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> A side note: Military doesn't man the ICBMs. They are controlled by civilians. This is by design because the past administrations didn't trust the military to
by Chaebixi 10y ago
> A side note: Military doesn't man the ICBMs. They are controlled by civilians. This is by design because the past administrations didn't trust the military to control ICBMs. The fear that they would use them without hesitation was too great.
Wut? Pretty sure that's totally false. US ICBM control stations are manned by Air Force personnel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Global_Strike_Command https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Global_Strike_Comman....
The military still had control, even after they changed the codes on the warhead activation locks to all zeros: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permissive_Action_Link#Development_and_dissemination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permissive_Action_Link#Develop...
If you're talking about civilian control of the military, you're talking about the President and Secretary of Defense, not a dude in a bunker.
- madengr 10y agoThe production of nuclear weapons is under civilian control.
- Chaebixi 10y ago> The production of nuclear weapons is under civilian control. That's not what the comment was talking about. This is what I was responding to: >> Military doesn't man the ICBMs. They are controlled by civilians That's not talking about manufacturing, and it's a totally false statement.
- snerbles 10y agoSure, the DoE produces and "owns" the nukes, "loaning" them to the DoD for the deterrence mission. Military personnel still turn the launch keys, when the order comes.