Finally found the original source on this. However there has been an update.
“It was originally reported that five nuclear warheads were transported, but officers who tipped Military Times to the incident who have asked to remain anonymous since they are not authorized to discuss the incident, have since updated that number to six.”
So it was indeed officers who tipped off the Military Times, as was speculated here. But wait! I am confused……which officers? For in the original story posted back on September 5th, we were told that Minot did not even realize nuclear warheads were missing, until they were confirmed as having landed at Barksdale, and once there, they sat unnoticed on the tarmac for ten hours until the Military Times verified they were indeed there. So by default, it was 1) neither officers at Minot, nor 2) the officers at Barksdale who were responsible for alerting the Military Times. And from what we understand, none of the officers aboard the plane knew they were flying “hot”.
The obvious implication from that one statement is that “somewhere out there” were other officers, privy to this transgression which violated nuclear weapons parameters, and were horrified enough to blow the whistle. Whether these warheads were sanctioned for removal by someone in the White House for official business, or were being smuggled out by an unscrupulous arms dealer for profit, it is obvious that all established protocol had been ignored in their transference.
“That’s perhaps what is most worrisome about this particular incident — that apparently an individual who had command authority about moving these weapons around decided to do so,” said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists.
“It’s a command and control issue and it’s one that calls into question the system, because if one individual can do that who knows what can happen,” he said. According to the Military Times:
“ Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, said a host of security checks and warning signs must have been passed over, or completely ignored, for the warheads to have been unknowingly loaded onto the B-52…..“It’s not like they had nuclear ACMs and conventional ACMs right next to each other and they just happened to load one with a nuclear warhead,” Kristensen said……The Defense Department uses a computerized tracking program to keep tabs on each one of its nuclear warheads, he said. For the six warheads to make it onto the B-52, each one would have had to be signed out of its storage bunker and transported to the bomber. Diligent safety protocols would then have had to been ignored to load the warheads onto the plane, Kristensen said……All ACMs loaded with a nuclear warhead have distinct red signs distinguishing them from ACMs without a nuclear yield, he said. ACMs with nuclear warheads also weigh significantly more than missiles without them………
Even though some officers knew that the plane was flying “hot”, the plane was allowed to fly SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). “The main risk would have been the way the Air Force responded to any problems with the flight because they would have handled it much differently if they would have known nuclear warheads were on board,” Steve Fetter, a former Defense Department official who worked on nuclear weapons policy in 1993-94, said.
The Air Force has disciplined those involved. Along with the 5th Munitions Squadron commander, the munitions crews involved in mistakenly loading the nuclear warheads at Minot have been temporarily decertified from performing their duties involving munitions, pending corrective actions or additional training,
It is quite possible that it was a simple mistake; someone did not know exactly what they were doing. (This error ironically comes after the Air Force announced last March, that the 5th Bomb Wing won two service wide safety awards during fiscal year 2006.)
Were it truly a mistake then it would be the first time in 39 years, since 1968, that it has been public that a nuclear warhead has flown on a US bomber. Nuclear weapons are normally transferred on special cargo planes, carefully constructed to contain radioactivity in the event of a crash; never on the wings of bombers.
According to Kristensen, the error could not have come from confusing the Advanced Cruise Missile with a conventional weapons since no conventional form exists. The munitions Airmen should have been easily able to spot the mistake. Other routine procedures were violated which awkwardly suggests a rather obvious explanation for the error. The military munitions personnel were acting under direct orders, though not under those passed down through the regular chain of military command.
The quick reaction of the Air Force, the issuing of a public statement describing the seriousness of the issue, and the launch of an immediate investigation, all suggest that whatever occurred, was outside the regular chain of military command extending from Gates downward.
If the regular chain of command was indeed bypassed, then we have no choice but to inquire as to whether the B-52 incident was part of a covert project, whose classification level exceeded those held by the very officers in charge of nuclear weapons at Minot. Some traits point out, that this was indeed a secret transference of nuclear warheads, known only to a select few within the military service. For 1) in this case, protocol was violated at Minot in not signing out the nuclear warheads, 2) was violated by installing “the red caps” under the B52, and 3) was violated by flying unrestricted between the airbases. Quite possibly, solely because of the tip provided by patriotic and non-corrupt officers, someone’s attempt to garnish 6 nuclear warheads was foiled.
After taking a hard look, all other explanations make little sense. Based on what we learned today, we do know this. Decommissioned nuclear warheads, as we were told these were, are to be taken to Kirtland AFB, where according to Kristensen, ” the warheads are separated from the rest of the weapon and shipped to the Energy Department’s Pantex dismantlement facility near Amarillo, Texas”
Instead, the plane flew to Barksdale, which just happens to be a major embarkation point for the Middle East. The speculation most in line with the current events happening today……… is that these advanced cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads, were on their way to the Middle East, to be used, if necessary, against the underground nuclear labs of Iran…..
So what does it boil down to? Three officers may have stopped nuclear weapons going to the Middle East, by alerting the Military Times to some discrepancies in an otherwise routine landing of another B52 in Barksdale.
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September 9, 2007 at 6:00 pm
David J Woodley
I find this very interesting, I have recently retired from the Air Force and this really upsets me. I spent 18 years working on the Buff and there is no accidently loading these types of weapons. If it was ordered to move these weapons and somebody leaked/reported it, then they are the ones that should be in trouble, not the crews and commander that was doing as ordered!!!!
