---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What if someone hit us with an EMP…"
description: "\"What if someone hit us with an EMP, cyber-attack, and dirty bomb all at once? That would be pretty bad.\" — Benjamin Carson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png"
---

#  What if someone hit us with an EMP, cyber-attack, and…

![“What if someone hit us with an EMP, cyber-attack, and dirty bomb all at once? That would be pretty bad.” quote by Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png)

> “What if someone hit us with an EMP, cyber-attack, and dirty bomb all at once? That would be pretty bad.”

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Imagining a simultaneous EMP, cyber‑attack, and dirty bomb highlights extreme vulnerability and the need for comprehensive preparedness.

**In simple terms:** Worst‑case scenario shows security gaps.

Key Takeaway

Plan for multiple threats together.

Themes

security risk preparedness technology

Mood

cautious urgent

Type

practical strategic

When to use this quote

- national defense planning
- corporate cybersecurity drills
- emergency response training
- infrastructure hardening

Key Concepts

systems theory resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What realistic steps can improve resilience?
- How to balance preparedness with daily life?

A Different Perspective

Such scenarios may be unlikely, leading to over‑allocation of resources.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Cyber attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cyber-attacks/) [Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/)

## Related quotes

> [The potential for the next Pearl Harbor could very well be a cyber-attack,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-potential-for-the-next-pearl-harbor-could-very-well-be-a-cyber/)

[Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/)

> [When people conceptualize a cyber-attack, they do tend to think about parts of the critical infrastructure like power plants, water supplies, and similar sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-people-conceptualize-a-cyber-attack-they-do-tend-to-think-about/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [The bare bones tools for a cyber-attack are to identify a vulnerability in the system you want to gain access to or you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-bare-bones-tools-for-a-cyber-attack-are-to-identify-a/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [On the morning of January 17, 1966, a real-life dirty bomb crisis occurred over Palomares, Spain. A Strategic Air Command bomber flying with four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/on-the-morning-of-january-17-1966-a-real-life-dirty-bomb-crisis/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

> [Today, we face another major potential attack on our country. This attack is not a hijacked plane or bomb, although that remains a threat;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-coats/today-we-face-another-major-potential-attack-on-our-country-this/)

[Dan Coats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-coats/)

> [U.S. computer networks and databases are under daily cyber attack by nation states, international crime organizations, subnational groups, and individual hackers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/u-s-computer-networks-and-databases-are-under-daily-cyber-attack-by/)

[John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/)

> [Once cyber crosses into the realm of the physical, then it's a physical attack, but it starts with cyber. And the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/once-cyber-crosses-into-the-realm-of-the-physical-then-it-s-a/)

[David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/)

> [There are two kinds of people in America today: those who have experienced a foreign cyber attack and know it, and those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-wolf/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-america-today-those-who-have/)

[Frank Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-wolf/)

> [To me, the most terrifying form of warfare would be if there was some simultaneous cyber attack on our grid, on the banking system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-ross/to-me-the-most-terrifying-form-of-warfare-would-be-if-there-was-some/)

[Wilbur Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-ross/)

> [Cyber attacks rain down on us from many places. You have to make your systems secure and safe and teach your people cyber hygiene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/cyber-attacks-rain-down-on-us-from-many-places-you-have-to-make-your/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [The United States is more reliant on the technical systems. We're more reliant on the critical infrastructure of the internet than any other nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-united-states-is-more-reliant-on-the-technical-systems-we-re-more/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [It ends a 40-year ban on exporting U.S. oil. It's changed - it's included in its cyber-security legislation - that says to private companies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-davis/it-ends-a-40-year-ban-on-exporting-u-s-oil-it-s-changed-it-s-included/)

[Susan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-davis/)

> [ In terms of my conversations with \[Vladimir\] Putin, these are conversations that took place before the election. As I indicated, there has been very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-terms-of-my-conversations-with-vladimir-putin-these-are/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Encryption would help prevent a lot of cyber attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/encryption-would-help-prevent-a-lot-of-cyber-attacks/)

[Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/)

> [Cyber attacks are not going away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/cyber-attacks-are-not-going-away/)

[David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/)

