Latest Breaking News

DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Sat Nov 18, 2017, 04:08 PM Nov 2017

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/

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Top general says he would resist "illegal" nuke order from Trump (Original Post) DonViejo Nov 2017 OP

Expect his guy to be demoted or fired in the next couple of weeks kimbutgar Nov 2017 #1

I would hope so.... ProudMNDemocrat Nov 2017 #2

This really isn't surprising. TomSlick Nov 2017 #3

Once the US Military publicly states they will not follow presidential orders, this country is in Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #4

Much of the protocols in question are secret paleotn Nov 2017 #5

kimbutgar

(21,163 posts)

1. Expect his guy to be demoted or fired in the next couple of weeks

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Sat Nov 18, 2017, 04:11 PM

Nov 2017

But I commend his honesty and loyalty to this country to save us from madman Twitler.

ProudMNDemocrat

(16,786 posts)

2. I would hope so....

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Sat Nov 18, 2017, 04:12 PM

Nov 2017

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

(11,100 posts)

3. This really isn't surprising.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Sat Nov 18, 2017, 04:22 PM

Nov 2017

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

(47,131 posts)

4. Once the US Military publicly states they will not follow presidential orders, this country is in

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Sat Nov 18, 2017, 04:23 PM

Nov 2017

dire trouble. But thank god they won't start a nuke war on the orange squirrel's say so.

paleotn

(17,931 posts)

5. Much of the protocols in question are secret

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Sat Nov 18, 2017, 06:04 PM

Nov 2017

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.

Reply to this discussion