What do you know about how a nuclear attack can be launched by the United States?
From what you know, does this feel like a safe and efficient process? If not, how would you like to see it changed?
Currently the order must be initiated by the president after which there are no checks or balances that
can rescind or reverse it. It can occur within 3 to 5 minutes of his making the decision. For land based launches, there is a "two keys” requirement which means two people must simultaneously turn keys for launch.
For a submarine launch there is only one key required.
If you were president of the United States, do you think you would ever give an order to launch nuclear weapons? If so, under what conditions?
If not, why not?
Do you know when this chain of command launch system was put in place and why?
How do you think the people actually in charge of taking the final launching step should be
vetted for their positions?
If you were one of these people, and you thought the launch was immoral or ill advised, what would you do?
What do you imagine would happen after the button is pushed and the United States has launched
a nuclear attack on another nation?
What do you think your personal chances of immediate survival would be as well as your long range survival after a counter attack and subsequent radiation in the atmosphere, the water and the land?
How do you feel about the stockpiling in this country of nuclear weapons?
Do you think it's a necessary evil or something we could avoid?
What international agreements are currently in place to limit the production and stockpiling of nuclear arms?
Are there any negotiations currently going on or planned for the future to further limit nuclear arsenals?
If not, do you think the United States should be pushing for such negotiations? How might the public effectively advocate for this?
What barriers have you seen to limiting or eliminating nuclear arms and
How do you think they might be removed?
Do you think the “Atoms for Peace” program was just propaganda or represented a sincere belief that atomic energy could be harnessed for the good of the planet?
Do you think it can be? If so, what precautions should be taken considering that
the material used is so dangerous?
In the 1960s, when there was a lot less nuclear proliferation around the world, there was a whole “Ban The Bomb” movement, do you know what became of that?
Would you be interested in banning nuclear weapons and if so, what actions would you be willing to take?
With the development of nuclear weapons, and especially atom bombs and hydrogen bombs, human beings for the first time had the potential to quickly wipe out the entire human race.
Do you think this awareness has changed us philosophically, or morally in anyway? If so,how?