Nuke release authority at 2 star level for Iraq?

[Lancer]

Just saw it on Fox. I wasn't a news report but a discussion among 3 military types and a commentator about the 3rd inf deployment. One of the army guys was sure, the other 2 dubious.

If true, a division commander could use nukes on his own authority...

Can this be true?

[Lancer]

Col David Hackworth made the statement but the pentagon has now said it's not true.

[Saint Marcus]

but the pentagon has now said it's not true.

so that means it is true

[Inverse Icarus]

how many stars are there? and is 1 the "most nuke-worthy" ?

[Lancer]

maybe that's what they want you to believe...

[Lancer]

5 stars is the top, but presidential authority is, I believe, usually required to nuke someone. I may be wrong.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

I read Col David Hackworth's book. I liked it. He is the most decorated soldier in the history of the army (he has something like 110 medals)

[MRT144]

when will privates be able to authorize nuclear weapons. i want to see a "starship troopers" like use of tactical nukes.

[Timexwatch]

Lancer, et al.,

Weren't commanders authorized to use tacnukes in Europe to peel back the Russians during the Cold War if they were about to break through areas like the Fulda Gap? I remember reading somewhere that there was a more liberal policy with tacnukes in the event WWIII broke out...

[Lancer]

That's true Timexwatch, you're right. However it still wasn't at 2 star level, I think it took the highest level for first use. The theory being that the Russians would break through conventionally and NATO would use nukes to stop them. What alot of folks didn't know is that the US had given the Germans tactical nukes to increase the threat to the Sovs. NATO wasn't sure that the US would nuke Russias, and thereby bring about a full on nuclear war (goodbye US) to save Germany. Then again, I'm not sure the Germans would do it...the whole strategy was flawed, but it worked I guess.

But what am I saying, you know all this I'm sure...

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Lancer
5 stars is the top, but presidential authority is, I believe, usually required to nuke someone. I may be wrong.

Five is RARELY given.

ACK!

[axi]

Yikes!!!

May I ask a question? Do US nukes have "please recycle after use" written somewhere on their delivery system? Since it's so easy to drop a nuke, then some arrangement has to be made to recycle the cans....

[Jack_www]

I believe that the President would have to authorize use of nukes, then the commanders can use them as they see fit. Well if Iraq has a nuke somewhere in hiding and does use it on US army that will be invading they will most surelly get nuked.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Lancer
What alot of folks didn't know is that the US had given the Germans tactical nukes to increase the threat to the Sovs.

Did we actually go through with that?? I remember a lot of talk about a Multi-Lateral Force (MLF) but as I recall, the Brits nixed the idea. Tom Lehrer even wrote a song about it...some of which I can vaguely recall:

We have the force, peace to determine,
And one of the fingers on the button will be German.

Why shouldn't they have nuclear warheads?
Britain says no, but they all are soreheads.
I say a bygone, should be a bygone.
Let's make peace the way we did in Stanleyville and Saigon.

Once the Germans were warlike and mean,
But now is now, and that was then,
We taught them a lesson in 1918,
And they've hardly bothered us since then.

[alva]

Having grown up during the cold war (being scared sh*tless every time a plane flew over), I simply refuse to even get bothered by this.