He is the commander in Chief and nothing in the constiution or in law procribes differently. Period.
As far as letting such states enjoy the benefits of free trade to arm themselves to the teeth, well..
Posted on 05/01/2005 12:22:02 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Sunday May 1, 5:39 PM
(Kyodo) _ The U.S. military plans to allow regional combatant commanders to request the president for approval to carry out preemptive nuclear strikes against possible attacks on the United States or its allies with weapons of mass destruction, according to a draft new nuclear operations paper. The paper, drafted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces, also revealed that submarines which make port calls in Yokosuka, Sasebo and Okinawa in Japan are prepared for reloading nuclear warheads if necessary to deal with a crisis.
The March 15 draft paper, a copy of which was made available, is titled "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations" providing "guidelines for the joint employment of forces in nuclear operations...for the employment of U.S. nuclear forces, command and control relationships, and weapons effect considerations."
"There are numerous nonstate organizations (terrorist, criminal) and about 30 nations with WMD programs, including many regional states," the paper says in allowing combatant commanders in the Pacific and other theaters to maintain an option of preemptive strikes against "rogue" states and terrorists and "request presidential approval for use of nuclear weapons" under set conditions.
The paper identifies nuclear, biological and chemical weapons as requiring preemptive strikes to prevent their use.
But allowing preemptive nuclear strikes against possible biological and chemical attacks effectively contradicts a "negative security assurance" policy declared by the U.S. administration of President Bill Clinton 10 years ago on the occasion of an international conference to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Creating a treaty on negative security assurances to commit nuclear powers not to use nuclear weapons against countries without nuclear weapons remains one of the most contentious issues for the 35-year-old NPT regime.
A JCS official said the paper "is still a draft which has to be finalized," but indicated that it is aimed at guiding "cross-spectrum" combatant commanders how to jointly carry out operations based on the Nuclear Posture Review report adopted three years ago by the administration of President George W. Bush.
Citing North Korea, Iran and some other countries as threats, the report set out contingencies for which U.S. nuclear strikes must be prepared and called for developing earth-penetrating nuclear bombs to destroy hidden underground military facilities, including those for storing WMD and ballistic missiles.
"The nature (of the paper) is to explain not details but cross spectrum for how to conduct operations," the official said, noting that it "means for all services, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine."
In 1991 after the end of the Cold War, the United States removed its ground-based nuclear weapons in Asia and Europe as well as strategic nuclear warheads on warships and submarines.
But the paper says the United States is prepared to revive those sea-based nuclear arms.
"Nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles, removed from ships and submarines under the 1991 Presidential Nuclear Initiative, are secured in central areas where they remain available, if necessary for a crisis," the paper says.
The paper also underlined that the United States retains a contingency scenario of limited nuclear wars in East Asia and the Middle East.
"Geographic combatant commanders may request presidential approval for use of nuclear weapons for a variety of conditions," the paper says.
The paper lists eight conditions such as "an adversary using or intending to use WMD against U.S. multinational or alliance forces or civilian populations" and "imminent attack from adversary biological weapons that only effects from nuclear weapons can safely destroy."
The conditions also include "attacks on adversary installations including WMD, deep, hardened bunkers containing chemical or biological weapons" and countering "potentially overwhelming adversary conventional forces."
Ping!
Weakness of the allies started WWII and later encouraged the Soviets and then the Maoists. And weakness invited North Korea to attack the south. Peace can only be held through overwhelming deterrence.
Kim better practice ducking. And put the final touches on his shelter(s).
Of course what he really needs to practice, is shutting up, but that doesn't appear to be an option with him.
The sooner we take out NK and Iran nukes, the safer the us.
This is a shot across somone's bow.
Ya know...planning possible attacks on Iran and North Korea only proves their point in getting nuclear weapons...we might attack them! So they better get in on the M.A.D. plan before its too late. Anyway there is a very good alternative which takes time but would instill permanent change inside the nation...free-market capitalism! The societies in China and Saudi Arabia are slowly liberalizing as we do trade with them. Why not do trade with the Irans, Cubas, and North Koreas of the world? It may seem like we are caving in to dictators, but in order to stay competitive in a capitalist nation, you have to spread ideas and concepts in order to fill niches and continue to be successful or start to be successful. Is it any coincidence that the nations with the freest markets have the freest lives?
And also, wouldn't it be best if that was our policy and we left the manpower to defend the homeland?
Hey kim Dumb Ill, you better star learning to Duck and Cover (as if that will really work)!
"Nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles, removed from ships and submarines under the 1991 Presidential Nuclear Initiative, are secured in central areas where they remain available, if necessary for a crisis," the paper says.
