Larry Johnson just posted this at DailyKos and his diary takes the story to a whole new scary level.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/5/163835/2472

One thing coming up in the comments on Kos is that Barksdale already has a large stockpile of Nuclear Weapons.

He knows what he's talking about.

And I thought something very strange was up with this story.

It's September.

That is almost more scary than if it were done on purpose. Are they telling us that the security on our nuclear warheads is so low that someone can just accidentally pick them up and load them on to an airplane? Someone has a lot of explaining to do.

This was my first reaction when I read the headlines this morning. I remained silent because it was too tinfoil hatish to put into words. Clearly, I was not the only one who had this fear.

Air Force official fired after 6 nukes fly over U.S.
B-52 bomber, accidentally armed with warheads, went over several states

WASHINGTON - A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons “deeply disturbing” and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep. Edward J. Markey, a senior member of the Homeland Security committee, said it was “absolutely inexcusable.”

“Nothing like this has ever been reported before and we have been assured for decades that it was impossible,” said Markey, D-Mass., co-chair of the House task force on nonproliferation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20427730/?GT1=10357

Video at link as well: http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=614dd229-336f-428b-9eef-1a3d0f67f4cc&f=00&fg=copy

this proves it really, really, truly was an 'accident'; if it was intentional the commander would be receiving the MoF!

Those fucks actually intend to use nukes, one way or another, in Iran or here(?).

Damn.

:kick:

kick these criminals' asses fast.


Everything I've read seems to indicate it does not happen by 'mistake', no way, no how. Or it is extremely rare in any case.

Hopefully those being scapegoated in all the shit *co does will get tired of it and pissed off enough to tell the truth.

I can dream. :evilgrin:

The problem is that the price for telling the truth can mean losing your life at certain levels.

It never passed the smell test.

:tinfoilhat:

Using nuclear weapons in an attack on Iran is beyond insane.

is the Midlle East operations center, it has been since I was stationed there in the 80's. MacDill is known for it's fighters not cargo aircraft.

I remember during "Shuck and Jive"

They said the B2's and B-52's flew roundtrip

from Barksdale

This thought crossed my mind too this morning

for decades we've been told it's impossible. And it was. Protocols were designed so that no single person could ever make the chain work. The only explanation I can see is somehow, someway, somewhere there was a change of protocol. If so, who changed it and why?

It's not like these were armed warheads.

are requisitioned to even get them to the plane, the normal protocol is for multiple people to have to act in concert in order for the next link to happen. The two man protocol is strictly adhered to. At no point should any individual person have control. So how does it happen by accident? Unless that protocol has been changed?

What happened wasn't that they were accidently attached to the plane, it was that they weren't removed when they were supposed to be--at the base where they were being taken for decomissioning.

He's fond of changing protocol, isn't he. Like changing the protocol for who can scramble Air Force jets when a hijacking is in progress, back in the spring of 2001.

Dick Cheney -- evil bastard that he is

it reeks. x(

Yes they are insane -- I really did like the the 50's and 60's better

to his/her career to warn the American people that these nukes were being staged quite possibly for an attack on Iran - that this will resonate with the Congress and that they will do something immediately to stop the attack. Perhaps this incident will sink in and make them realize that *Co is dangerous and that they have to remove * and Cheney from office. They have around 500 days left and if they do - in fact - attack Iran - the consequences would be cataclysmic - to perhaps a WWIII proportion.

The least they should do in call for an immediate investigation of how this incident happened. However, I fear that the only thing that will stop this insanity is impeachment.

Whomever he or she is at Barksdale that indirectly warned us - thank you - and our prayers are with you.

"Diego Garcia is home to a military base jointly operated by the United States and the United Kingdom. The base serves as a naval refuelling and support station. It also serves as the home to Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two, the naval unit responsible for the readiness of the ships in Military Sealift Command Prepositioning Program in the Indian Ocean, a vital strategic asset to the United States.<5> Diego Garcia also has an airbase that supports the largest of modern aircraft. B-52s, other bombers, and aerial refueling tanker aircraft have been deployed to Diego Garcia to execute missions to Iraq in support of the Iraq War. During the 1991 Gulf War, it was home to the 4300 Provisional Bomb Wing, made up of B-52G bombers from Loring AFB and other B-52G bases. Diego Garcia was also used in support of military missions in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, and to Iraq again during the 2003 invasion. High-tech portable shelters to support the B-2 bomber were built on the island before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The B-52s, B-1s and B-2s deployed to Diego Garcia, in anticipation of the second Iraq War carried out the initial aerial bombardement on Baghdad on March 22, 2003. Some of these bombers dropped GPS guided bombs and laser guided 4,200 lb. (1,905 kg) bunker busters in "decapitation strikes" intended to kill Saddam Hussein and other Baath Party officials.<6> Diego Garcia is also a regular deployment site for US Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia

My main worry would be, 'will global warming be more of a threat to this base ?'

