# What Are The Steps Needed for the U.S. To Go To Quick Thermonuclear War These Days?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-steps-needed-for-the-u-s-to-go-to-quick-thermonuclear-war-these-days/334299>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 6, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-steps-needed-for-the-u-s-to-go-to-quick-thermonuclear-war-these-days/334299 "2005-12-06T04:45:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-steps-needed-for-the-u-s-to-go-to-quick-thermonuclear-war-these-days/334299/21 "2005-12-08T20:23:54Z")

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> [@jawdirk](#):
>
> I’ve never understood this. This security seems very flimsy to me. Couldn’t it be circumvented with a monkey wrench and a string? If someone planned to single-handedly launch an ICBM, surely this would not stop them?

I doubt that the other launch officer is going to stand by and calmly observe the proceedings while this is going on. Besides, you need both launch officers to retrieve the launch keys from their locked container. Even if both keys are turned, there are additional safeguards to prevent an unauthorized launch.

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**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-steps-needed-for-the-u-s-to-go-to-quick-thermonuclear-war-these-days/334299/22 "2005-12-09T00:48:38Z")

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> [@William V.](#):
>
> Several who served in the Carter Administration have described the time that Zbigniew Brzenski (sp?), the national security advisor, got the President’s approval to do a little test of his own. Zbig went up to the guy with the Football and said, “I’m the National Command Authority now. Let me see the codes.” The football guy gulped and let him see them.
> 
> Zbig also demanded that Marine One be scrambled for his immediate evac from the White House. No one told the Secret Service, which almost shot down the helicopter when it came in, hell for leather and unannounced, over the South Lawn.

[An old thread about this incident](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=258919)

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