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Are you telling me we don't have any nukes on ships and subs? 1. I don't believe it. 2. If true, it represents a huge breach in our national security and I can't believe even the Rhino Bush SR would sign something like that.
Yeah, that's an ideal outcome, and I'll bet they're shooting for it. But I think they're making them a deal they can't refuse, nukes on one hand, freedom on the other.
I can understand reloading the equipment, but the US publicly committing to first use of nuclear weapons seems unlikely, especially without Congressional authorization. Such would create a furor that might force us into a position that hampers our options more than they are now. I can't imagine that the Pentagon would leak such a story either.
But allowing preemptive nuclear strikes against possible biological and chemical attacks effectively contradicts a "negative security assurance" policy declared by the U.S. administration of President Bill Clinton 10 years ago on the occasion of an international conference to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Dear Kyodo News,
You're not in Arkansass any more.
How on earth does this stuff get made public ..??
I suppose we still have a bunch of Clinton people in the Pentagon trying to screw things up by informing our enemies what we might be planning. After all, the dems believe we should level the playing field with our enemies by giving them our information - that way they wouldn't have any need to attack us. THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!!
Hmmmm?? ISN'T THAT TREASON OR SOMETHING ?? I MEAN WE USED TO CARE ABOUT THAT - BUT I GUESS WE DON'T ANYMORE.
You think it was released on purpose ..??
All NK has to export is starving people, drugs, counterfeit currency, and weapons.
It's always best to negotiate from a position of strength, and it doesn't take a rocket science to realize that our strength will be tested in these coming years. This is a good plan.
BS...not all.
With Iran or NKorea now, assuming they did have the capability of getting a missile or two to the US, then what?
Say they take out LA or Atlanta. Surely, their leadership knows that within 10 minutes they would occupy a hold in the ground where their nation used to be.
Bin Laden at least thought he could hide safely in the depths of Afghanistan, a landlocked country filled with tunnels and underground facilities.
I just don't see NK or Iran doing more than blustering in their rhetoric -- unless their leader has decided on suicide by US Military.
So, a McDonalds on every corner and Walmart in every village is the answer, huh?
Capitalism in and of itself is cause of aggression. So what happens when the whole world practices capitalism and every nation competes for the finite resources? The one with the biggest stick will get the most. That's the way it's been and that's the way it will be.
He is the commander in Chief and nothing in the constiution or in law procribes differently. Period.
As far as letting such states enjoy the benefits of free trade to arm themselves to the teeth, well..
FYI ping
However this sentence... called for developing earth-penetrating nuclear bombs to destroy hidden underground military facilities, including those for storing WMD and ballistic missiles.
...my first thought was wondering if we don't actually already have them.
??
" It may seem like we are caving in to dictators,"
====
IT IS caving to Dictators. You don't spread freedom and democracy by giving in to and propping up dictators who want to destroy us.
That's a pretty twisted reading of the Constitution. The President has the responsibility to conduct wars that Congress authorizes and not otherwise per Article I, Section 8, Clauses 1 & 11:
Clause 11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
Still wanna play, Kim Jong?
"The societies in China and Saudi Arabia are slowly liberalizing as we do trade with them."
15 years ago Chinese students were willing to die for democracy. Today Chinese students are willing to die to get a Japanese head on a pike. 15 years ago Chinese students erected a replica of the statue of Liberty. Today they revile the United States and couldn't care less about democratic reforms as long as they can get a good job and a nice car. Dreams of democracy have given way to dreams of Asian domination and superpower status. The recent prosperity in China has given the CCP a new mandate among the people and enabled them to build up their military to a point that it has become a threat to U.S. interests and U.S. allies in the region. You want to extend that model to Iran, Cuba, and North Korea?
Maybe they are testing the water.
Kim Jong-il has a bad worse hair day.
AMF!
France, Germany, Japan, and virtually all other industrialized Western countries have no restictions on trading with Cuba yet they are not investing in that country or in North Korea. The reason is called "communism."
The myth that the US boycott is keeping Cuba poor is just that, a myth. It's one broadcast by Castro and parroted here by lefties and by the ignorant.
"All NK has to export is starving people, drugs, counterfeit currency, and weapons."
More reason to lift the war on drugs...
"Capitalism in and of itself is cause of aggression. So what happens when the whole world practices capitalism and every nation competes for the finite resources? The one with the biggest stick will get the most. That's the way it's been and that's the way it will be."
You sure your a conservative? Perhaps you are a visiting liberal...cool with me either way..anyway in argument for capitalism...capitalist nations are the most efficient societies. The places with the best environments are the first world nations, where techonology has improved the environment, and third world nations, where there isn't enough industry to cause pollutions. The developing nations are the biggest polluters...but once they become first world...it will get better there as well. What does this have to do with fighting for resources, when every nation becomes first world...they will all use resources efficiently. Of course there would have to be growing pains.
