One had to do the same on a boomer - do the routine and not think too much about what it meant. But, there were times when it stared you in the face: at a highly-classified pre-deployment briefing and seeing the map of where the fleet's SLBM's were going was quietly terrifying - still to this day.
I suppose we all thought there was a sober and thoughtful national command authority above us, with a chain of command that would respect legal orders but would push back on any and all illegal orders. With everyone understanding the consequences if deterrence failed.
As you noted, we no longer have that world at the level of the flag officers who should be setting the standards for conduct and adherence to legal orders. I believe the illegal killings being done in the Caribbean are only an example of the rot. I do acknowledge that Admiral Holsey resigned from the Navy after the start of Hegseth's rampage - that appears to be an act of singular integrity.
After being at the Tip of the Spear literally as a SAC Sky-Cop 73-77, and seeing with my own eyes Nuclear ICBM's., MIRVS, the missile fields & the fallibility of our so called "Leaders"who couldn't be trusted back then, and even more so now more than a half century later! The Minuteman & B-52 H era I was a part of-- So when I punched out in 77 I forever vowed to from then on to embrace total Nuclear Disarmament!! Because this is the greatest threat to all mankind, you can kiss it all goodbye, all the flora & fauna of this special, beautiful planet Earth and quite literally all its lifeforms that have evolved over 4.5 billion yrs. that we morally & ethically need to speak & fight for their continued existence. We owe them ...
My own view is that the Global Warming/Climate Catastrophe unfolding daily is THE guaranteed Apocalypse, albeit in slow (but ever accelerating) motion. Nuclear war is a POTENTIAL world ender, but the Climate Catastrophe is GUARANTEED. That genie simply cannot be shoved back into the bottle, not without a Time Machine to allow us to go back and correct the errors, the lack of foresight, that brought us to this point. Will Artificial Intelligence save Humanity from its own pathetic shortsightedness? A laughable notion!! Laughing to keep from bawling.
I distinctly recall during covid and the Economy generally shutting down with all the pollutants in the air with it, seeing there was a remarkable rapid regeneration of nature!
There indeed was a reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the pandemic. Would that that small silver lining could have been a teaching moment and impetus for more lasting changes.
I've also often spoken of these twin, parallel but distinct existential dangers. Either spells 'game over'. Yet the distinction is as you point out: the pushing of the climate control system to the point of chaos, with the extinctions that would follow, are almost inevitable certainty WITHOUT our action; whereas, thermonuclear Armageddon BEGINS WITH a human action. Despite the increasing risks of the triggering of thermonuclear war, there is at least a remaining chance that no one will push the button.
Personally, while for the above reason I tend to think that climate chaos is the more immediate threat (deserving of priority attention) ultimately both are existential dangers, with the probability of nuclear war steadily increasing given the apparent, growing desperation of governments- both in the US and in Europe's capitals.
This is one reason I am dismayed with so many of my environmentalist friends / circles who, while well aware of climate dangers, seem so oblivious to that coming from foreign policy elites who seem so willing to saber-rattle and to otherwise provoke nuclear powers.
The utter failure of world "leaders" to do any damned concrete thing about the Climate Crisis is final proof--if any was "desired"!--of the folly of human beings. The "leaders" of course are acting (by NOT acting) to please the Corporate Powers That Be. So we the people are guilty of not holding their feet to the fire!! Would a global General Strike wake them up? That would be a rather difficult thing to organize.
In answer to your q., it's my long-held conclusion that, given the corruption of the electoral system itself, along with the near-complete concentration of media control by a small number of oligarchs and the brainwashing that results, (i.e. masses convinced to vote against their interests in order to choose a (theoretically) lesser of evils), only an uprising of those masses that seriously disrupts the economic interests of the corporate oligarchy (as per 'global general strike') could force the changes. Just one challenge (among many) to such a scenario is that at least in the US and global north, so many are either too comfortable or too busy trying to keep or get shelter and food, to be willing to rise up to participate.
Under theories of change, it sometimes requires a 'significant emotional event' (say loss of loved one(s) to bring about personal cognitive shifts. And big changes might require the mass experience of such losses before enough are willing to say, "Enough!".
In any case, it is, as you say, an extremely difficult thing to organize. Just looking at divisions even on the left/liberal side of the political spectrum about priorities (global peace? public financing of medical intervention for sex-changes?) , we seem to be at a stage where people often define themselves or their interests very narrowly- i.e. tribal-ly, in sharply polarized perspective; rather than as part of a global community with shared responsibilities; and this polarization is itself a barrier to the organizing of any populist action.