But if this guy decided to fly these nukes over the US to warn us, I hope his ass stays in the brig for a long, long, long time!

Imagine if that plane had crashed!

I'm not going to argue with his opinion, as I'm sure he's better qualified, but the characterization of the story is a bit off, I think. What I read in the news story was that the nukes weren't "accidently" loaded onto the plane before it headed to Barksdale, but that they were loaded on well before that and were supposed to be taken off on the last stop before BAFB, Minot AFB, where they were bound as part of the Air Force decommissioning most of its nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.

If you wanted to use nukes on Iran, you'd use B2's and submarine nukes, not the B-52. There's no reason when you have less vulnerable platforms available.

Since this could not be an accident, my first reaction was that someone was trying to steal them. Given that it should be almost impossible to steal them, it is more likely that they were being transported intentionally by the military and a whistle blower was involved.

Of course, several years ago I never though the elite masters of the universe could unintentionally let hijackers fly planes into sky scrapers, so you never know...

After all they are the elite masters of the universe who are obviously more worthy than your average Joe. When it comes to nukes, there should be the highest safeguards known to mankind. Reading into the article, apparently they were not accidentally loaded, they were supposedly loaded by the guy who got fired.

Is our security on nuclear warheads so low that someone can just accidentally pick them up and load them onto a bomber? If this was an accident it was just as much of a crime as it would be had these things been loaded on purpose. Whatever happened there is no good explanation, there needs to be an investigation and some people need to go to prison for this.

This was no accident. If it was an accident, it would have been covered up. This entire
administration is conducted in secret. If we have this information it's because someone
made sure that the information came out.

My guess is that someone is up to no good. My guess is that those nukes were meant for the
US and someone stopped their transport or the next step of whatever grand neocon plan is in
play.

I agree with you that this was outed by a whistle blower.

The fact that this major snafu happened at all--and that we even know about it---means that
someone blew the whistle.

someone made a mistake.

No big deal and not the first time something like that has happened.

As usual with such incidents, appropriate commanders have already been fired and a thorough investigation is being conducted.

We know an individual was somehow able to order the movements of the missiles and that there have been "no other publicly acknowledged case of live nuclear weapons being flown on bombers since the late 1960s." There are a lot of high ranking folks who would not agree that this is "no big deal."

incidents that are not accidentally revealed to the public, e.g. plane crash with a nuke weapon on board .

Weird they are now reporting on it then.

According to the Brookings Institution, the United States lost 11 nuclear bombs in accidents during the Cold War that were never recovered.

Here's another detailed report http://www.cdi.org/Issues/NukeAccidents/accidents.htm

makes me feel better! :sarcasm:

:nuke:

(in "retired" position of course):sarcasm: and you actually believe that was a mistake?

Surely you can't be that gullible.

Jody -- In the best of times that idea is nothing more than wishful thinking........It IS a big deal! There is NO "someone" that "made a mistake"!!!! We're taking NUCLEAR SCREW UP HERE........There are tons of regulations to PREVENT SUCH AN EVENT! This is VERY SERIOUS CRAP GOING ON AND IT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING! PERIOD!!! Sorry, my soapbox was to close.

It happened and it shouldn't have happened -- an incident, I don't think so!

Cheney wants a war with Iran. What his reasons are I have no idea, but I would bet it has allot to do with halliburton and oil. Billions of $'s are being extorted from the funds going into rebuilding the infrastructure of Iraq--Where is that money going? Wouldn't surprise me if dickie doesn't have info on that. This whole administration has been corrupt and the bottom line has to be the financial statement.

Bush is looking at the millions he can make on speeches --

Cheney is looking at the billions he has already made from the controlling POWER he has.

Is this all true? I have no idea, but quite frankly. it wouldn't surprise me~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do an end of life test using Iran as a target range.

Eric 'Otter' Stratton: You guys up for a toga party?
John 'Bluto' Blutarsky: Toga! Toga!
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Ah, I think they like the idea, Hoov.

:scared: :nuke: :scared: :nuke: :scared:

FLY

???

I was stationed at a SAC base in Savannah Georgia in the late 50's -- Things have changed since then, but that error wouldn't have happened then, and I am very sure it wouldn't happen today!!!~!

This is not positive news~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speculative, but worthy of consideration.

