US presidential nuclear codes 'lost for months'

[lostinblue 1,989]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11591213

The codes used by the president to launch a nuclear strike were mislaid for months during the Clinton administration, the former highest-ranking US officer has said.

Ex-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Gen Hugh Shelton made the claim in a new book.

The codes are usually held by an aide who remains close to the president.

Gen Shelton said there was an incident where an aide said the codes had been lost.

They were immediately replaced, but an internal inquiry was conducted.

Gen Shelton said the incident had taken place "around the year 2000".

Under the procedures, an official was sent every month to check the codes, and that they were replaced every four months with new codes.

According to Gen Shelton's book, Without Hesitation, an official had gone to check one month and been told by the aide that the codes were on the president's person but that he was in an important meeting and could not be disturbed.

A different official went to do the same check a month later and was told a similar story. When it came time to change the codes, an aide admitted they had been missing for months.

Gen Shelton said it was apparent that the president had not had the codes and that he had been unaware that an aide had lost them.

The general described the episode as a "comedy of errors".

[TBoneTX 45,486]

Which means that we'd take weeks to respond to any future attack on the U.S., sigh man. Bets that the current occupant of the "O"val Office has lit a cigar with the codes as a parlor trick?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

At least he can pronounce nuclear.

[Pooky 3,806]

At least he can pronounce nuclear.

That depends on what gets put up on the teleprompter

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Well, it wasn't like he would ever use them anyways. That was one reason it was safer to vote for him, than a loon like McCain.

Edited October 24, 2010 by ##########

[lostinblue 1,989]

At least he can pronounce nuclear.

Obama consistently refers to the rights as "inalienable," while the Declaration describes them as "unalienable."

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Obama-finally-learns-the-Declaration-includes-Creator-105591438.html#ixzz13HEz74nD

[alienlovechild 75]

Well, it wasn't like he would ever use them anyways. That was one reason it was safer to vote for him, than a loon like McCain.

If an enemy thinks like you, you get an increased risk of nuke war. Like it or not MAD is cornerstone of our nuclear for decades.

Considering our current president muses on about our ability to absorb a major terrorist attack, there's a good chance he wouldn't launch a nuclear counterattack until most most of the retaliatory power is gone. At least with McCain, we had a guy that had been under pressure and to war. With Obama we have soldiers dying in Afghanistan to soften up the Taliban on a timetable. . . for Obama's re-election.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

If an enemy thinks like you, you get an increased risk of nuke war. Like it or not MAD is cornerstone of our nuclear for decades.

Considering our current president muses on about our ability to absorb a major terrorist attack, there's a good chance he wouldn't launch a nuclear counterattack until most most of the retaliatory power is gone. At least with McCain, we had a guy that had been under pressure and to war. With Obama we have soldiers dying in Afghanistan to soften up the Taliban on a timetable. . . for Obama's re-election.

Problem with McCain, he has had a dark cloud follow him most of his career. If not for being an Admiral's son, his military, and therefore, his political career would have gone nowhere. McCain's biggest problem has always been premature ejaculation. I didn't want to see anything like the Forrestal happen on a world wide scale.

I despise Obama, but McCain is just plain unstable.

Edited October 24, 2010 by ##########

[alienlovechild 75]

I didn't want to see anything like the Forrestal happen on a world wide scale.

McCain didn't cause the fire on the Forrestal and his only "crime" (to you) was that he ran from the fire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_USS_Forrestal_fire

Edited October 24, 2010 by alienlovechild

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Obama consistently refers to the rights as "inalienable," while the Declaration describes them as "unalienable."

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Obama-finally-learns-the-Declaration-includes-Creator-105591438.html#ixzz13HEz74nD

Bush couldn't pronounce those words either.

[Ban Hammer 13,398]

McCain didn't cause the fire on the Forrestal and his only "crime" (to you) was that he ran from the fire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_USS_Forrestal_fire

he was not properly equipped to help - he did what he was supposed to do.

[웃 910]

McCain is senile

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

At least he can pronounce nuclear.

but not corpsman

[Ban Hammer 13,398]

but not corpsman

[Hilarious Clinton 452]