Why the hubbub over a B-52 taking off from a B-52 base in Minot, North Dakota and subsequently landing at a B-52 base in Barksdale, Louisiana? That’s like getting excited if you see postal worker in uniform walking out of a post office. And how does someone watching a B-52 land identify the cruise missiles as nukes? It just does not make sense.
So I called a old friend and retired B-52 pilot and asked him. What he told me offers one compelling case of circumstantial evidence. My buddy, let’s call him Jack D. Ripper, reminded me that the only times you put weapons on a plane is when they are on alert or if you are tasked to move the weapons to a specific site.
Then he told me something I had not heard before.
Barksdale Air Force Base is being used as a jumping off point for Middle East operations. Gee, why would we want cruise missile nukes at Barksdale Air Force Base. Can’t imagine we would need to use them in Iraq. Why would we want to preposition nuclear weapons at a base conducting Middle East operations?
His final point was to observe that someone on the inside obviously leaked the info that the planes were carrying nukes. A B-52 landing at Barksdale is a non-event. A B-52 landing with nukes. That is something else.
Now maybe there is an innocent explanation for this? I can’t think of one. What is certain is that the pilots of this plane did not just make a last minute decision to strap on some nukes and take them for a joy ride. We need some tough questions and clear answers. What the hell is going on? Did someone at Barksdale try to indirectly warn the American people that the Bush Administration is staging nukes for Iran? I don’t know, but it is a question worth asking.
This IS a question worth asking.
Is anyone but Mr. Johnson asking it?
And is not, why not?
here we have this “netroots” thing.
YOU know, the one that is always trumpeting its power?
So…where is the info, folks?
DISSEMINATE THIS QUESTION.
NOW!!!
This is important.
Please…DO it.
Y’all are involved in other places on the net.
DO something.
Something other than sitting reading horror material of this sort and clucking your tongues, that is.
DO something.
Please.
AG
so you write and we read and then we share with others and maybe if we are lucky, some of us get comments posted on other sites!
BUT- ya know what? Its all bullshit. unless and/or until we can get the major media outlets to start to report on some of stuff that the blogs are reporting on. AND WE KNOW THAT THAT AINT HAPPENING !!!!!!!!!!
Well???
Question for Jack. D. Ripper:
during the height of the ‘cold war’ SAC had birds with nuclear payloads in the air 24/7/365, IMS. Is/has/was this practice suspended?
lf so, then it lends greater credence to the theory that the game is afoot.
And just who might this leak be intended to impress?
Iran, ya think?
Given the increased bellicosity and Darth’s directive to begin the propaganda spin this week, it seems very likely that some bird col’s career has just been sacrificed on the neocon altar of all war, all the time.
lTMF’sA
Now there’s a hell of a thing.
Remember the memes here:
1) “This was a mistake.”
Really? I doubt that. The nukes were supposedly needing to have been detached from the missiles first before being shipped, but that wasn’t done. You think somebody would have noticed. That would have required mistakes by a lot of people other than the commander…unless they weren’t being shipped detached for a reason, and somebody ratted the operation out.
2) “An Air Force Commander lost his command over this.”
A whole lot more people should have if this happened: the pilot, the technicians, the loading crew, the nuke specialists, on down the line. Again, this seems awfully convenient.
3) “The nukes were being transported to be dismantled.”
Who transports dismantled nukes from North Dakota to Louisiana, anyway? Does Barksdale AFB have nuke disposal capability? If you were trying to keep nukes out of the hands of terrorists, especially dismantled, more easily transportable nukes, why would you want to bring them closer to a major port city? Why load them in a B-52?
Seems to me Minot North Dakota would be an ideal place to dismantle nukes…it’s freakin’ North Dakota. Why take them to Louisiana?
No, Larry’s right. This stinks to high heaven.
Looks like everybody who even walked by the plane has been suspended, although one could presume the qualifier: temporarily is the operative word here:
lTMF’sA
There was a blurb in the Grand Forks (ND) Herald on this today. In part:
WASHINGTON – A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.
The incident was so serious that President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates were quickly informed and Gates has asked for daily briefings on the Air Force probe, said Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell. He said, “At no time was the public in danger.”
Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the mishandling of the weapons “deeply disturbing” and said the committee would press the military for details. Rep. Edward J. Markey, a senior member of the Homeland Security committee, said it was “absolutely inexcusable”.
“At no time was the public in danger.”
Now that`s a keeper.
CNN has more on this story.
Say again?
The missiles were supposed to be decommissioned at Barksdale AFB, but the warheads should have never left Minot, because of the treaty that we have against flying nuclear weapons…that makes…no sense whatsoever.
How did the warheads get on the missiles in the first place? Shouldn’t somebody have notified the B-52 in flight? “Hey guys, you’re flying with LIVE NUKES ON THE PLANE, you want to turn around and come back to Minot?”
