Raven rock explains, in the event of attack, heres how the government plans to save itself in raven rock, garrett graff describes the bunkers designed to protect u. Its a mysterious black leather bag with a curious past, a strange nickname, and some dangerously funny stories surrounding it. What happens if the nuclear football has been stolen. The black book was about nine by 12 inches and had 75 looseleaf pages printed in black and red. The nuclear football the deadly briefcase that never leaves the presidents side.
The real story of the football that follows the president everywhere take a peek at the mysterious black briefcase that has accompanied every u. Nuclear football is a black leather briefcase officially referred to as the presidents emergency satchel that holds topsecret items capable of permitting the commander in chief to authorize a nuclear strike while away from fixed command centers. The nuclear football, which is basically a briefcase is one of the single most important things that donald trump will bring with him to india. The case, as others have described it, contains a book of retaliatory options, another of classified site locations, a manila folder containing. The nuclear football was the black leather briefcase which contained the daily nuclear launch codes and a playbook of gold codes that mapped out the options to launch a variety of nuclear attacks. Jimmy carter once sent launch codes to the cleaner, and other scary tales of the nuclear football. This book will assist the reader in understanding the complications involved with our relationship with north korea, china, south korea and other countries that have an interest in our nuclear safety. So just what does the nuclear football do exactly and whats inside of it. Through most of the cold war, from the 1960s through the 1980s and on to today, the president of the united states was always accompanied by a speciallyselected military aide who carried an ordinarylooking briefcase with the codes needed to launch a nuclear war. Jimmy carter once sent launch codes to the cleaner, and. Officially known as the presidents emergency satchel, the socalled nuclear footballportable and handcarriedis built around a sturdy aluminum frame, encased in black leather. Named after mount cheget in the caucasus, the briefcase was created during the 1980s when the soviet union grew fearful of the increasingly shortened response time during which it would be possible to launch a retaliatory strike.
Its main purpose is to confirm the presidents identity and allow him to. The infographics show what is the nuclear football the. President to authorize a nuclear launch anytime, anywhere. The cheget is the russian equivalent to the football, a black briefcase used to order a nuclear attack. It follows the president where ever he goes and is never more that a few steps from his side. Past that, any order to launch nuclear weapons, while tec. The football, the nominally secret commandandcontrol system used to assure presidential control of nuclear use decisions, was the unusual subject of highlevel discussion between president william j. The briefcase, of football, contains the communication information and nuclear release codes which allow the president to launch nuclear weapons against an adversary. Trumps nuclear football caused dustup with chinese.
During the 1950s, nuclear bomb tests were broadcast live on tv. The book with classified site locations was about the same size as the black book, and was also black. The briefcase enclosed a control board to activate these. The nuclear football getty images if the president decides to use nuclear weapons, he confers with his advisers to determine how they should be used and what contingency plans in the black book to. A military officer carries the football and undergoes the nations most rigorous security background check, yankee white. Members of trumps club can just pose with the presidents. Some of our politicians and newscasters ought to read it. Considered the worlds most dangerous handbag, its contents enable the u. The socalled nuclear football is a black leather briefcase that contains topsecret items capable of allowing the us president to authorise a nuclear strike while away from fixed command centres. A retired football, emptied of its topsecret inner contents, is currently on display at the smithsonian national museum of american history. A clash over president trumps nuclear football almost caused an international incident in november when a chinese security official was tackled to the ground during a chaotic scene in. Chinese and us officials scuffled over nuclear football. The black book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila folder with eight or ten pages stapled together giving a description of procedures for the emergency alert system, and a threebyfive inch card with authentication codes. Sheltons sober account now substantiates at least one story in pattersons book.
By now a few million americans have met rick, the aidedecamp who carries the nuclear football for president trump, and richard deagazio, a maralago club member who posted a selfie of the two. A small book containing retaliatory options drawn up in advance for the conduct of nuclear war essentially a menu of options that the nuclear strike force is prepared to execute ranging from tactical strikes to all out nuclear war. The emergency action message eam or go codes needed to authorize use of nuclear weapons. The black book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila folder with eight or ten pages stapled together giving a description of procedures for the emergency alert system, and a threebyfiveinch 7. The contents of the football are believed to include. There isnt actually a nuclear button popular mechanics. In his book breaking cover, bill gulley, the former director of the white house military office, wrote. The magazine goes on to note that while the full origin story of the nuclear football is still highly classified, the history of the black leather bag with black books and an index card with. The black book containing the retaliatory options, a book. Even in its portable form the nuclear football that stays with the president when he travels, the button consists not only of a black book containing target choices, strategic and retaliatory options, but also a small plastic card nicknamed the biscuit that contains the gold codes required to authenticate a. Learn about the presidential emergency satchel and the steps involved in launching a nuclear strike.
The nuclear language is in fact more the point than the football. The black book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila fo. President can launch nukes with this satchel youtube. The black book is said to contain 75 pages of options, to be used against these four primary groups. America, meet the nuclear football the washington post. This nuclear commanding control tool is officially known as the presidents emergency satchel and is an aluminum. Clinton and russian president boris yeltsin during meetings in. Why a mysterious black briefcase follows the us president. According to a former director of the white house military office it also contains the black book. The most appropriate end zone cover design, of the many versions over the years, is the edition that simply bears a nuclear reactor symbol with a. For those unfamiliar, the nuclear football is a large black briefcase that is carried wherever the president goes. The nuclear football the mysterious briefcase that.
It does not have a doomsday redbutton keypad but rather four items. The mysterious nuclear football that contains classified information to allow the u. What does trumps nuclear button really mean abc news. No matter where the president goes, this satchel is always just a few feet away holding the power to launch nuclear weapons. The case, as others have described it, contains a book of retaliatory options, another of classified site locations.
A few minutes later, the lowyield nuclear bomb explodes, killing several thousand people. No, a stolen football cannot be used to launch nuclear missiles. The bomb is placed in a football stadium where the u. The black book of nuclear weapons launch options as formulated in the single integrated operational plan siop. The socalled nuclear football is a black leather briefcase that contains topsecret items capable of allowing the us president to authorize a nuclear strike while away from fixed command centers, such as the situation room. As someone who grew up during the coldest years of the cold war, i have always been aware that we are living on borrowed time. Its unlikely that an army officer posing for a photograph with a patron at president trumps maralago golf resort while apparently carrying the.
That would require the biscuit, which is a card of identifier sequences that the president keeps on his person at all times. President clinton lost nuclear biscuit for a couple of months. President clinton lost nuclear biscuit for a couple of. Ryan soon discovers the bomb is in baltimore, maryland, and alerts bill cabot, who gets the president out of the stadium quickly. Theres no check or balance in the system about whether its valid to start a nuclear war, cnn contributor garrett graff says. Donald trump to carry his nuclear football to india. The socalled nuclear football is a black leather briefcase that contains topsecret items capable of allowing the us president to authorize a nuclear. If the nuclear football was lost, damaged or stolen. Heres the story behind the presidents nuclear football. Carried by a military aide, the presidents emergency satchel, commonly called the nuclear football, is always within reach, whenever the president leaves the white house, whether for a jog or on a state visit abroad. Variously known as the emergency kit, the presidents black bag, the satchel, or the suitcase, the football and the military aide carrying it are near the presidents side in the event of a terrible crisis, such as a nuclear attack, so that the president has the information and the communications arrangements needed to make a timely decision. Chinese and us officials scuffled over nuclear football during 2017 trump visit.
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