Nuclear Superpower Rule #1 - Don't Lose Them!
Defense Secretary Gates fired (forced to resign is the same as "fired") Air Force Secretary Wynne and the USAF's Chief of Staff, General Moseley a couple days ago.
The reason(s)?
Well, for starters there was that little tiny slipup with fitting six nuclear weapons to a B-52 bomber and flying them from North Dakota to Louisiana. Without letting anyone know, without National Command Authority knowing that a half-dozen representatives of The Ultimate Weapon had gone missing - for thirty-six damned hours.
Oh sure, the USAF command disciplined a small pack of colonels and quite a few of the lesser ranks, but apparently their response was a bit too limp for Gates' liking (can't say as I blame him).
The other incident involved the oopsie of sending four fuses for nuclear warheads to Taipei. It was an accident - poor inventory control - and we got them right back. There were disciplinary actions, but again the response was a bit, um, lacakdaisical.
Which brings me back to me agreeing with Robert Gates and the title of this post.
If you're going to stockpile nuclear weaponry you better make godsdamned sure you keep them under lock and key, and know exactly where they are at all times. And make certain that the people you've assigned to watch them know that their careers will turn into a Series of Terrible Misunderstandings if they don't maintain accountability.
A weapon capable of leveling a city isn't something you want wandering out loose at night, visiting bars and accosting hookers.
So keep 'em locked up. The job you save just may be your own.
The reason(s)?
Well, for starters there was that little tiny slipup with fitting six nuclear weapons to a B-52 bomber and flying them from North Dakota to Louisiana. Without letting anyone know, without National Command Authority knowing that a half-dozen representatives of The Ultimate Weapon had gone missing - for thirty-six damned hours.
Oh sure, the USAF command disciplined a small pack of colonels and quite a few of the lesser ranks, but apparently their response was a bit too limp for Gates' liking (can't say as I blame him).
The other incident involved the oopsie of sending four fuses for nuclear warheads to Taipei. It was an accident - poor inventory control - and we got them right back. There were disciplinary actions, but again the response was a bit, um, lacakdaisical.
Which brings me back to me agreeing with Robert Gates and the title of this post.
If you're going to stockpile nuclear weaponry you better make godsdamned sure you keep them under lock and key, and know exactly where they are at all times. And make certain that the people you've assigned to watch them know that their careers will turn into a Series of Terrible Misunderstandings if they don't maintain accountability.
A weapon capable of leveling a city isn't something you want wandering out loose at night, visiting bars and accosting hookers.
So keep 'em locked up. The job you save just may be your own.
posted by Walt at 9:25 AM
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