Also, why would the warheads be decommissioned in North Dakota, and the missiles be decommissioned in Louisiana? Are you telling me we have regular flights from North Dakota to Louisiana for the express purpose of decommissioning cruise missiles with their warheads removed?
This story STILL stinks.
That’s actually the only plausible part. The military has been trying to shut down bases all over the place for years. Congresscritters, acting on behalf of base towns that want to keep their military welfare dollars, work very hard to keep unnecessary bases open. One way to do that is to split the function of a single, necessary base with a second, unnecessary base. It’s entirely possible that warheads and their missiles were originally decommissioned at Minot, and then half the job was transferred to Barksdale just to keep both bases open.
Do not underestimate the number of votes a congressman can get by funnelling military money into poor areas, e.g. South Dakota and Louisiana.
Er, North Dakota.
Like there’s a difference, anyway.
South Dakota is windier and North Dakota is frostier….
Oh, come on Larry, there are plenty of nukes at Barksdale already. They don’t have to be shipped in from Minot.
Some background on the rarity of such event. This has been against policy for for nearly 40 years:
l’ll bet there are bound to be lots of ‘surprises‘ with BushCo™ in charge.
lTMF’sA
"What is certain is that the pilots of this plane did not just make a last minute decision to strap on some nukes and take them for a joy ride."
Retarded statement…shoot yourself. You have absolutely ZERO perception to the seriousness of working with nukes. One doesn’t just "strap" on a nuke. People fucked up and did not follow procedure, from the loaders to the aircrew. The loaders are the initial culprit.
"Did someone at Barksdale try to indirectly warn the American people that the Bush Administration is staging nukes for Iran?"
Duh. Shoot yourself. This is not like strapping the latest accessorty to your toy transformer.
"I don’t know, but it is a question worth asking."
No. Because if you ask a credible person, they’ll shuff you off as the idiot you are.
"during the height of the ‘cold war’ SAC had birds with nuclear payloads in the air 24/7/365"
Decent question..sometimes in the sixties. A Buff went down with a nuke onboard. Bad scene. Process stopped.
"Given the increased bellicosity and Darth’s directive to begin the propaganda spin this week, it seems very likely that some bird col’s career has just been sacrificed on the neocon altar of all war, all the time."
–Dude. Read some fucking history…as screwed up as it is, the fact remains a Commander is ultimately responsible when something really bad happens in their command. This was REALLY bad, and heads are gonna roll from the top down. Only, the reporting starts with the first head to roll. Have fun being some Muslim’s little bitch when your NEOCON war alter kicks you to the other side of the wire to enjoy dong Anal for the unwashed invaders.
1) "This was a mistake."
–Oh hell yah it was.
Really? I doubt that. The nukes were supposedly needing to have been detached from the missiles first before being shipped, but that wasn’t done. You think somebody would have noticed. That would have required mistakes by a lot of people other than the commander…"
Oh yah…a lot of people missed it.
"…unless they weren’t being shipped detached for a reason, and somebody ratted the operation out."
It’s not an "OPERATION". Shouldn’t you fucktards be all like…jumping for joy because nukes are being dismantled? The nuclear warhead is removed from the missile in North Dakota and the missile is "flown" aboard a Buff back to Barksdale to be "De-mil’d" meaning de-militarized, meaning dismantled.
"2) "An Air Force Commander lost his command over this."
A whole lot more people should have if this happened: the pilot, the technicians, the loading crew, the nuke specialists, on down the line."
–Yes.
"Again, this seems awfully convenient."
What is/is not convenient? People screwed up. Heads should roll.
3) "The nukes were being transported to be dismantled."
"Who transports dismantled nukes from North Dakota to Louisiana, anyway?"
–they don’t
Does Barksdale AFB have nuke disposal capability?
–No
If you were trying to keep nukes out of the hands of terrorists, especially dismantled, more easily transportable nukes, why would you want to bring them closer to a major port city? Why load them in a B-52?
–non nuke missiles are loaded.
"Seems to me Minot North Dakota would be an ideal place to dismantle nukes…it’s freakin’ North Dakota."
–Tard. Do you read? They were supposed to be.
Why take them to Louisiana?
–see above, what is supposed to be taken to LA.
No, Larry’s right. This stinks to high heaven.
by Zandar1 on Wed Sep 5th, 2007 at 05:57:39 PM EST
–You and Larry are missing a chromosome.
The warheads should have been removed from the missiles before they were attached to the B-52 bomber, according to military officials.
—OOH, you used the word operative. The people responsible for preflighting anything, or loading anything are responsible. Joe shit the ragman passing by is not canned.
In addition to the munitions squadron commander who was relieved of his duties, crews involved with the mistaken load — including ground crew workers — have been temporarily suspended from handling munitions, one official said.
–Yes. A missile looks like a missile. Despite a deranged persons probably belief, it does not have NUKE written in big bold letters on the side.
