Posted on 12/26/2008 12:55:13 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
It is a simple transfer of immense power.
On Jan. 20, an unobtrusive military officer carrying a small leather-bound metal briefcase will follow President George W. Bush up to Capitol Hill. After the inauguration ceremony, he will accompany President Barack Obama back to the White House.
Inside the attache, known as “the football,” are the codes to identify and authenticate a presidential order that could launch nuclear weapons and ignite a global holocaust.
Routine to most Americans, perhaps astonishing to much of the world, this peaceful passing of “the football” will propel Obama into a maelstrom. What awaits the new commander-in-chief is the responsibility of defending the United States —- and a nasty brew of nuclear-weapons problems that include the threat of terrorist attacks as well as potential new regional and superpower arms races. Iran and North Korea are believed to be rushing headlong toward building nuclear arsenals. And the main arms-reduction treaty with Russia expires next year.
Those known challenges arise from an unruly world thrown into deeper turmoil by the global financial crisis, a world in which nuclear technology spreads like wildfire and almost 10,000 nuclear weapons could be on alert at any given time.
The risk of nuclear war will grow during the next 20 years, U.S. intelligence officers concluded this month. Surprise, in this realm, is almost a given.
“It is immensely sobering when you are actually confronted with all the responsibility related to nuclear weapons,” said Matthew Bunn, a former White House nuclear-weapons adviser now at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
That will become clear with Obama’s first peek inside the ever-present briefcase.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
Absolutely right.
It's hard to grasp, isn't it? When I have conversations with them I realize they have no idea about the magnitude of the presidency in relation to foreign issues. To them it's all about either showing up Bush and the GOP or hope that he will appease some special need they have.
There is going to be a h-u-g-e amount of very disappointed left-wing wackos, and just plain center-lefties, all with their hands-out, wanting something from him, as he ‘promised’ on multiple occasions.
I think the reality of both domestic and foreign issues will hit Obama very hard, if it hasn’t already, and that minor facial tic will become a full-body spasm. I’m thinking he doesn’t fully-know what he’s gotten himself into, yet. I’d like to be in the room, when it hits him square in the face.
Giving the nuclear football to a muzzie trojan horse. Man, I feel safe.
Will now be called the nuclear basketball..
It’s not like we don’t know where he stands when (not if) the political winds turn ugly.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2022038/posts
Obama has about as much buisiness with that suitcase as I do piloting the shuttle.........
One wonders if the military has ever made plans for a Trojan Horse Commander-in-Chief springing his trap.
I have to believe they have thought about this in secret, especially during Clintons tenure.
Anybody that has ever had to pass a background investigation for access to top secret and nuclear materials already understands enough about Zero's lack of similar vetting to be scared sh*tless. Your lack of faith is well-founded, I'm afraid.
I fear Obama will replace the “football” with a secure phone line to the UN so he can call for help in a crisis.
That is one of the best examples of his stupidity. Even if he believes it, a smart man would not have said it.
That will become clear with Obama’s first peek inside the ever-present briefcase.
Good Lord, the thought of that is enough to cause 4 years of sleepless nights. Anyone that voted for this monster will never be a friend of mine again
Good post. I also wonder about the “effectiveness” of our nukes. I read an article recently that said since we dont test em anymore, we dont know if they have “expired.” Dont know if this is the case now.
I have no faith in Obama either, but for a slightly different reason. Obama is a been-nowhere done-nothing rookie who has never had to make a serious decision, much less under duress and urgency. He has had someone to cut his meat for him his entire pampered life, and now he may have to make literally earth-shaking decisions with his immature street-punk judgment.
My worry is that this simple fart will act impulsively and do something really stupid.
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