2 – The Free

700 US scientists urged unhinged Regime to ditch Nukes as “dangerous, unnecessary ..and with no meaningful security benefits“

from thefreeonline 9 Jul,’24 by World News photo/ Shkolenko (on Telegram: https://t.me/thefreeonline)

Supporters of the FIDESZ and KDNP parties at a peace march, Budapest, Hungary, June 2, 2024. © Gergely Besenyei / AF

The US Department of Defense will continue developing its new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) despite an 81% increase in costs as Washington seeks to update its ‘nuclear triad’.

The approval of the Sentinel ICBM attracted considerable criticism, prompting more than 700 US scientists representing institutions across the country to send a letter to US President Joe Biden and Congress on Monday.

The Sentinel ICBM program, which is intended to replace aging Minuteman III nuclear missiles, is now expected to cost $140.9 billion – almost double the original estimate of $77.7 billion, the Pentagon said in a statement on Monday.

The ballooning cost of the nuclear warhead program has triggered what is known as a Nunn-McCurdy breach, which occurs if the cost of developing a new program increases by 25%, and requires a Department of Defense review to justify its continuation

Map of US claims to show areas most at risk of being targeted in a Nuclear Holocaust…The map indicates that areas such as Montana and North Dakota may be vital to strike US forces.

However Russia as warned the US not to launch their “Decapitation Strike”, claiming that “with their Nuclear Submarine Fleet, ‘Dead Hand’ Plan and the now deployed Satan 2 unstoppable multiple Hypersonic ICBMs, they would destroy all US targets and cities in the first 15 minutes of the war”.

Following this review, the Pentagon has found that there are no viable alternatives to the Sentinel.

William LaPlante, the under secretary of defense for acquisition, said his office was “fully aware of the costs…But we are also aware of the risks of not modernizing our nuclear forces and not addressing the very real threats we confront,” he added in the statement.

Much of the cost increase has been attributed not only to building the new missile but also to the large-scale modernization of ground-based facilities, including launch control centers, nuclear missile bases, and testing facilities.

**The 700 dissenting Scientists urged the Pentagon to drop the “expensive, dangerous, and unnecessary” nuclear warhead program.**

They argued that “there is no sound technical or strategic rationale for spending tens of billions of dollars building new nuclear weapons.”

“These weapons – stored in silos across the Plains states – place a target on communities and increase the risk of nuclear war while offering no meaningful security benefits,” said Tara Drozdenko, director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

On The Idiotic Notion That It’s Brave To Support Nuclear Brinkmanship In Ukraine

The size of the US nuclear arsenal is currently limited by New START, a treaty negotiated with Russia in 2010. It is set to expire in 2026, with no indications that it might be renewed.

Loading new Nuclear Bombs for Europe delivery

Last year, Russia formally suspended its participation in New START, citing US sanctions over the Ukraine conflict and encouragement of Kiev’s attacks on Russian strategic air bases.

However, Moscow has continued to observe the treaty’s provisions, capping its number of nuclear weapons and delivery systems.

Comments from The Independent article.. 2023

Map of US claims to show areas most at risk of being targeted in nuclear war… https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-map-nuclear-war-russia-b2279249.html

Comment by DaveMCT.

March 31, 2024

While the 2,000 warhead scenario looks devastating, and the Russians have over 6,000 warheads, most of those are NOT already on a missile, launcher or in a bomb bay ready to go.

More likely would be the 500 targets as shown with the purple triangle. I would hope it never actually happens, but I think some would fail to launch/explode and some get taken out even before such a human catastrophe. edited

The Evidence U.S. is Preparing a WW III Against Both Russia and China – Eric Zuesse

Comment by Steveizme.

October 13, 2023

600,000 golden retrievers will be killed in the U.S. if Russia and China nuke us.

The F-35 of this small European country can now carry out nuclear attacks…

Comment by RichardDelightful1.

July 19, 2023

This really isn’t the best map. The one made by Halcyon Maps is a lot better and, in fact, is the one FEMA is using now.

The NATO mindset leads to war

Comment by Eyeore.

March 9, 2023

FEMA’s analysis is off base. The agency and contractor responsible for targeting the US nuclear arsenal have lists of their targets, and they know the lists of our adversaries. The first strikes in a nuclear war would be designed to take out all communications, and disrupt the locations of people who must make decisions. Right after that would be the locations that would allow the attacked party to shoot back. To be effective a first strike would need to be massive – not selective. China might be selective in Taiwan, but once they start shooting at the US or our bases, they would empty the closet. The #1 regional target would be Washington, DC for obvious reasons. #2 would be Puget Sound because it is home to two (2) carrier bases, a naval aviation base, a joint Army/Air Force base, 3 major Boeing Concentrations, and numerous suppliers to all of those (like Microsoft and, yes, Amazon). Each of those would be targeted by numerous warheads.

But the #1 reason why Puget Sound is #2 right behind DC is the Bangor Trident Submarine base because while many of the Boomers are deployed, eventually they need to come home and be refueled and rearmed. One Trident Sub can sit on the bottom of the ocean for a year, and then surface and kill everyone in China (or Russia). Trident subs scare the bejesus out of our adversaries, and with good reason. The mere prospect of this potential armageddon (supported by all the missiles in those other places that survive the first wave) will hopefully dissuade the Chinese from doing anything foolish. MAD still lives on.

Forgetting World War II, Germany joins in the frenzy of hostility to Russia –

Reply by DaveMCT.

April 1, 2024

Does it really matter that they take out the base the subs must eventually go to in order to resupply? Everyone important on both sides would be dead on the first day. Both Russia and the USA use ground burst nukes to hit their rival’s hidey-holes.

