Command and Control: Nuclear weapons and the illusion of safety

The smallest innocuous incident can trigger deadly results, investigative journalist Eric Schlosser told an engaged group of listeners at KPCC's Crawford Family Forum Monday, October 7.
While the Cold War and the nuclear arms race is over, Schlosser argues that nukes continue to pose a danger to humanity. The findings are part of a larger story supported by declassified military documents in his latest book, Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety. Schlosser sat down with former NPR foreign correspondent Mike Shuster at KPCC to discuss.

[@starke2908]

one of the best books i ever read, but beware it will really inform you about atomic warfare

[@sky.the.infinite]

Eric Schlosser is _sooo_ level headed. Amazing how fallible humans are. Truly. Mind-blowing.

[@bennguyen1313]

Internet Archive has the Command And Control documentary, it's a great watch!

[@joh22293]

I'm just about to finish (for the second or third time) Eric's excellent book. Can recommend to anyone, not just for the walk-through of what happened in Damascus, but for all the decision making (or lack thereof) throughout the history of the development of the weapons and their planned deployment. Scary stuff really. And... if you think it's scary stuff how bad the US was at managing all the risks involved in having a nuclear deterrent, imagine if you will how bad the USSR was at the same stuff.

[@matthewgrissop9408]

I've seen Command and Control its really freaky and eye opening

[@aprilguyer696]

I personally know one of the guys who was in that silo that day. This happened, there was an explosion but they were in danger. Very scary situation.

[@timesupgr.8471]

I probably knew him. I was there within four hours of the explosion running communications with SAC Headquarters. Do you know what squadron he was in? I was 19 & just sewed on my second stripe.

[@dsweedler]

No one who works at height uses tools without lanyards and captive yokes to keep them from falling. No one. Not utility powerline workers. Not windfarm workers. Not highrise window washwashers. EVERYTHING IS TETHERED whenever you work at height. Could be duct tape and nylon braided lines or something more sophisticated but you never work at height without those tethered lines connecting everything to your wrists or body. Only the USAF could be that stupid. Also why would you use an 8lb steel impact socket to remove what is likely an anodized aluminum or composite plastic fuel cap made from lightweight corrosion resistant materials. At the very least those impact sockets all have a heavy duty detent pin that must be pushed in to secure the socket to the drive head. In other words those sickets must be locked in place before you use them with a 1" square drive impact wrench to remove a truck tire lug nut or work on a huge diesel engine. Wrong tool for the job of removing a missile liquid fuel filler cap.

[@orionred2489]

In an interview, fuel handler said there was an adapter down from a one inch ratchet down to the size being used.

[@ShraddaNiche]

Jimmy Carter was , I believe a nuclear physicist, so he knew exactly how volatile the situation was.

[@douglassmith3016]

There's no such thing as "routine maintenance." It's known as scheduled maintenance.

[@karlthemel2678]

A hydrogen bomb uses an atomic bomb as an igniter. Most atomic bombs only work when high explosive blocks placed around a plutonium sphere explode at very precisely the same time. This seems unlikely in an uncontrolled situation like a fire or a plane crash, however, the conventional explosives can spread plutonium far and wide. For this reason, my parents and I never were afraid of uncontrolled nuclear explosions, but radiological accidents seemed a danger. Perhaps, we were wrong?

[@timesupgr.8471]

I was called out there to run secure comes right after it happened. The fear was always leak. I and my friends question the claim it didn’t leak. Still can’t discuss details, but I and my supervisor sent all the secure traffic between the site and looking glass.

[@joh22293]

"Perhaps, we were wrong?" Read Eric's book and you'll find out.

[@pickititllneverheal9016]

Pakistan should have been stripped of the nuclear weapons.The minute we found Osama there. As a prior Army service member, I have to say many of us knew thats where he was eary on. It was obvious.

[@donarnold8268]

Thank you!

[@pickititllneverheal9016]

Who created these weapons of civilization ending strength you ask? I think you know. Just dont say it or you will be branded antisemitic etc.....

[@garyjacobsen3407]

Schlosser has only a superficial understanding of nuclear command and control. In addition to the two-man rule, up to and including the president, all nuclear weapons have a Permissive Action Link (PAL code) that must be energized before the weapon will explode. It is a myth that nuclear weapons can be launched by mistake or by two rogue officers in a missile silo. PAL codes are separate from the two persons entrusted with launching missiles. If missiles are damaged in their silos or on launch platforms, a fire and local explosion will result. It will not be an atomic explosion.

[@BarneyLCornett]

You're absolutely right... I've seen this guy before... He's a fucking hyperbolic simpleton trying to sell a book by scaring the hell out of those who read it... If he knew half of what he's talking about, he would know that it damn near impossible to set off a Nuclear Weapon... As you've stated, the two-man rule, up to and only the president can give that order with the codes that only exist with the Nuclear Football, all nuclear weapons have a Permissive Action Link (PAL code) that must be energized before the weapon will explode, any code not authenticated through this system will result in the weapon becoming nothing more than a huge paperweight...

[@joh22293]

I think if you bothered to read Eric's book, you'd find he knows all that and a lot more besides.

[@christopherwhite1648]

Permissible Action Link did not exist until mid 70s. In the 1950s and 60s they didn't exist.

[@Melody_Raventress]

HaHAHaHa! Oh man, the only one who it's clear doesn't know what he's talking about is YOU. This would be the same PAL system codes that were set to '00000000' for years? The same safeties that allowed a bomb to go through every arming step but one, over Goldsboro NC? Safeties FAIL, and when those safeties are on nuclear weapons, well...

[@SteveWright-oy8ky]

It took years for the weaponeers to get the PALS installed and longer for better safety designs to be installed into the nukes as the military and the Pentagon DIDN'T WANT THEM thinking that they would cause a dud ! It was the years of accumulated nuke accidents that IKLE, PURIFOY and many others studied and knew that SHEER LUCK was all that had kept many of these nukes from full detonation and that better FAIL SAFES were needed !

[@baller15g]

Son of some exec dont believe anything it says

[@QPC_LLC]

land based weapons should be used for asteroid defense.