Fox and Friends Saddened That Suitcase Nukes Not Possible

Posted on November 12, 2007

The co-hosts of Fox and Friends were really bummed out by a new report in which experts debunk the myth of the suitcase nuke. On the show 24 and in many movies, suitcase nukes are portrayed as very real, portable and easy to make. But according to the FBI's WMD experts it's just not so. The fissionable material itself degrades too quickly, the material required would be too big to fit into a suitcase and would be to heavy to be carried by one man. It would need to be the size of an SUV. The material is also too unstable: it quickly degrades all the electronics around it and becomes ineffective.

After appearing in numerous film and TV programs and even creeping its way into American political discourse, the suitcase nuke, a nuclear bomb small enough to be easily hidden, is unlikely to exist, according to experts. The revelation left the anchors of the Fox News program Fox & Friends more than a little disappointed.
"You mean '24' isn't true," Co-host Page Kelly inquired, referring to Fox's national security-themed prime time hit, starring Kiefer Sutherland as CIA agent Jack Bauer. "'24's my favorite show." "It is a little bit of a let down," agreed Greg Kelly.

Unlike the saddened hosts of Fox and Friends, I find it positively heartening that that suitcase nukes aren't so easy to build and maintain. You can see the full report explaining why the suitcase nuke scenario isn't realistic here.