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BS: to press or not to press.
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BS: to press or not to press. |
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Subject: BS: to press or not to press. From: Stanron Date: 02 Oct 15 - 04:47 PM I thought someone would have posted about this before now. As they haven't I will. Jeremy Corben, new leader of the Labour party and potential Prime Minister in waiting has said he wouldn't press the nuclear button if elected PM. Now I know that the PM would never actually press an actual button. I expect that they order it done. But will this avowed reluctance make him unelectable in the next general election? |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: Steve Shaw Date: 02 Oct 15 - 05:30 PM Margaret Thatcher couldn't press the nuclear button when Galtieri attacked the Malvinas. All that mighty power, completely useless. We had to send a bloody naval flotilla instead. The question was mischievous. No-one has had the guts to press the nuclear button since that idiot Truman in 1945, and it's my bet that no-one ever will. That's what Jeremy should have said. At least he was honest. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: akenaton Date: 02 Oct 15 - 06:55 PM The Labour Party and a majority of the UK electorate still favour the retention of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Christ knows why we would want to have the spectre of mutual annihilation hanging over us. I think a statement of unilateral nuclear disarmament would be the best plan. We are no longer a world power and the ability to make and store nuclear weapons is of no use to us...it is simply a piece of window dressing for the "cold warriors" who still exist in our governments. The more small countries who have WMD's the more chance there is of them falling into the hands of mad radical terrorists like IS. I would like to see all nuclear weapons abolished and the money saved put to the improvement of our public services. We must take the lead in this, as we must in the construction of a sustainable society. What a heap of shit our media is, badgering Mr Corbyn about whether or not he would "press the button" when they are perfectly aware of his views on this issue. I do not believe there is on politician who could say with his hand on his heart that they could. To do so would reveal an evil that would make the works of the Nazi Party pale into insignificance. Nuclear conflict today would signal the end of humanity. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: Steve Shaw Date: 02 Oct 15 - 07:17 PM Well I agree with your sentiments, though the hyperbole jars a little. Anyhow. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: GUEST,Kampervan Date: 02 Oct 15 - 09:18 PM Got to agree, generally with Akenaton. Why do we cling to this belief that we have a special responsibility to stand alongside the US and police the world. Most of the other countries in Europe and the rest of the world manage very nicely thank you without nuclear weapons and we should be the same. We should fulfill our responsibilities through the supply of conventional forces to the UN and, possibly, NATO and leave it at that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: Bert Date: 02 Oct 15 - 09:59 PM When "that idiot Trueman" pressed the button he saved the lives of about a million allied troops. And don't forget that at that time the kill ratio was around 12 to 1 in the Allies favor. So that means that he also saved around twelve million Japanese lives. Some Idiot. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: GUEST Date: 03 Oct 15 - 02:33 AM I don't want an American's finger on the button either. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: Dave the Gnome Date: 03 Oct 15 - 05:02 AM Don't start that again, Bert. No-one knows what would have happened if the bombs had not been dropped. We do know what happened when they were. Your comment is mere speculation. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: akenaton Date: 03 Oct 15 - 05:10 AM Bert, the advancement and proliferation in nuclear technology since 1945, would make it certain that future human life on planet Earth would be unsustainable if the buttons were ever pressed. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: DMcG Date: 03 Oct 15 - 05:53 AM I forget which of the ww1 poets wrote it, but one describes waiting to go over the top, and how some of the most reluctant and hesitant boys became strong and determined, while some of the toughest and most macho broke down and cried for their mothers. The fact is no-one really know how they would behave in extremis. And that applies to pushing the button as well. It matters not a jot whether Cameron or Corbyn think they would or wouldn't when it comes to the crunch. Where is does make a difference is beforehand, in things like deciding to renew Trident or not. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: Teribus Date: 03 Oct 15 - 06:02 AM Big difference in the launch protocols between the USN and the RN USN the President, or next down the chain of command should anything have happened to the POTUS, must actually sanction and give the order to fire. RN each SSBN sails with the Prime Minister of the day's written orders and descriptions of various scenarios (One of them relates to BBC Radio 4 going off the air for a specified length of time). The missiles on RN ballistic missile submarines are fired on the command of the Captain and he requires no additional codes or permission to fire them. The US has no over-ride facility and the missiles are reliant on no US infrastructure in their targeting and there is a perfectly good reason for this - our weapons were designed as deterrents they were never put into service to be first strike weapons - the deterrent is that should anyone be tempted to attack the UK with nuclear weapons, then even allowing for EMP of any nuclear explosion the missiles from the RN's SSBNs could still be fired and they could still be targeted because they do not rely on satellite information, or communications for navigation to their targets. |
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Subject: RE: BS: to press or not to press. From: Steve Shaw Date: 03 Oct 15 - 06:31 AM "The fact is no-one really know how they would behave in extremis. And that applies to pushing the button as well. It matters not a jot whether Cameron or Corbyn think they would or wouldn't when it comes to the crunch. Where is does make a difference is beforehand, in things like deciding to renew Trident or not." Agreed. Depending on which way you want to look at it, Corbyn was either naive in the way he answered the mischief question or he was showing a refreshing dose of political honesty. |
