Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

On August 6, 1945 the Enola Gay dropped one bomb. This bomb, code name Little Boy, exploded over the city of Hiroshima with a force of 12.5 kilotons of explosives. This first atomic weapon was a dirty bomb using less than 10% of its fissionable material. Whether it was right or wrong what the US did is not the point, nor can it be the point. It was done, thousands suffered and a city was destroyed.

Based on research thus far, it is believed that the atomic bomb exploded approximately 580 meters in the air over the Shima Hospital in Saiku-machi (now Otemachi 1 chome), about 300 meters southeast of the Aioi Bridge. At the instant of detonation, the temperature of the air at the point of explosion exceeded a million degrees Celsius (the maximum temperature of conventional bombs is approximately 5,000 °C). A white-hot fireball appeared millionths of a second after detonation. After 1 second, the fireball reached a diameter of approximately 280 meters. For the following three seconds, it emitted powerful heat rays, and continued to shine visibly for approximately 10 seconds.

At the instant of explosion, intense heat rays and radiation were released in all directions. The pressure on the surrounding air created a blast of unimaginable force. The cloud generated by the explosion rose on powerful updrafts. As the pillar of radiation-laden soot and smoke reached the bottom of the stratosphere, it spread horizontally to a diameter of several kilometers, forming a giant mushroom cap. Of the energy released, about 35% was in the form of heat, 50% was blast, and about 15% was radiation.

Because the A-bomb exploded close to the center of the city, and because 85% of the buildings were within 3 km of the hypocenter, destruction to the city was nearly complete, with 90% of buildings collapsed or burned. (August 1946 Survey by the Hiroshima City Government)

By December of 1945 approximately 140,000 dead (±10,000) as of the end of December 1945.
(Of Hiroshima's estimated population of 350,000)

The destruction of Hiroshima took less than a minute, its effects are still being felt.

Since that time 8 nations have declared that they have nuclear weapons. United States, Russia, China, Great Britain, France, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.

There is one nation that won't confirm or deny that they have nuclear weapons: Israel.

There are 2 nations trying to make nuclear weapons: Syria and Iran. Both of these nations have sworn to destroy Israel. And only one of them Iran is actually enriching uranium to fulfill that threat.

Iran now claims to have 6000 centrifuges, doubling the capacity of their nuclear program. While the civilized world tries to stop Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon through negotiations, Israel prepares to strike.

On Friday the New York Times reported that Israel carried out a major military drill during the first week of June that US sources say was apparently a rehearsal for a potential attack on Iran's nuclear sites.

Several US officials were quoted by the newspaper as saying that it seemed the drill was an effort to develop Israel's capacity to carry out long-range strikes and to show the gravity with which Israel views the Iranian nuclear issue.

More than 100 IAF F-16 and F-15 fighter jets took part in the exercise, which was carried out over the eastern Mediterranean and over Greece, the officials said.

The drill also included IAF rescues helicopters, said the officials, adding that the helicopters and refueling tankers flew more than 900 miles, which is approximately the distance between Israel and Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.

Israel knows that if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, Iran will use it on any Israeli city. Tel Aviv, Haifa, Dimona, even Jerusalem would and could become the next Hiroshima. Israel's response would be devastating to Iran.

During the Cold War there were many occasions in which the Soviet Union and the United States stood at the prepicite of the abyss. What kept the two nations from going over the edge and taking the world with them was the fact that they would destroy each other and neither side would win. This Mutually Assured Destruction or MAD kept the world from blowing itself apart.

Unfortunately, MAD doesn't work with Iran. Iran is ruled not by sane, rational people, but by religious fanatics who actually believe that the destruction of Israel will bring back their long, lost 12the Iman (the Mahdi). They are eagerly working towards this goal. The Iranian people actually believe that if they were to die in a nuclear holocaust, they would go straight to Paradise and receive 72 virgins each. How do you combat such a mentality?










What happened on August 6, 1945 must not be repeated in the near future. If the world can't stop Iran, Israel must. For it is not only their cities that are at risk, but every city of the Civilized world is at risk.

On this the 63rd anniversary of that day we must take a firm stand with Iran and tell them under no circumstances will we allow you to have a nuclear weapon!