## More by Benjamin Carson

> [We have a war on women, race wars. Income wars, age wars, religious wars, anything you can imagine. A house divided against itself cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/we-have-a-war-on-women-race-wars-income-wars-age-wars-religious-wars/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. Every single time you lift off the bone and open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/when-i-look-at-the-human-brain-i-m-still-in-awe-of-it-every-single/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [I do not want to get rid of the safety net, I want to get rid of dependency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-do-not-want-to-get-rid-of-the-safety-net-i-want-to-get-rid-of/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [Even if somebody disagrees with you, their life is still valuable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/even-if-somebody-disagrees-with-you-their-life-is-still-valuable/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [No matter who you are,no matter what you do-do not be too big for GOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/no-matter-who-you-are-no-matter-what-you-do-do-not-be-too-big-for-god/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [I want the government to provide the military so we don't get invaded by somebody and destroyed. I want the government to provide the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-want-the-government-to-provide-the-military-so-we-don-t-get-invaded/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [Our schools too often want to shut people up so they can't talk about real solutions. People who think differently tend to clam up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/our-schools-too-often-want-to-shut-people-up-so-they-can-t-talk-about/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [If you're a Christian and you're running for president and you want to make this into a theocracy, I'm not going to support you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/if-you-re-a-christian-and-you-re-running-for-president-and-you-want/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [I don't want my kids to grow up with no father like I did. I came to the conclusion a while ago that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-don-t-want-my-kids-to-grow-up-with-no-father-like-i-did-i-came-to/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [Uninformed people can be easily manipulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/uninformed-people-can-be-easily-manipulated/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [The left, of course, will say Carson doesn't believe in the Geneva Convention, Carson doesn't believe in fighting stupid wars. And - and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/the-left-of-course-will-say-carson-doesn-t-believe-in-the-geneva/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [I don't worry about things that aren't important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-don-t-worry-about-things-that-aren-t-important/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [Surrendering to fear and allowing ourselves to be paralyzed by peril isn't something most of us can afford to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/surrendering-to-fear-and-allowing-ourselves-to-be-paralyzed-by-peril/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [I said Ted Cruz has been lying because if you say something that isn't true, and you say it over and over again, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-said-ted-cruz-has-been-lying-because-if-you-say-something-that-isn/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [Whoever wins in 2016, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a Republican, I think they should make it their goal to seal that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/whoever-wins-in-2016-i-m-pretty-sure-it-s-going-to-be-a-republican-i/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

[Explore all 321 Benjamin Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

## More Attack quotes

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

> [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/)

[Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/)

> [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/)

[Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/)

> [The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had no impact on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/the-best-way-to-counter-attack-a-hater-is-to-make-it-blatantly/)

[Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/)

> [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/)

[Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/)

> [Everything has got a place in my house. If something is moved I get a panic attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/everything-has-got-a-place-in-my-house-if-something-is-moved-i-get-a/)

[Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/)

> [I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-know-what-i-m-saying-people-want/)

[The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/)

> [Sometimes when you take a tough action against one side in the conflict, they see you as part of the conflict and they attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/sometimes-when-you-take-a-tough-action-against-one-side-in-the/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/)

[John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/)

> [Daniil is a player who will not give you many chances to attack. If I have enough power and choose the right moment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/daniil-is-a-player-who-will-not-give-you-many-chances-to-attack-if-i/)

[Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/)

> [Distributed ledgers are inherently harder to attack because instead of a single database, there are multiple shared copies of the same database, so a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/distributed-ledgers-are-inherently-harder-to-attack-because-instead/)

[Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/)

> [Attack life. It's going to kill you anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/attack-life-it-s-going-to-kill-you-anyways/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For those of us in the political business, generally, it's been pretty much an unwritten but understood rule that family and children are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/for-those-of-us-in-the-political-business-generally-it-s-been-pretty/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

Browse all 1,074 Attack quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What if someone hit us with an EMP, cyber-attack, and dirty bomb all at once? That would be pretty bad.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Benjamin Carson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber-attack-and-dirty-bomb-all-at/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attack"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber-attack-and-dirty-bomb-all-at/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/benjamin-carson-955_attack_what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber_910186.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What if someone hit us with an EMP, cyber-attack, and dirty bomb all at once? That would be pretty bad.” — Benjamin Carson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Benjamin Carson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What if someone hit us with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber-attack-and-dirty-bomb-all-at/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/what-if-someone-hit-us-with-an-emp-cyber-attack-and-dirty-bomb-all-at/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
