# Trump gives unwarranted nuke-launch order; just how likely is it to be carried out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 14, 2017, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805 "2017-02-14T07:00:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805/41 "2017-02-17T16:26:26Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > The idea that anyone at all that could get elected president, no matter how much you hate the person, would have no idea at all that any kind of launch would go unanswered, and would fancy surviving a nuclear exchange is pure fantasy. August 6th 1945 this is not. It’s not because I hate Trump. It’s that he’s that out of touch with reality. There’s a reason he keeps lying. If someone on Twitter or Cable News hasn’t told him it’s bad (and not those “fake news” people), he won’t believe it is. Remember, he flat out had to ask why nukes were not on the table. And he flat out advocated that we needed to start making more nukes in response to Russia. Trump is that stupid. I’m not saying that because I hate him. There are plenty of people I hate that I don’t think are that stupid. But Trump is. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805/42 "2017-02-17T16:39:04Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > Pretty sure of a story that a Soviet era radar facility commander stopped a launch of retaliatory nukes when the rising sun looked like an American attack. Yes. That happened. You can thank [Stanislav Petrov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov) for not pushing the button when he could have. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805/43 "2017-02-19T01:35:24Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > You’re right. > > I do not think anyone is suggesting Trump will just push “The Button” on a whim. > > The scary part is him manufacturing the [casus belli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casus_belli) to be able to do it. > > Or, if not making up a reason, just consider his temperament. What if he was president during the Cuban missile crisis? As it was we came within a whisker of nuclear war. Would you trust Trump to have been as restrained in that situation? It just does not work that easily. Even in a case of It is imperative to push the Red Button™ it just isnt that easy. Even that “Whisker” isn’t quite so close as the hype makes it out to be, not in a real button mashing sense. Getting payload enroute to target is a pain in the ass in a retaliatory capacity. In a preemptive capacity? i’d rather pull my own teeth stone sober, easier to accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805/44 "2017-02-19T02:03:20Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Remember, he flat out had to ask why nukes were not on the table. And he flat out advocated that we needed to start making more nukes in response to Russia. How does that equate to “Ooooh Red Button!! Happy Dance!!” ? All the nukes did not get here because someone was all excited to push the red button. They got here so there was enough that the other guy would also see no excitement in pushing the red button. I personally might ask why they weren’t on the table too if someone told me they were not. Reason being, they were always on the table before. We went to Iraq in 1990 carrying 6 W33 nuclear devices and 2 W48 nuclear devices. Wasn’t that anyone was real keen on having to use them, but they were on the table. They are probably more useful on said table than actually being used, which is kind of what the whole point of them has become. You try to take them off the table, the other guy changes organizational structure and puts his back on, some other twit decides he is going to make his own table etc. Like the machine said, the only way to win is not to play. And the only way not to play is to have all the game pieces and the opponents belief that you will play for keeps. Yes, it sounds absurd, welcome to planet earth, ruling species Humans. To fix that, we need a time machine and a big kidnapping squad ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805/45 "2017-02-19T04:26:59Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Yes. That happened. You can thank [Stanislav Petrov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov) for not pushing the button when he could have. He could not have “pushed the button” even if he was inclined to. He was manning a an early warning station, they have no ability to launch. Nor was it ever thought by anyone they were under attack. As [RickJay](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18446493&postcount=51) and [LSLGuy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14294649&postcount=27) have put it in earlier threads. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-gives-unwarranted-nuke-launch-order-just-how-likely-is-it-to-be-carried-out/779805.md?page=2)