is America's decision to execute a nuclear weapon strike an executive decision?

Question

i thought it was since congress would take too long to pass something that needed to be done very quickly and in the case of Crimson Tide the decisions can even be made by Denzel Washington,

but seriously, if this is the case then isnt anyone worried that our president could just snap and find a way to justify nuking Iran or some other country that might not even deserve it? or is there a way for this to be overridden?

could the other people left to intevene be manipulated or neutralized in anyway how is the voting done? couldnt they just be silenced?

id like your opinions on my other question regarding this

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ao6IM8__LJdC9xZ5wF9ibKTsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20070907152439AAJAofo

Answer 1

Fortunately the president cannot do that alone. He may have the codes but there are others involved too. No one person can set off a nuclear bomb. It is done so if any one of them is nuts the others won't cooperate and refuse to do their part in the firing of the missile or dropping of the bomb. Even Harry Truman, although he had the final say, was not alone in making the decision to drop the bombs on Heroshima and Nagasaki. These aren't water baloons being dropped during a frat house prank.

Answer 2

Yes. The president is the only person who can authorize the final arming step with nuclear weapons and the firing of same.

If he gives the order and for some reason the "two man" team at a particular launch site does not fire the missiles under their control, after a certain number of hours an automatic system kicks in and fires the missiles. They do not assume the two man team refused orders but instead they got killed so there is no one to fire the missiles.

If anyone thinks the president is nuts, then they had better evaluate him before we get to that point.

Answer 3

There is a two man rule on a nuclear strike. There would have to be two of about 20 people one of whom would have to be the president who thought a Nuclear Strike is justified. There are three exceptions to that, Those exceptions are a successful nuclear, chemical or biological strike on the seat of government. At that point all battlefield Nuclear weapons devolve to local control with again the two man rule for weapons officers agreeing to shoot.

Answer 4

The act of launching an attack is done through a suitcase called the football. Generally only a responsive strike is done solely through the president. Even then, the president doesn't carry the football or the keys to operate it.

Answer 5

Only the president can send the codes. He alone. From there down the two man rule applies.

Answer 6

Push the button mister; I repeat push the button on my mark, 3,2,1-go!

Answer 7

yea, should be