Friday, October 9, 2020

Is The President The Weakest Link In U.S. Nuclear Strategy?

A Navy officer carrying the football in his right hand 


President Trump’s hospitalization after testing positive for Covid-19 is one of many instances in which the performance of the nation’s chief executive has been impaired by medical issues. 

Eisenhower had a massive heart attack in 1955. His successor, John F. Kennedy, was afflicted by Addison’s disease and various other maladies that required heavy use of painkillers. Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon Johnson, was hospitalized during the Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968. 

Other presidents have seen their performance compromised by psychological issues. Richard Nixon became clinically depressed during the Watergate controversy and took to drinking heavily. Ronald Reagan may have exhibited early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease during the closing years of his presidency.

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Leaving the authority to launch a nuclear attack in the hands of the President is a system that has worked since the Cold War. Is now the time for a review? My answer is no, but these politicians may want to change that .... In 25th Amendment bid, Pelosi mulls Trump’s fitness to serve (AP)

2 comments:

B.Poster said...

This is a rather strange situation leaving such power in the hands of one man to launch our full nuclear force. Unfortunately these have been strange times unlike any in world history since the advent of nuclear weapons. Our adversaries can launch their arsenals at the discretion of one leader. As such, we need to be able to respond instantly to an attack. We elect POTUSs such as Trump, Obama, Clinton, or others to do this. Speakers of the House are not elected to make such decisions nor or Congress people.

I tend to agree with the editor here. Perhaps we don't like Trump but such a move would undercut future presidents. I strongly suspect that knowing we could/would retaliate immediately in the face of a nuclear attack has made adversaries think twice about launching one and may have prevented it. To hamstring POTUS here would greatly undercut our national security as well as that of allies who rely on the US "nuclear umbrella." I suspect such a move by the US would strongly encourage our allies to develop their own nuclear arsenals. Since the stated goal is to stop nuclear proliferation, such a move by Pelosi would almost certainly have the opposite effect IMHO.

Jac said...

Unbelievable....suspecting Trump unfit for the nuclear problem and supporting Biden who is 2 fingers to Alzheimer!