Originally Posted By: Arney

Actually, considering the dire warnings about how US and Russian strategic nuclear forces are still on hair trigger alert and how the smallest false alarms could start WW III, I guess we should be grateful that we're all still here.


It's almost happened, more than once. Here is a recent news story about a Soviet Officer who chose not to report what appeared to (their equipement) to be incoming missiles---if he had reported it, they would have almost certainly launched.

http://www.mfs-theothernews.com/2013/02/retired-soviet-officer-awarded-prize.html

It's not the only time a single person stopped WW3. Another Soviet officer did it during the Cuban Missile Crisis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_Arkhipov

For many years I've also heard rumors of a USAF officer who also stopped us from launching when we thought we had detected incoming missiles, only to later discover it was equipment error---Venus or something. I've never been able to find any documentation or reports for this---mayby one of you guys know more.

These incidents prove to me that we always need a person in the loop, and be grateful for that.

If you really want to worry (or wonder about our good luck) here is a link to "20 mishaps that could have started an accidential nuclear war"

http://nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/...nuclear-war.htm

None that I mentioned are on the list. sick
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