"IT IS caving to Dictators. You don't spread freedom and democracy by giving in to and propping up dictators who want to destroy us."
You don't do it with violent government assisted coups either. It's just temporary change. For example, I hope the best for Iraq, but I just don't think that democracy is going to last due to the method of doing so. There were no grass roots..you just planted sod on a desert..and that sod will die. You don't change minds with violence, you are just coercing them. And also..what is the sense of denying new friends?
"15 years ago Chinese students were willing to die for democracy. Today Chinese students are willing to die to get a Japanese head on a pike. 15 years ago Chinese students erected a replica of the statue of Liberty. Today they revile the United States and couldn't care less about democratic reforms as long as they can get a good job and a nice car. Dreams of democracy have given way to dreams of Asian domination and superpower status. The recent prosperity in China has given the CCP a new mandate among the people and enabled them to build up their military to a point that it has become a threat to U.S. interests and U.S. allies in the region. You want to extend that model to Iran, Cuba, and North Korea?"
Well it appears to be nationalistic BS on both sides doesn't it? The collective idea of superiority and domination. Anyway, I thought this was about freedom and promoting democracy rather than promoting US interests, and the Chinese people are now better off than they were 15 years ago. Give it time...China will become a democracy that will stand the test of time in a couple generations. The grass roots are in..we just have to let them go.
communist china and communist russia are behind the 'rogue states' problem.
Bush knows this.
So do the joint cheifs.
the cold war ended.
a hot one is coming.
I might agree with you about China given the vast amount of corruption. I doubt they'll kill their golden goose (trade with the West). If the Chinese economy collapses, it's hard to predict what they may do to retain power and distract the populace. Iran and North Korea are cut from different cloth. Iran is a state sponsor of Islamic fundamentalism. North Korea exists for the benefit of one nutcase and his family. Neither will allow capitalism to flourish unimpeded.
North Korea's dependence on selling missiles and who knows what else, nuclear warheads perhaps, for hard cash will eventually create a problem the world will regret. It's not impossible for a New York City or Washington D.C. to be hit. Those are prime targets.
I'm waiting for the bunker buster sale to Iasrael to be consumated. With luck we can add Iran and North Korea to the list which includes Iraq and Libya as nations no longer interested in nuclear weapons. I'm betting that will happen before 2008.
They should also make it perfectly clear.....if a terrorist group nukes anywhere in the US, those two regimes (the last two spokes in the axis of evil) will be first to bear the brunt of a full retaliation.....
I believe so .. but I think we were/are working on one that could bust through even deeper
If I recall correctly, the Dems didn't like that idea
Bttt! Glad to see you commenting, again!
Yeah, but! Korea wasn't 'declared'; Viet Nam wasn't 'declared'; Panama wasn't 'declared'; Grenada wasn't; Balkan bombing wasn't... ad infinitum.
Congress' only real say is control of military purse-strings. Without congressional approval the president can indeed act militarily, it's simply that the costs of such action will have to be taken from some other program within the defense department.
That was then....this is now!
Would the United States have the will to respond with nuclear weapons to an attack on Japan or South Korea?
I believe this is true, however the U.S. still maintains a fleet of Trident SSBN's with missiles that are nuclear tipped.
At any given time (24 x 7 x 365) there are more than enough warheads at sea available for targeting anything N.K. or Iran might wish to loose.
Physically, but not legally.
He could be impeached for improper use, but he he pushes button, and a second person in the command authority chain verifies it, we split atoms.
True, but by no means optimal. I just don't buy this story. The Pentagon brass may be saying that they might need this authority, and surely they should be armed to execute such a plan, but allowing field commanders to act on their own doesn't seem to me to be this Administration's MO. I think it more likely that the Kyodo people are taking the facts to an illogical conclusion for propaganda purposes.
Going back to Tripoli and the Barbary Pirates, an awful precedent.
During his social Security press conference. Odds are not a reporter in the room understood a word of what he said. His prime time comments were addressed directly to foreign leaders, praise for China and Russia, scorn for N Kor.
You Becha Sweet Ass!
"Iran is a state sponsor of Islamic fundamentalism."
However, that nation is already liberalizing..its a great chance to try the free-market capitalism alternative.
"North Korea exists for the benefit of one nutcase and his family."
You may be correct about North Korea...but I feel diplomacy and trade should be the first alternative. Let us see how ambitious Jong-Il is....and if that doesn't work...he certainly wouldnt want to nuke the place where most of his favorite pop culture comes from!
Politics is the continuation of war by other means.
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