Some questions:

If these nukes were to be decommissioned, would they have been "live" when loaded onto the B-52 (as the article states)? Logic would dictate that they were disarmed on site and then put on the transport. As unlikely as a crash would be, the results would still be devastating if the nukes were armed and surrounded by more missiles. I would think that the U.S. military would have a better fail-safe than this.

If these nukes were bound for Iran, would the B-52's drop the bombs themselves or would they just be dropping the nukes off? I know the range of the B-52 is incredible, but what is the range of the B-2? Is there an air base along the way to the Middle East capable of landing a B-52? Are there B-2s there?

Who is the commander that has been disciplined? Is he the one that leaked this? There needs to be more details and perhaps an investigation independent of the military (who has been very, very lackluster in their investigative ability since the pseudo-Texas Turd took office.(see also: Pat Tillman, Jessica Lynch, Abu Ghraib etc.).

Lots of questions, but considering the potential gravity of the incident, these questions need to be answered.

The warheads reportedly were not "armed". The risk that they posed was the possibility that, in the event the plane crashed, radioactive material from the nukes cold be disseminated. But there was no risk of a nuclear explosion.

And if the nukes were "bound for Iran" the military simply would've denied the story.

"If these nukes were bound for Iran, would the B-52's drop the bombs themselves or would they just be dropping the nukes off? I know the range of the B-52 is incredible, but what is the range of the B-2? Is there an air base along the way to the Middle East capable of landing a B-52? Are there B-2s there?"

Mid air refueling makes their range limitless -- they just keep going---

I would also think they would not have been transported slung under a B52 ready for action. Would seem to me they would be put INSIDE a transport air craft. After all, the Air Force commanders do have working gray matter. Big difference--slung under a B52 (aggresive posture) stowed in a transport aircraft (nonaggressive).

Go figure!

I just bet Cheney is going to pull a 9/11 on Iran ---- bush away, dick does play -- sorry to say -- dick has his way.

Big BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!

This whole scenario is scary, considering that JCS know from wargames that they'd be starting WWIII.

It's a real possibility that the nukes aren't meant for Iran.

I read this somewhere else:


Also, you don't ship inert weapons for decommissioning on the wing or in the bomb bay. The 'live' nukes are loaded in tractor trailers. A federal marshal rides in the cab with full auto M-16. Other marshals escort the shipment in armored suburbans. They are not escorted on public roads by military units.



Don't forget the special "changes" Bush and Cheney have made to our nuclear arsenal. It is no longer in the control of the UC Board of Regents, it is now in the hands of the Carlyle Group and Bechtel. Also the only covert operation that was tracking nuclear and dual-use materials globally was shut down by them. They actually could sneak nukes out of our arsenal and into some cities without anyone outside of their personal co-conspirator base knowing.

With 'Deadly Force Authorized' escorts. The Trailers are unmarked and unless you know what to look for, they look like any other 18 wheeler on the road.

I think something is up possibly ala Cheney, and some Good Samaritan couldn't just
stand by and let it happen. A big Thank You to that person(s).:patriot:

Who knows if it was meant for Iran or somewhere here 9/11 style? :scared:
Whichever, this is not looking good. With all the talk about September after Labor Day
and October etc. it looks as if this was well planned.

Truly scary.:wow: Now what are they gonna plan? :hide:

"The Air Combat Command has ordered a command-wide

stand down on Sept. 14

to review procedures, officials said."

Hmmm, let's see, wasn't there some sort of similar arrangement on Sept. 11th (2001)?

Wonder why the mass exodus from DC lately?

Hmmm

...if Congress decides to de-fund the Iraq operation. * will start up a new theatre of ops, Iran, just in case.

It's LIHOP all over again.

Hmm

Hmmm

It's a popular conspiracy theory myth that there was a "stand down" order of some kind (for which they're always vague on the details), but in fact no such thing transpired.

yikes.

You don't just wake up one day as an AF bomber pilot and tell your crew members," hey guys, let's grab some of those nuclear armed cruise missiles and take a joy ride for the hell of it!" nO way in hell...this was NOT a mistake--somebody way up the chain of command ORDERED this bomber to have these live weapons, and i'll take a guess Darth Cheney and is goons will been behind it.

1) They were intended for Iran.

2) They and all the rest of this Potemkin Buildup is a Psyop designed to scare the Irainians into yielding without bloodhed.

I consider #2 a much lower probablility(20%) than #1 (60%)because solving porblems bloodlessly isn;t what the Bushies are about and would contradict most of their previosu Hitlerian action while they cried (as Hitler did) "We only want peace!"

Other possibilities <20% probability, I think.

This whole thing could be just a Psyop on Iran and the Amerikan Subjects.