Daniel Ellsberg and Norman Solomon, The Nation
The single best option for reducing the risk of nuclear war is hidden in plain sight. News outlets don’t mention it. Pundits ignore it. Even progressive and peace-oriented members of Congress tiptoe around it. And yet, for many years, experts have been calling for this act of sanity that could save humanity: Shutting down all of the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Four hundred ICBMs dot the rural landscapes of Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming. Loaded in silos, these missiles are uniquely—and dangerously—on hair-trigger alert. Unlike the nuclear weapons on submarines or bombers, the land-based missiles are vulnerable to attack and could present the commander in chief with a sudden use-them-or-lose-them choice. “If our sensors indicate that enemy missiles are en route to the United States, the president would have to consider launching ICBMs before the enemy missiles could destroy them. Once they are launched, they cannot be recalled,” former Defense Secretary William Perry warns. “The president would have less than 30 minutes to make that terrible decision”.
Recent Posts
The 10 Worst Congressional Excuses for Voting for More Military Spending
Take Action Now Here are 10 popular categories of excuses that have proven effective through the past quarter-century.By David Swanson, World…
Rachel Maddow’s Conspicuous Refusal to Cover Israelgate
Take Action Now Israel has spent $1 billion to influence US politics and is directly paying for ads promoting MAGA. Why isn’t MSNOW’s “foreign…
In a Country That Needs Heroes, Here Are a Few Standouts This Election Season
Take Action Now Right now, the United States is unhappy enough to need a lot of heroes – and during this election year, many have emerged. Here are…
DSA Is Eyeing a 2028 AOC Presidential Run
Take Action Now Members of the Democratic Socialists of America are thinking seriously about a national presidential campaign for Alexandria…