@RUTGERS.ARPA,@SRI-CSL:eyal%wisdom.bitnet@WISCVM.ARPA (05/08/85)
From: Eyal mozes <eyal%wisdom.bitnet@WISCVM.ARPA> > I forget who wrote the letter I'm replying to. I did. > The Machine had an internal power source that would give it > just enough "juice" to explode the capitals of the U.S. and Russia > if outside power were to be cut. No. According to the discussion near the end of the book, the J-Bomb, if it feels its power is going to be cut off, will explode only military installations, and ONLY in the USA. This would certainly be of great benefit to the USSR (and, given enough time and the stakes involved, they can probably manage to do it). Also, this would mean that the USA would be able to cut off the power if it first moves all its major military installations to new locations (a difficult, costly undertaking, which would certainly take long enough for the USSR to build a J-Bomb of its own). Eyal Mozes BITNET: eyal@wisdom CSNET and ARPA: eyal%wisdom.bitnet@wiscvm.ARPA UUCP: ..!decvax!humus!wisdom!eyal