# When do we use the really cool weapons (EMP Pulse)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-we-use-the-really-cool-weapons-emp-pulse/164007>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 25, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-we-use-the-really-cool-weapons-emp-pulse/164007 "2003-03-25T13:03:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-we-use-the-really-cool-weapons-emp-pulse/164007/21 "2003-03-26T00:02:27Z")

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Briefly caught something on CBS with Blather mumbling about e-bomb taking Iraqi TV off the air. Can’t find anything on their site about it, however.

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**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-we-use-the-really-cool-weapons-emp-pulse/164007/22 "2003-03-26T00:47:27Z")

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I saw something in the print media about EMP usage.

They didn’t expect us to use it because, (a) it wipes out civilian infrustructure indiscriminately along with the military (phone systems, radios, PCs, hospital electronics such as X-rays, etc etc), so breaks rules, and (b) we don’t want to set a precedent as the USA is far more vulnerable if EMP weapons started being used.

We have more electronics in every aspect of our life, and depend on them.

Psy-ops WAG: We can talk about it and get the enemy to putting their resources into shielding their equipment, etc, and then we never use it. We have effectively zeroed out (destroyed) whatever resources they used.

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**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-we-use-the-really-cool-weapons-emp-pulse/164007/23 "2003-03-26T02:18:41Z")

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You know, I learned about non-nuclear EMP weapons from the Straight Dope. Article of Unca Cec’s about killing evil THOOMPA THOOMPA car stereos.

Good article. Made sense, when you think about it. Ever make a generator with a magnet and a coil of wire? Same idea.

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**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-we-use-the-really-cool-weapons-emp-pulse/164007/24 "2003-03-26T02:53:10Z")

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Go’ram Alliance technology…!

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