Pentagon wants to use Nukes for preemptive strikes.

[Rik Meleet]

Sorry, Dutch news site only.
http://frontpage.fok.nl/nieuws/57603

Het Amerikaanse Ministerie van Defensie, ook bekend als het Pentagon, wil preventief nucleaire wapens in kunnen zetten om een aanval van een vijandig land of een terroristische groepering te voorkomen. Daarom adviseert zij de huidige regelgeving voor het inzetten van nucleaire wapens te herzien. Ook wil het ministerie nucleaire wapens kunnen gebruiken om de nucleaire, chemische en biologische voorraden van vijandige staten te vernietigen.

Het Pentagon komt met dit voorstel als onderdeel van de preventieve strategie die president Bush eind 2002 presenteerde. Toen maakte een woordvoerder al bekend dat met een 'overweldigende kracht' opgetreden zal worden tegen vijanden die massavernietigingswapens tegen de Verenigde Staten willen gebruiken. De president zal daarbij 'alle mogelijke opties' tot zijn beschikking hebben.

Er zijn ongeveer 30 naties die massavernietigingswapens produceren en volgens het Pentagon in aanmerking komen voor een preventieve aanval. Daarnaast is er een onbekend aantal terroristische organisaties. Het voorstel moet nog worden goedgekeurd door de minister van Defensie, Donald Rumsfeld.

Translation:

The American department of Defense, known as the Pentagon, want to have the possibility to preemptively use nuclear weapons to prevent an attack by a hostile nation or a terroristic organisation. That's why it advise the current administration to review the rules on deployment of nuclear weapons. The department also wants to use nuclear weapons to destroy nuclear, chemical and biological stockpiles of enemy states.

The Pentagon proposal is part of the preventieve strategy which President Bush presented late 2002. A spokesperson notified that an 'overwhelming force" will be deployed against enemies who want to use WMD's agaisnt the US. The president will have 'all possible options' at his disposal.

There are about 30 nations that produce WMD's and, according to the Pentagon, can become targets for a preventive attack. Besides them there is an unknown number of terroristic organisations. The proposal still requires the ok from the Minister of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.

Isn't this a classical example of the cure being worse than the disease ? How can you even consider using nuclear weapons let alone in a preemptive strike?
I'm disgusted by this. I sincerely hope it isn't true...

 

[anarres]

So now he has his finger on 30 red buttons instead of 1?

 

[nerovats]

You just beat me to it. Took a quick look on the pentagon site, but couldn´t find anything about it. If this is true, and they get cleared for using them preemptively....

Time to build a shettler I think. This really frightens me.

 

[carlosMM]

nothing new, hu? This is the Bush we all love....

 

[Stapel]

Actually, threatening with nukes might have positive effects.

We can be fairly sure that promising you will never use nukes, does not really scare the Osama's, Mugabe's, Saddam's and Kim's of this world.

 

[stormbind]

Isn't there another thread on this?

 

[stormbind]

Actually, threatening with nukes might have positive effects.

We can be fairly sure that promising you will never use nukes, does not really scare the Osama's, Mugabe's, Saddam's and Kim's of this world.

Duh, they are not proposing that they threaten to use nuclear weapons. The invasion of Iraq was a preemptive strike. The Pentagon is suggesting they would rather have nuked Baghdad than occupy it with conventional forces

The current US administration is insane! Something needs to be done to remove them!

 

[gunkulator]

The only direct quotes are from an anonymous spokesperson that the US will use "overwhelming force" and have "all options open" in preemptive attacks. That's a little weaker than saying Bush is going to start nuking random threats. Your ISP probably has a provision that allows then to cancel your service at any time for any reason but that doesn't mean they're going to do it tomorrow.

Besides, what difference does it make anyway? No nation with nukes is going to publish its real rules of use.

 

[stormbind]

Why shouldn't they have rules for use? We impose rules for acquiring them in the first place! I am tired of American hypocricy.

 

[gunkulator]

Um, the "rules" might just be a tad hard to enforce, wouldn't you say?

And it's clear from your post that you're an America basher. All nations are hypocrial to the degree that they can get away with it.

 

[h4ppy]

Duh, they are not proposing that they threaten to use nuclear weapons. The invasion of Iraq was a preemptive strike. The Pentagon is suggesting they would rather have nuked Baghdad than occupy it with conventional forces

Looking back from a Republican perspective that would have been advisable. Of course looking back from an American perspective it would have been stupid since it would enrage further potential terrorists.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

Moderator Action: Duplicate thread. Closed