CargoAdmin, Bureaucrats, Moderators (CommentStreams), fileuploaders, Interface administrators, newuser, Push subscription managers, Suppressors, Administrators
14,662
edits
Nuclear football: Difference between revisions
m
Text replacement - "The New York Times" to "The New York Times"
m (Text replacement - "CNN" to "CNN") |
m (Text replacement - "The New York Times" to "The New York Times") |
||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
Before the order can be followed by the military, the president must be positively identified using a special code issued on a plastic card, nicknamed the "[[Gold Codes|biscuit]]".<ref name=icnnd>[http://icnnd.org/Documents/Jason_Fritz_Hacking_NC2.pdf Hacking Nuclear Command and Control, International Commission on Nuclear Non proliferation and Disarmament] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904232811/http://www.icnnd.org/Documents/Jason_Fritz_Hacking_NC2.pdf |date=September 4, 2011 }}, p. 10.</ref> The authentication is conducted between the president and the National Military Command Center deputy director of operations, using a challenge code of two [[NATO phonetic alphabet|phonetic letters]]. The president will read, from the biscuit, the daily phonetic letters, and the deputy director will confirm or deny that it is correct, confirmation indicating the person is the president and the attack orders can be given.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Finger-on-the-Nuclear-Button.pdf |title=The Finger on the Button: The Authority to Use Nuclear Weapons in Nuclear-Armed States |last1=Lewis |first1=Jeffrey G. |last2= Tertrais |first2= Bruno |last3= |first3= |publisher=Middlebury Institute for International Studies |date=February 18, 2019 |website=nonproliferation.org |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> Down the chain of command, the United States has a [[two-man rule]] in place at nuclear launch facilities. This verification process ensures the order came from the actual president. | Before the order can be followed by the military, the president must be positively identified using a special code issued on a plastic card, nicknamed the "[[Gold Codes|biscuit]]".<ref name=icnnd>[http://icnnd.org/Documents/Jason_Fritz_Hacking_NC2.pdf Hacking Nuclear Command and Control, International Commission on Nuclear Non proliferation and Disarmament] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904232811/http://www.icnnd.org/Documents/Jason_Fritz_Hacking_NC2.pdf |date=September 4, 2011 }}, p. 10.</ref> The authentication is conducted between the president and the National Military Command Center deputy director of operations, using a challenge code of two [[NATO phonetic alphabet|phonetic letters]]. The president will read, from the biscuit, the daily phonetic letters, and the deputy director will confirm or deny that it is correct, confirmation indicating the person is the president and the attack orders can be given.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Finger-on-the-Nuclear-Button.pdf |title=The Finger on the Button: The Authority to Use Nuclear Weapons in Nuclear-Armed States |last1=Lewis |first1=Jeffrey G. |last2= Tertrais |first2= Bruno |last3= |first3= |publisher=Middlebury Institute for International Studies |date=February 18, 2019 |website=nonproliferation.org |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> Down the chain of command, the United States has a [[two-man rule]] in place at nuclear launch facilities. This verification process ensures the order came from the actual president. | ||
Many sources show that the president has sole launch authority, and the defense secretary has no [[veto power]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Jeffrey G. |last2=Tertrais |first2=Bruno |last3= |first3= |date=February 18, 2019 |title=The Finger on the Button: The Authority to Use Nuclear Weapons in Nuclear-Armed States |url=https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Finger-on-the-Nuclear-Button.pdf |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=nonproliferation.org |publisher=Middlebury Institute for International Studies}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=September 22, 2017 |title=Whose Finger Is On the Button? |url=https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/Launch-Authority.pdf |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=www.ucsusa.org |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |quote=In the United States, the president has the sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons, for any reason and at any time.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Blair |first1=Bruce G. |last2= |first2= |date=3 January 2020 |title=Loose cannons: The president and US nuclear posture |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00963402.2019.1701279 |journal=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists |volume=76 |issue=1 |pages=14=-26 |doi=10.1080/00963402.2019.1701279 |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> However, it has been argued that the president may not have sole authority to initiate a nuclear attack because the defense secretary is required to verify the order but cannot veto it.<ref name="Veto">{{cite web |first=Zack |last=Beauchamp |title=If President Trump decided to use nukes, he could do it easily |url=https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2016/8/3/12367996/donald-trump-nuclear-codes |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |date=August 3, 2016 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=February 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211094541/https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2016/8/3/12367996/donald-trump-nuclear-codes |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Veto2">{{cite web |first=Bruce |last=Blair |title=What Exactly Would It Mean to Have Trump's Finger on the Nuclear Button? |url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/2016-donald-trump-nuclear-weapons-missiles-nukes-button-launch-foreign-policy-213955 |work=[[Politico]] |date=June 11, 2016 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=February 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215160838/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/2016-donald-trump-nuclear-weapons-missiles-nukes-button-launch-foreign-policy-213955 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Veto3">{{cite web |first=William J. |last=Broad |title=Debate Over Trump's Fitness Raises Issue of Checks on Nuclear Power |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/science/donald-trump-nuclear-codes.html |work= | Many sources show that the president has sole launch authority, and the defense secretary has no [[veto power]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Jeffrey G. |last2=Tertrais |first2=Bruno |last3= |first3= |date=February 18, 2019 |title=The Finger on the Button: The Authority to Use Nuclear Weapons in Nuclear-Armed States |url=https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Finger-on-the-Nuclear-Button.pdf |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=nonproliferation.org |publisher=Middlebury Institute for International Studies}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=September 22, 2017 |title=Whose Finger Is On the Button? |url=https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/Launch-Authority.pdf |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=www.ucsusa.org |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |quote=In the United States, the president has the sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons, for any reason and at any time.