NATO Chief Admits NATO Expansion Was Key to Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Comment by Joeson.

February 10, 2023

Our governments have brought us to this without any choice. What are they preparing for our survival, or is it just too bad for us, while they survive safely in their luxury bunkers?

This is what nuclear war in 2024 would look like

Comment by NonTrump.

February 10, 2023

I wouldn’t want to live near Cheyenne. On the other hand northern Nevada looks to be safe from any nuclear threats..

NATO Begins Deploying Troops in Ukraine

Comment by Freethought.

February 10, 2023

I remember the nuclear scare during the Korean war and the drills that were carried out in schools; this is beginning to sound familiar.

Armageddon Avoided: Thanks to this Naval Officer,Vasily Arkhipov, you and your loved ones are alive today

Comment by Cod100.

February 9, 2023

Mr Putin said in December that Russia may change its policy of not being the first to use nuclear arms in a military conflict.

The US should now be on a “Launch on Warning” alert to prevent her ICBM force being taken out. One good thing is the US Force can be targeted at Russian military, economic and political targets, not empty Russian ICBM silos. edited

Amazing interview with of the former MI6 chief with the Atlantic Council's @B_judah (the whole gang present) where the intel goon *admits* that many western "intel leaks" media outlets are dutifully conveying aren't real leaks but propaganda messages designed to undercut Putin. pic.twitter.com/UOzBxG5F5H
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 17, 2022

US Officials Admit They’re Literally Just Lying To The Public About Russia

Reply by Cod100.

March 9, 2023

Russia are now in a position to secretly MIRV or worse still MARV all her missiles. Accuracy of her weapons is now good enough to make a direct hit on all US ICBM sites, airbases and their alternates. In the past the inaccuracy of her missiles meant many silos would be safe, but today is different.

Targeting the Trident bases would remove all but a handful of boats at sea which have only a reduced number of warheads in each missile, which was required to stay within START guidelines. It would also destroy the “spare” missiles and if you hit the warhead plant (s) that would be that. The US replacement plan for the Ohio class has 12 boats with only 16 tubes each compared with the 18 Ohio’s built with 24 tubes.

Biden Lets Ukraine Strike Russia With US Weapons While Ukraine Attacks Russian Nuclear Defenses -CAITLIN JOHNSTONE

Reply by DaveMCT.

March 31, 2024

Ridiculous! Launching missiles at America will see similar retaliation long before Russian missiles reached apogee. The US missiles will wave to the Russian missiles as they pass. Both countries would cease to exist. You cannot win such a war; it is suicide.

‘To defend Russia and our people, we doubtlessly will use all weapons resources at our disposal,’ Putin said ‘This is not a bluff.’

Russia’s Maria Zakharova again demands US remove its nuclear weapons from Europe— diplomat –

Terrorist USA is now Delivering new B61-12 Thermonuclear Bombs to Europe- Compatible with old F16 Fighter Bombers now being Donated to Ukraine- – The Free

Merkel admits U.S. and NATO Prepared War in Ukraine from 2014, Peace Process a Charade, USA found Guilty

No War But The Class War!/ Strike now for Revolution! –

The U.S. Government alone spends annually over $1.5 trillion on its military but hides much of that spending…

from thefreeonline on 20/6/ 2024 by Eric Zuesse at Eric’s Substack — (The Free on Telegram: t.me/thefreeonline

The war in Ukraine is being fought on NATO’s (the U.S.) side with NATO weapons and ammunition, and on Russia’s side with Russian weapons and ammunition.
The majority of commentators say that, thus far, Russia has the advantage.
No one is blaming Ukraine’s soldiers for this.
On the NATO side, there is silence about whether its weaponry and ammunition are performing less effectively than Russia’s weaponry and ammunition — which cost far less.

The U.S. Government alone spends annually over $1.5 trillion on its military but hides much of that spending by paying for it in other federal Departments than the “Defense Department” so that the public won’t know that over half of all spending that the U.S. Government (President and Congress) authorize each year goes actually to its military —

Only less than half of it goes to pay for education, healthcare, and the other necessary goods and services to the benefit of the nation’s domestic population, America’s citizenry.

It is a military operation, even more than it is an operation to serve the citizenry. That’s a fact, not an opinion, about the U.S. Government — but it is a hidden fact (as that link above documents to be true).

The official U.S. Government spending on its military is only what is being paid out of its Defense Department, which is now around $900 billion per year (vastly more than any other nation’s).

However, over $600 billion more per year is spent, each year, on America’s military, that’s not being counted in the official ‘defense’ (actually aggression) figure (over and above that $900B amount).

No other country except possibly China now (in order to prepare for war with the U.S. so as to prevent a U.S. take-over of China’s Taiwan Province) hides its excessive military spending this way, because none needs to — none is so fat with sheer corruption in its military.

Even America’s colonies, such as England, Germany, France, Italy and the rest of NATO, aren’t that corrupt.

The U.S. population are gifted with a perfect national-security situation of more than 3,000 miles of ocean separating them from potential attack by a foreign power, plus only two bordering nations, both of which (Mexico and Canada) are on friendly terms with the U.S. Government.

On any rational consideration, therefore, America’s need for national-security expenditures isn’t $1.5T per year but at most only $100B ($100 billion) per year.

All the rest, above that sum, is imperial expense, in order to control the entire world for the benefit of its billionaires who control international corporations and who own controlling interests in the giant ‘defense’ firms (which receive the profits from this $1.5T+ of governmental spending each year.