by spending trillions of dollars! This is a new record low in moronic ideas. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/79 "2013-06-06T16:38:54Z")
The reality is they are moving Alaska to California, since there is a lot less snow in California and the Alaskans are sick of snow. They are unsure what to do with the moose and caribou, though… ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214/80 "2013-06-06T16:53:41Z")
Kauai, Hawaii has AMM’s anti-missile missiles … I hope they work The USAF has a project to launch a 3,500 mph rocket (hasn’t worked yet), but I’ll be glad when it is mass produced. only a few more years till Russia and China won’t be the only enemy left to consider a first strike/sneak attack. The Pentagon has options to reduce the budget … at least consider a move and keep America strong at the same time. El Toro Marine Air Base is no longer open in Orange County and is now a regional airport is just one example [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-a-plan-to-move-san-diego-california-to-alaska-or-this-just-a-rumor/660214.md?page=5)