Continuation from yesterday……..If you still believe that nuclear war is impossible and what had occurred in 1962 is now ancient history, consider what had happened just 30 years ago. On September 26th, 1983, the Soviet Union’s early-warning system detected an incoming ballistic missile launch from the United States. At the time computer readouts suggested that no less than five ICBM’s have been launched by the Americans. The Russian response should have been clear. “Dead Hand” protocol instructs Russian military forces to retaliate immediately with an all out nuclear attack of their own.
Yet, the officer of duty, Stanislav Petrov, whose job it was to register apparent enemy missile launches, decided not to report them to his superiors. Instead, dismissing them as a false alarm in what was a major breach of his orders and a dereliction of his duty.
“I had all the data showing an ongoing missile attack. If I had sent my report up the chain of command, nobody would have said a word against it. The siren howled, but I just sat there for a few seconds, staring at the big, back-lit, red screen with the word ‘launch’ on it. A minute later the siren went off again. The second missile was launched. Then the third, and the fourth, and the fifth. Computers changed their alerts from ‘launch’ to ‘missile strike’. All I had to do was to reach for the phone; to raise the direct line to our top commanders – but I couldn’t move. I felt like I was sitting on a hot frying pan” he told the BBC’s 30 years later.
The system was clear in showing him the “highest” level of alert and there should not have been a doubt that Americans had launched an attack. A quick report up the chain of the command and a push of a few buttons is all that stood in a way of an all out Nuclear War. Subsequent investigation showed that if he was to pick up the phone and present his data, a duty he was required to do, a retaliatory strike would have been immediately approved by the chain of command. Anyone one else in his seat would have followed directions. Yet, for some unknown reason Mr. Pertrov did not, saving the world in the process.
While you might believe it is only the Russians who are playing with fire, recent 60 Minutes and other reports showed just how out of touch with reality the U.S. nuclear forces are. Run by the U.S. Air Force, the American nuclear arsenal readiness and security has been questioned after a number of recent scandals. Much of the controversy involved test cheating scandals, personal problems, lack of security, complacency, missiles and missile silos that are falling apart and the command/control equipment that hasn’t been updated since the 1970s.
To Be Continued Tomorrow…..(Why Am I Seeing This On A Financial Website?)