Your points are very well taken. When one is sprinting on the treadmill just trying to stay in place economically, the thought of walking off the job for a protest is difficult to accept. A Viet Nam veteran friend of mine has long said Americans will have to experience great pain and suffering to be moved to action.
Part of my early work life (1972-1982) was spent in USAF active duty, a bit in Air Defense Command (SAGE radar site) a lot in SAC (bomber missions). At the radar site iI would pull midnight shifts during NORAD exercises. We had time to read some reports of "special weapons" tests. Sobering!
After active service I had jobs in defense related systems management. One such job for a couple of years we managed upgrades within the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Integrated threat warning attack assessment (ITWAA) capabilities.
The general system engineering guidance we used was "don't start the war, and don't miss it". Colorado Springs was a great place to visit.....
In 1963 I was a labourer for The Foundation Company of Canada on the Distant Early Warning Line above the Arctic Circle, the 1st line of Radar Warning of a Russian bomber attack over the North Pole.
The Foundation is laid, but from all I see unfolding in this World since then, the Warning Line is no longer Distant, and it's getting Late!
And to add to the obscenity of it all, the U.S. Billionaire Class continues to work assiduously via the GOP to further reduce their share of the bill for these "upgrades." So we happy peons are paying for our own potential incineration/vaporization. What a wonderful System by which we are ruled!
"Any sane person would minimally argue for serious reductions in nuclear weaponry on this planet."
The people in power because of the "allure" you describe are not sane. They have succumbed to the worship of weaponry and believe they're infallible demigods. There are, however, sane people in the world -- you and many people who follow you, for example -- who would not be so vulnerable. We need to replace those now in power with stable, secure, morally solid, certifiably uncorruptable individuals. It's exclusively on the shoulders of WE THE PEOPLE ...
Thank you Bill for your service! For your service OUTSIDE of the military service where you shed insights on the mental midget- ness of the standard military mentality.
For those who haven't seen the Destruction scene in the 1983 THE DAY AFTER nuclear incineration of Kansas City Bill mentions, this is it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VG2aJyIFrA
Thanks Bill. Deep and sober reflections.
One had to do the same on a boomer - do the routine and not think too much about what it meant. But, there were times when it stared you in the face: at a highly-classified pre-deployment briefing and seeing the map of where the fleet's SLBM's were going was quietly terrifying - still to this day.
I suppose we all thought there was a sober and thoughtful national command authority above us, with a chain of command that would respect legal orders but would push back on any and all illegal orders. With everyone understanding the consequences if deterrence failed.
As you noted, we no longer have that world at the level of the flag officers who should be setting the standards for conduct and adherence to legal orders. I believe the illegal killings being done in the Caribbean are only an example of the rot. I do acknowledge that Admiral Holsey resigned from the Navy after the start of Hegseth's rampage - that appears to be an act of singular integrity.
After being at the Tip of the Spear literally as a SAC Sky-Cop 73-77, and seeing with my own eyes Nuclear ICBM's., MIRVS, the missile fields & the fallibility of our so called "Leaders"who couldn't be trusted back then, and even more so now more than a half century later! The Minuteman & B-52 H era I was a part of-- So when I punched out in 77 I forever vowed to from then on to embrace total Nuclear Disarmament!! Because this is the greatest threat to all mankind, you can kiss it all goodbye, all the flora & fauna of this special, beautiful planet Earth and quite literally all its lifeforms that have evolved over 4.5 billion yrs. that we morally & ethically need to speak & fight for their continued existence. We owe them ...
My own view is that the Global Warming/Climate Catastrophe unfolding daily is THE guaranteed Apocalypse, albeit in slow (but ever accelerating) motion. Nuclear war is a POTENTIAL world ender, but the Climate Catastrophe is GUARANTEED. That genie simply cannot be shoved back into the bottle, not without a Time Machine to allow us to go back and correct the errors, the lack of foresight, that brought us to this point. Will Artificial Intelligence save Humanity from its own pathetic shortsightedness? A laughable notion!! Laughing to keep from bawling.
I distinctly recall during covid and the Economy generally shutting down with all the pollutants in the air with it, seeing there was a remarkable rapid regeneration of nature!
There indeed was a reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the pandemic. Would that that small silver lining could have been a teaching moment and impetus for more lasting changes.
