EMPs: Credible Threat or Just the Stuff of Science Fiction?

Like clockwork, it seems every late summer there’s a call for more people in government to pay attention to the threat of an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) attack. Maybe its just the August heat and people being thankful that their air conditioning works. On the most recent report from The Heritage Foundation, the call for more awareness about the danger of an EMP attack is loud and clear. But is this threat real or just the stuff of science fiction? Regardless of that answer, it seems that an EMP attack would (literally) provide the most bang for the buck to an aggressor. With our society becoming more and more reliant on electronics, the idea that everything we use on a daily basis getting fried in an instant is surely scary. What’s your take? Should the government be taking EMPs into account when planning homeland defense strategies, or focus on other threats we know are more likely?