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
We Need A United Front To Take On Billionaire Rule
February 13, 2025
Take Action NowThe super rich are in command, as Donald Trump and Elon Musk run a rampage on the working class. To stop them, the labor movement…
Trump’s Gaza Expulsion Plan Follows Decades Of U.S. Policy
February 12, 2025
Take Action NowThe attempt to remove Palestinians from Gaza is nothing new.By Stephen Zunes, The Progressive On February 4, in a joint…
Mustafa Barghouti On Trump, Ethnic Cleansing & Israel “Moving the War” From Gaza To The West Bank
February 12, 2025
Take Action Now “Something has to be clear: Palestinians will not leave their country. Israel tried to ethnically cleanse all Palestinians…
Teachers Can Stand In The Way Of Trump’s Anti-Education Agenda
February 12, 2025
Take Action NowTrump wants education to become indoctrination, and the Democratic Party isn’t fighting back. But we can.By Jesse…