I've also often spoken of these twin, parallel but distinct existential dangers. Either spells 'game over'. Yet the distinction is as you point out: the pushing of the climate control system to the point of chaos, with the extinctions that would follow, are almost inevitable certainty WITHOUT our action; whereas, thermonuclear Armageddon BEGINS WITH a human action. Despite the increasing risks of the triggering of thermonuclear war, there is at least a remaining chance that no one will push the button.
Personally, while for the above reason I tend to think that climate chaos is the more immediate threat (deserving of priority attention) ultimately both are existential dangers, with the probability of nuclear war steadily increasing given the apparent, growing desperation of governments- both in the US and in Europe's capitals.
This is one reason I am dismayed with so many of my environmentalist friends / circles who, while well aware of climate dangers, seem so oblivious to that coming from foreign policy elites who seem so willing to saber-rattle and to otherwise provoke nuclear powers.
The utter failure of world "leaders" to do any damned concrete thing about the Climate Crisis is final proof--if any was "desired"!--of the folly of human beings. The "leaders" of course are acting (by NOT acting) to please the Corporate Powers That Be. So we the people are guilty of not holding their feet to the fire!! Would a global General Strike wake them up? That would be a rather difficult thing to organize.
In answer to your q., it's my long-held conclusion that, given the corruption of the electoral system itself, along with the near-complete concentration of media control by a small number of oligarchs and the brainwashing that results, (i.e. masses convinced to vote against their interests in order to choose a (theoretically) lesser of evils), only an uprising of those masses that seriously disrupts the economic interests of the corporate oligarchy (as per 'global general strike') could force the changes. Just one challenge (among many) to such a scenario is that at least in the US and global north, so many are either too comfortable or too busy trying to keep or get shelter and food, to be willing to rise up to participate.
Under theories of change, it sometimes requires a 'significant emotional event' (say loss of loved one(s) to bring about personal cognitive shifts. And big changes might require the mass experience of such losses before enough are willing to say, "Enough!".
In any case, it is, as you say, an extremely difficult thing to organize. Just looking at divisions even on the left/liberal side of the political spectrum about priorities (global peace? public financing of medical intervention for sex-changes?) , we seem to be at a stage where people often define themselves or their interests very narrowly- i.e. tribal-ly, in sharply polarized perspective; rather than as part of a global community with shared responsibilities; and this polarization is itself a barrier to the organizing of any populist action.
Your points are very well taken. When one is sprinting on the treadmill just trying to stay in place economically, the thought of walking off the job for a protest is difficult to accept. A Viet Nam veteran friend of mine has long said Americans will have to experience great pain and suffering to be moved to action.
With apologies to those who are Lactose Intolerant unfortunately the Cream of the Crop doesn't always rise to the Top!!
Part of my early work life (1972-1982) was spent in USAF active duty, a bit in Air Defense Command (SAGE radar site) a lot in SAC (bomber missions). At the radar site iI would pull midnight shifts during NORAD exercises. We had time to read some reports of "special weapons" tests. Sobering!
After active service I had jobs in defense related systems management. One such job for a couple of years we managed upgrades within the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Integrated threat warning attack assessment (ITWAA) capabilities.
The general system engineering guidance we used was "don't start the war, and don't miss it". Colorado Springs was a great place to visit.....
In 1963 I was a labourer for The Foundation Company of Canada on the Distant Early Warning Line above the Arctic Circle, the 1st line of Radar Warning of a Russian bomber attack over the North Pole.
The Foundation is laid, but from all I see unfolding in this World since then, the Warning Line is no longer Distant, and it's getting Late!
And to add to the obscenity of it all, the U.S. Billionaire Class continues to work assiduously via the GOP to further reduce their share of the bill for these "upgrades." So we happy peons are paying for our own potential incineration/vaporization. What a wonderful System by which we are ruled!
"Any sane person would minimally argue for serious reductions in nuclear weaponry on this planet."
The people in power because of the "allure" you describe are not sane. They have succumbed to the worship of weaponry and believe they're infallible demigods. There are, however, sane people in the world -- you and many people who follow you, for example -- who would not be so vulnerable. We need to replace those now in power with stable, secure, morally solid, certifiably uncorruptable individuals. It's exclusively on the shoulders of WE THE PEOPLE ...
http://warismakinguspoor.com/a-nation-at-peace/
Thank you Bill for your service! For your service OUTSIDE of the military service where you shed insights on the mental midget- ness of the standard military mentality.
For those who haven't seen the Destruction scene in the 1983 THE DAY AFTER nuclear incineration of Kansas City Bill mentions, this is it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VG2aJyIFrA