Top general says he would resist "illegal" nuke order from Trump
Source: CBS News
By KATHRYN WATSON CBS NEWS November 18, 2017, 11:26 AM
Last Updated Nov 18, 2017 12:10 PM EST
The top U.S. nuclear commander said Saturday he would push back against President Trump if he ordered a nuclear launch the general believed to be "illegal," saying he would hope to find another solution.
Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), told an audience at the Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday that he has given a lot of thought to what he would say if Mr. Trump ordered a strike he considered unlawful.
"I think some people think we're stupid," Hyten said in response to a question about such a scenario. "We're not stupid people. We think about these things a lot. When you have this responsibility, how do you not think about it?"
Hyten explained the process that would follow such a command. As head of STRATCOM, Hyten is responsible for overseeing the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-strategic-command-gen-john-hyten-resist-illegal-nuke-order-from-trump/
kimbutgar
(21,285 posts)But I commend his honesty and loyalty to this country to save us from madman Twitler.
ProudMNDemocrat
(16,899 posts)The US Military should stand down to Donald Trump for any call to use Nuclear weapons on anyone! To do so would be folly and the anger from the rest of the world would be swift.
I would support any person wearing the uniform of the Armed Forces to REFUSE to carry out an invasion or first strike on a sovereign nation, no matter how deplorable they are.
TomSlick
(11,150 posts)All military officers have been taught for years that they have a duty to disobey illegal orders. "I was obeying orders," is the Nuremburg Defense. A good argument can be made that a first strike nuclear attack is - of itself - a law of war violation.
That being said, it would require extraordinary courage for any military officer to defy a Presidential Order. If one did, s/he would be promptly relieved. The next officer would be given the order and if s/he did not comply, s/he would be promptly relieved, etc. until someone was found who would obey the order.
An interesting legal idea but basically meaningless.
Irish_Dem
(48,097 posts)dire trouble. But thank god they won't start a nuke war on the orange squirrel's say so.
paleotn
(18,015 posts)and rightly so, but rest assured, this scenario, and thousands like it, have been gamed out and procedures put in place to deal with it.