We all saw what 9/11 did, as many business closed, many schools let out, etc… However, what would it take to truly bring our nation to a hault? Is there even anything that COULD happen that would do something as horrible as that? Perhaps a widespread epidemic, a nuclear blast of some sort, etc…?
By God don’t get me wrong, as I do not wish for anything of this such to happen, but I was just currious as to what you think, that’s all.
A good blizzard usually takes most of the country out for a while.
All the nukes in the world and only mother nature can truly bring Uncle Sam to his knees…MUAHAHAHAHAH.
Oh for the love of Pete, Brent. Do you need a hobby? Honestly, there really isn’t anything that could stop the US for good. We’ve come farther in two-hundred years than some countries have in two-thousand. They can’t stop us Brent, they can only hope to contain us.
I disagree, FireWitch.
Heres a few things: A civil war could very easily bring the US to a halt. Revolution easily could as well. A massive computer failure ala the milenium bug could as well.
Following the 9/11 angle, I can think of several methods that would stall the US economy sufficiently for several weeks, which, as a result, would cause enough harm to us that recovery would take years, if not decades.
And, the investment in doing so might take no more than say, oh, 20 people.
Good Lord, I don’t mean end the USA, just something that could bring everything to a hault, and I’m certain that it’s more than possible, for a good ammount of time. No nation has truly been impervious (sp?), and we are no different.
Loss of foreign oil would do it.
But, basically, we are probably going to self-destruct via pollution - but, as I’ll be dead long before that happens, I don’t really care.
A 1930’s style economic depression might get our attention.
The recession/depression that we MAY yet experience in the next year or so won’t be as severe as the 30’s. But then, most of us in the US aren’t as tough or prepared to endure some of the hardships of the 30’s.
[ul][li] Civil War - over what? Who against who. Sounds good but give an example that makes sense.[/li][li] Revolution (?) and how does this differ from civil war. Who revolts against who and why. Come on back it up.[/li][li] Milenium bug - I guess this is the Y2K bugaboo that ended up to be the biggest fizzle in history.[/li] Anymore? :p[/ul]
Sam this is the best yet, but why do you feel that our great grandfolks were anymore prepared than us. The "Greatest Generation rose to the occasion, which was WWII. So did their parents who had WWI and the depression. So would we, if we had to (IMHO). 
A Beatles reunion.
Having just re-read Tom Clancy’s Executive Orders, I’d have to go with a nationwide disease outbreak. There’s no way that America would be as calm in real life as it is in the book.
An epidemic that attacks the minds of all Americans, preventing them from spelling the word halt correctly.
a polar reversal or severe Solar flares could really cause the fertiliser to hit the air conditioner.
That’s just what the Romans said.
Indeed they did jjiimm, but then the Romans had a problem. No kevlar.
Seriously though, the 9/11 attacks had that exact effect on our nation. For two or three days, everything just stopped, except of course the ‘rescue’ effort at the WTC and Pentagon. Since then though, we’ve seen countless documentaries, endless hand-wringing, and incessant whining, bitching, and moaning, about the losses and the aftermath. eh.
We’re equal now, to the rest of the world in fearing for our lives when we go to work in the morning. The playing field has finally equalized, and the soft-assed Americans simply can’t deal. Ask the Spanish about the Basque, or the Irish about the IRA, Or the Israelis about the PLO they can tell you that you don’t surrender or give in, you live your life and hope you make it through, a day at a time, no more, no less.
So, I suppose what would bring a halt to the US has already happened, and anything similar where more than a couple dozen or so people die in the attack or something that looks catastrophic on CNN could do it again. BTW, what was the deal with that building collapse in Texas, I never heard anything else after the initial reports.
(Actually, the Romans would probably have said “Brentus”).
Look, it is possible that something could bring the US to a halt. Everything changes, nothing is impermeable. “My name is Ozymandias, look on my works, ye mighty, and despair”. Asteroid strike, nukes, etc. It’s highly bloody unlikely, I agree, and hand-wringing ain’t going to help any, but it’s not impossible. That’s what this thread is about: what actually could do it. It’s not necessarily about terrorism or US citizens’ attitudes.
And you’d better check your facts about the IRA and concessions.
How about a sustained bombing campaign from within?
Remember how the anthrax scare shut down places every time someone thought they saw white powder?
Mind you I think nothing short of a biological disaster (plague) would halt everything.
Here’s hoping neither scenario actually happens
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by kniz *
**[ul][li] Civil War - over what? Who against who. Sounds good but give an example that makes sense.[/li][li] Revolution (?) and how does this differ from civil war. Who revolts against who and why. Come on back it up.[/li][li] Milenium bug - I guess this is the Y2K bugaboo that ended up to be the biggest fizzle in history.[/li][li] Anymore? :p[/ul] **[/li][/QUOTE]
Civil war- Who knows. Watching the last presidential election, perhaps even Democrats Vs. Republicans. Any issue really. Or massive civil unrest like back in the 60’s with the hippies (remember Kent State?). What I meant by civil war was attacks from within the USA by Americans. Perhaps massive terrorist attacks by militant groups within the USA, especially if they choose their targets stragetically enough. Stragetic targets would be financial institutes like in Fight Club (although that wouldn’t work they have backups all over the US including some in abandoned nuke cilos). Power Plants, especially Hoover Dam and the various nuke power plants all over the US. Also, we can’t forget about all the biological attacks Americans could do.
Revolution- That would be similar to civil war, although I was thinking more of a Political Revolution, a total change of the political system, a Junta(I think this is what a take over by the military is called) etc.
Milenium bug- Yes I was talking about the big fizzle, but if it had happened, it most likely would have stopped the US for a good couple of months (or more). Also, most people don’t know this but there is a second Y2K like bug that will be hitting around 2006 or 2016 I forgot which. What I meant was a massive national computer failure, however it may be caused. Some other possible ways, massive hacker attacks, massive virus attacks, or massive DOS attacks.
Of course all of the above would have to be at an incredibly massive extent, but if you combine them all it would not need to be nearly as massive.
The amazing thing is nothing ever stopped at the Pentagon, the exact building that was attacked and hit. A recent TLC/Discover Channel show as talking about how the Pentagon set up three separate command centers in different parts of the building while the fire was burning (they were expecting more planes) so that preparations for defense of the country wouldn’t be affected by further hits.
They were just getting started, and it was still 9/11, 10:00 AM.
“[T]hey stand on a wall and they say ‘Nothing’s gonna hurt you tonight…Not on my watch.’” – A Few Good Men, 1992 (God, I love that movie!)