"[new] light sabre rattling from Darth Cheney. (none / 1)"
Go back to making your transformers tickle-fight. Cheney has nothing to do with it.
"At no time was the public in danger."
The warheads should have been removed from the missiles before they were attached to the B-52 bomber, according to military officials.
"Say again?"
—The warheads should have been removed from the missiles before they were attached to the B-52 bomber, according to military officials.
The missiles were supposed to be decommissioned at Barksdale AFB, but the warheads should have never left Minot, because of the treaty that we have against flying nuclear weapons…that makes…no sense whatsoever.
How did the warheads get on the missiles in the first place? Shouldn’t somebody have notified the B-52 in flight? "Hey guys, you’re flying with LIVE NUKES ON THE PLANE, you want to turn around and come back to Minot?"
Also, why would the warheads be decommissioned in North Dakota, and the missiles be decommissioned in Louisiana? Are you telling me we have regular flights from North Dakota to Louisiana for the express purpose of decommissioning cruise missiles with their warheads removed?
"This story STILL stinks."
–It does. But it don’t mean we’re about to bomb Iran.
"Are you telling me we have regular flights from North Dakota to Louisiana for the express purpose of decommissioning cruise missiles with their warheads removed?"
–Yes
"That’s actually the only plausible part. The military has been trying to shut down bases all over the place for years. Congresscritters, acting on behalf of base towns that want to keep their military welfare dollars,"
–"Welfare Dollars?" What the fuck. We’re a capitalist economy commie assclown.
"…work very hard to keep unnecessary bases open."
–What bases are necessary? Are any? Should there even be a military? Enjoy the gulags if your utopia ever transmogrifies.
"Do not underestimate the number of votes a congressman can get by funneling military money into poor areas, e.g. South Dakota and Louisiana."
–Turd Boy…any idea how long the bases have been there? Any idea how much money the local community makes off the bases?
Keep in mind dolts, every country that is a threat has a plan for it one way or another. Strategy, tactics, and defense doesn’t amount to harsh words, strongly worded letters, and tickle fights.
Too bad they didn’t mistakenly drop those nukes on you while en route.
I’m not worth it you pussy
LOL.
I know, your ex-wife told me…
Actually, I’m a converted homosexual, and my boyfriend had a sex change after we ceased being a couple…but since it was a civil union, I can call him/her my exwife. You offend me, you…you….racist you. I am going to pour my some milk and cry in it a while now.
clever.
Wow…look at all you sad ass-tards…can’t stand the a truth devoid of bushhalichanhitlerburton conspiracies…
But in all seriousness people, ya’ll are looking way to hard for something that isn’t there. This was a screw up of…I’d say “Biblical” but I gather most of ya’ll are atheist…
This was a screw up of Danish Muhammad cartoon proportions, and the proverbial fecal matter has hit the oscillating device due to it’s relevance to international incidents. This is the kind of thing that is more prone to happen in the FSU (that’s the Former Soviet Union) but, we never hear about it.
And…employing a nuke is not a matter of flicking a switch. An unarmed nuke CANNOT blow up. It is only ARMED after a mind boggling litany of processes, safeguards, and coordination such that no single person can employ said device. It is something that cannot be employed without the consent of a MINDBOGGLING number of government officials INCLUDING PELOSI!!!!
The average person (you–left, others–right) have ZERO perception of process/procedure/etc. of military functions in regards to daily operations ersatz employment of weapons be it nuclear or conventional. To grasp the intricacies en-toto is not possible without extensive knowledge of specific history. Clancy gets some of it right.
So in light of the current event? BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!!! And people are going to roll. But I don’t think Bushchenhitlerburton will kill them and bury their bones in Cheyenne.
Remember, NO ONE LOVES PEACE MORE THAN THOSE WHO PLACES THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO MAINTAIN IT…
I agree with you that the most likely explanation is that they simply loaded the missiles without removing the nuclear payload. On the other hand, as you note, there should be such a litany of controls surrounding the movement and disposal of nuclear weapons and their missiles, that a mistake like this should be impossible.
I don’t agree with Larry that it is likely that someone blew the whistle on the pre-positioning of nuclear weapons for introduction into the Persian Gulf theater.
However, your tone is in violation of the site rules. Clean it up.
I’m going to give this thread a big Wahhh Wahhh Wahhhhhhh…….Duh-jet-mac! Reaper come talk to me….But really, this eff-up, is bad. can you imagine what iran and russia is thinking (besides gee i need to go mutilate my daughters private area so she doesn’t disgrace the family name by getting pregnant from a shiite)i’m sure they’ll chalk this up to “an offensive move from big satan”(b/c thats what we are to them, and isreal is the little satan)
so now they can really throw some fuel into the fire-as well as some other cliches’-and possibly…scratch that..finally get WWIII on its way.
whoopsie