six nuclear warheads accidently mounted to B-52 and flown across US
We launch investigations and start wars at the very inclination that another country is making nulcear weapons. All the while, we have so many we can’t even keep track of them. I can’t think of a moral argument that could possibily support the existence of nuclear weapons (or nuclear anything for that matter). All around the world, they need to be dismantled, and properly and safely disposed of.
The US Air Force has launched an investigation after a B-52 bomber flew across the US last week mistakenly loaded with nuclear-armed missiles.
The air force said the cruise missiles were safe at all times.
Why would they say anything different?
Army Times said the missiles were to be decommissioned but were mistakenly mounted on the bomber’s wings.
Now… I’ve never mounted a missile on an aircraft before. I have no idea how various missiles are organized or labeled or anything like that. But it seems to me that the difference between a nuclear warhead and a regular missile should be clearly distinguished–you know, a sticker, some spray paint, a special number….something, anything, that would prevent something so stupid and irresponsible from ever happening.
I’m reminded of that statistic that says owners of guns have a much higher chance of getting shot that people who don’t keep guns in the house. We own nuclear weapons–not only do we “have” them, but we irresponsibly fly them all over the country. The existence of, and our possession of, nuclear weapons significantly and dramatically increase our chances of annihilation. Don’t we already have enough factors that have us living under the threat of apocalypse?
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September 9th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
First off nuclear warheads are flown all over the US on a daily basis during training missions with the AF and Navy. Furthermore, two places in the US have enough nukes within 20 miles of major metro to cause “significant damage”. One is in Bremerton, WA and the other in Kings Bay, GA. The fact what happened is not that big of a deal. The real problem was simply they got the warheads confused.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Thanks for stopping by, but I’m confused. Are any of your comments meant to invalidate anything I said or make me feel any better? Because they don’t. If anything, they strengthen everything I wrote about and further exemplify our culture’s death urge.
To you, this individual incident might not be that big of a deal, but that’s because you’re not looking at the insanity of the whole picture. If they’re just training, why do they have to risk the lives of those people on the ground? You’re telling me that the threat of accidental nuclear holocaust is both above our heads and in our backyard on a daily basis? And that is supposed to make us feel better? This culture couldn’t be any more insane.
September 10th, 2007 at 8:08 am
My point is that nukes are more places than you think and what happened was a procedural error in identification of weapons. Accidental holocaust is not very likely ever due to all the safety mechanisms built into the weapons. Folks like you do not have the facts or like to over look them to sensationalize things.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Your pointing out that accidental holocaust is “not very likely” still highlights a risk. The risk is miniscule, you’re right. To me, ANY threat of nuclear annihilation is not worth the existence of these weapons.
You (not “folks like you,” but you individually) obviously don’t mind this threat. I (not “folks like me,” but me individually) think this is pretty messed up. Please don’t pretend to speak for me.
September 11th, 2007 at 11:46 am
I agree that nukes are a huge waste of our tax dollars. However, it is what it is, and we have them weather we like it or not. Nuclear weapons have served their purpose and well. The atom bomb ended a war quickly. Nukes were necessary and still are as a deterrent. If everyone in the world was sensible and played nice, we could do without them. The reality is that there are leaders and nations out there that would love to take over the US if we were not so strong and could defend ourselves. I like the fact that America is a superpower and the strongest country militarily in the world and the fact that we can dictate our future. Therefore, with that said, my point is that I am afraid on nuclear weapons as well but I believe they are unavoidable to maintain world power and balance.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
The danger here is not that we might accidentally nuke ourselves….the danger here is that we loose one of these to someone who wants to intentionally nuke us or somebody else…..Regardless of what your politics are I think most people agree we are living in a very unsafe time…You can’t trust anyone least of all our own government…. And I’m familiar with the two naval bases you spoke of Link…..As well as the PRP program administered by the Dept of Energy aboard both of those naval bases you mentioned and any other base that has any kind of nukes including the Air Force……It is because of the PRP that I firmly believe you can not accidentally load a nuke on a B-52 or any other kind of aircraft….You can’t accidentally move a nuke anywhere……In fact you can’t accidentally do anything with a nuke…..That is what the PRP and two man rule is for….To make certain there is no “accidentally”…..Thats what all the checklists and paperwork are for…to make sure there is no “accidentally”….Thats what the guy standing there with the gun is for….to shoot the guy who looks like he is accidentally doing something….. Any “accidentally” is an automatic lock down of the entire base security violation …. So to say 6 nukes went through all of the hoops to accidentally get mounted on an aircraft ? ? ? ? Yeah right……If you want a nuke on a B-52….You have to say….Load me 6 nukes….then you can have 6 nukes on a B-52…complete with all of the lines of custody, signatures, serial numbers, checks, checklists and rechecks and inspections and aircraft pre-flights……. BUT NOT ACCIDENTALLY
October 20th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
[…] Last month I wrote about a B-52 bomber that accidentally mounted 6 nuclear warheads and flew across the country. Though my initial post sparked some controversy, digressing into a conversation about the existence of nuclear weapons, I still think the missing nuclear weapons was irresponsible and, frankly, scary. […]