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Blair |first1=Bruce G. |last2= |first2= |date=3 January 2020 |title=Loose cannons: The president and US nuclear posture |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00963402.2019.1701279 |journal=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists |volume=76 |issue=1 |pages=14=-26 |doi=10.1080/00963402.2019.1701279 |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> However, it has been argued that the president may not have sole authority to initiate a nuclear attack because the defense secretary is required to verify the order but cannot veto it.<ref name="Veto">{{cite web |first=Zack |last=Beauchamp |title=If President Trump decided to use nukes, he could do it easily |url=https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2016/8/3/12367996/donald-trump-nuclear-codes |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |date=August 3, 2016 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=February 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211094541/https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2016/8/3/12367996/donald-trump-nuclear-codes |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Veto2">{{cite web |first=Bruce |last=Blair |title=What Exactly Would It Mean to Have Trump's Finger on the Nuclear Button? |url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/2016-donald-trump-nuclear-weapons-missiles-nukes-button-launch-foreign-policy-213955 |work=[[Politico]] |date=June 11, 2016 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=February 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215160838/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/2016-donald-trump-nuclear-weapons-missiles-nukes-button-launch-foreign-policy-213955 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Veto3">{{cite web |first=William J. |last=Broad |title=Debate Over Trump's Fitness Raises Issue of Checks on Nuclear Power |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/science/donald-trump-nuclear-codes.html |work=The New York Times |date=August 4, 2016 |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=February 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207064227/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/science/donald-trump-nuclear-codes.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Law of the United States|U.S. law]] dictates that the attack must be lawful; military officers are required to refuse to execute unlawful orders, such as those that violate [[international humanitarian law]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=18 U.S. Code § 2441 – War crimes|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2441|access-date=2021-09-15|website=LII / Legal Information Institute|language=en}}</ref> Military officials, including [[John E. Hyten|General John Hyten]], have testified to the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] that they would refuse to carry out an unlawful order for a nuclear strike.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2017-11-26|title=Can US generals say 'no' to Trump if he orders a nuclear strike?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42065714|access-date=2021-09-15}}</ref> In addition, off-the-shelf strike packages are pre-vetted by lawyers to confirm that they are legal and, thus, such a strike would be presumed to be a lawful order.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Analysis {{!}} There was no legal way to stop Trump from ordering a nuclear strike if he wanted to, expert says|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/08/there-is-no-legal-way-stop-trump-ordering-nuclear-strike-if-he-wants-expert-says/|access-date=2021-09-15|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> | ||
Military service members have been reprimanded for questioning U.S. protocols for nuclear strike authority. In 1975, [[Harold Hering|Major Harold Hering]] was discharged from the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] for asking, "How can I know that an order I receive to launch my missiles came from a sane president?"<ref name="slate">{{cite news|last1=Rosenbaum|first1=Ron|date=February 28, 2011|title=An Unsung Hero of the Nuclear Age – Maj. Harold Hering and the forbidden question that cost him his career|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_spectator/2011/02/an_unsung_hero_of_the_nuclear_age.single.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014232809/http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_spectator/2011/02/an_unsung_hero_of_the_nuclear_age.single.html|archive-date=October 14, 2011}}</ref> Nevertheless, the president, once in office, as noted by former Defense Secretary [[William J. Perry|William Perry]] and Tom Z. Collina, retains the sole authority to launch a nuclear strike or attack.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perry |first1=William J. |last2=Collina |first2=Tom Z. |date=8 January 2021 |title=Trump Still Has His Finger on the Nuclear Button. This Must Change |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/08/trump-still-has-his-finger-on-the-nuclear-button-this-must-change-456667 |work=Politico |location= |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> | Military service members have been reprimanded for questioning U.S. protocols for nuclear strike authority. In 1975, [[Harold Hering|Major Harold Hering]] was discharged from the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] for asking, "How can I know that an order I receive to launch my missiles came from a sane president?"<ref name="slate">{{cite news|last1=Rosenbaum|first1=Ron|date=February 28, 2011|title=An Unsung Hero of the Nuclear Age – Maj. Harold Hering and the forbidden question that cost him his career|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_spectator/2011/02/an_unsung_hero_of_the_nuclear_age.single.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014232809/http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_spectator/2011/02/an_unsung_hero_of_the_nuclear_age.single.html|archive-date=October 14, 2011}}</ref> Nevertheless, the president, once in office, as noted by former Defense Secretary [[William J. Perry|William Perry]] and Tom Z. Collina, retains the sole authority to launch a nuclear strike or attack.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perry |first1=William J. |last2=Collina |first2=Tom Z. |date=8 January 2021 |title=Trump Still Has His Finger on the Nuclear Button. This Must Change |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/08/trump-still-has-his-finger-on-the-nuclear-button-this-must-change-456667 |work=Politico |location= |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref> | ||