September 10, 2007 at 3:45 am
kavips
Update……first imagine you are Secretary Gates and this happens on your watch. The sequestration of those actually involved, is not for reasons of punishment, but to garnish additional intelligence. “who gave you the orders to violate SOP.” “What made you decide that this was in the interest of the US, and not our regular procedure.” Sequestration would also enhance their protection. Had I lost a 5 billion deal,….I certainly would be on pins and needles to plug the leaks…..
Your assessment is correct. Only someone with Command authority, could have made this happen…..
The remote possibility occurs that such authority may be traced to the VP’s office. If so, then the tide will turn within the administration (DHS, DOD, NSA, etc.) and our VP will step down for health reasons.
Expect a whitewash on the official report due September 14. If I am to guess, will we both be looking at it closely to see what it “does not” say?
September 11, 2007 at 9:18 am
USAFRetired
Take it from an old U.S.A.F. 0-4 retired Major, this was not an accidental mishap loading nuclear munitions onboard that aircraft but a very quiet operation that was taking place far outside of normal operating procedures.
There is not one officer familiar with the U.S. Nuclear Force Command that would buy this as a simple mistake in munitions handling, that is something that just does not happen with nuclear weapons, there are two many safety and security checks start to finish destination with these weapons.
This whole thing has the stinks of the White House all over it and it has caused a black mark on the Air Force that is completely unacceptable, the people responsible for this activity need to be brought to full accountability, no matter who they are.
September 11, 2007 at 9:43 am
R. Hadley
I’m retired Navy and I agree with the two USAF retired gentleman, this could not have been anything less than a Special Operation ordered from the top of the pile, no one moves nukes without the proper clearance through channels, the only way to circumvent the chain of command is if you OWN IT and only a very few people could do such a thing.
The order had to come through the Pentagon and no doubt originated in an office in the White House, only a few in the Pentagon would be able to cut orders for this type of Special Operation.
Now that the beans are spilled there is a frantic special CYA operation taking place, I doubt if we will ever hear the truth of it, only what they release as the truth, whatever cover story they come up with, anyone who has been in any branch of the service knows how that works, some thing never change.
September 12, 2007 at 6:55 am
L. Jaeger
I, too agree with the other retired USAF members to some degree. However, I think this, like most conspiracy theories, is over rated. After almost 24 years working in munitions – as both a nuclear weapons technician and a munitions maintenance officer – I have to believe the personnel who transported, loaded and flew these weapons felt they were doing what they were orderd to do. They either grossly misinterpreted their instructions or where grossly negligent in carrying out their duties.
And yes, the frantic CYA scrambling will obscure the facts for the time being. Operations and maintenance personnel who haven’t already been tainted will be under heavy, if not wilting, scrutiny for some time.
September 12, 2007 at 12:55 pm
kavips
Your comment made me think.
Conspiracy theories seem embedded in the human genome. My wife, for example, can rationalize the wildest fantasies, should I ever make an unscheduled stop at the market, and happen to arrive home unexpectedly late.
I think there may be use for such theories in a social setting. Over a wide net, like the internet, they can be argued back and forth, and a consensus can be gleaned whether or not there is merit to those arguments.
Conspiracy theories are less rational; they are more an extension of the imagination. These theories are based on some facts, but never enough to decisively prove them one way or the other.
I believe humans have this fallacy solely because we ARE rational creatures. We first invent the theory,and then we start defending ourselves with safeguards to make sure such a theory could never happens again. Once the safeguards are in place, we feel safer.
When we first had nuclear weapons, we really didn’t know what we were doing with them. It was the conspiracy theories of the 50’s that caused us to develop our fail safe methods and protocol for handling these world destroying weapons.
So what if Cheney was really going to start WWIII, on his own? Instead of arguing whether or not he was, (we will leave that for the others), those of us who are rational, quietly need to plan a system to prevent it from happening again…………………
September 12, 2007 at 1:02 pm
kavips
Sometimes the publics’ belief in a conspiracy theory is the best way to insure no one skates under the radar long enough to accomplish it.
As we uncover the series of 4 billion dollar stock deals being sold short by Sept. 21st, a new bin Laden movie, and an all out Air Command Stand-down on September 14th, many will say “oh no, here we go again.”
But, because this time the public is expecting it, and ready for it, …..it won’t happen.
September 18, 2007 at 7:48 am
Shadizzle
Come on- they need to frame the arabs with nuclear weapons or they are going to use them on Iran- or both.
September 18, 2007 at 7:53 am
Shadizzle
The idea of conspiracy theory being a dirty word is the brainchild of the propaganda whores at fox and Karl Rove.
To snidely state Conspiracy Theorists as an insult is simply to show a massive avalanche of ignorance in our nation’s history.
Conspiracy theories are quite often real, and false flag operations have been run on the american people, by the american government several times- with Pearl Harbor and 911 being the worst on record- but also, on a long list of several other verified false flag ops-
USS LIBERTY anyone??
Read a book- your government SUCKS.
September 18, 2007 at 7:17 pm
kavips
Conspiracy theories are no more a dirty word than “Monday morning quarterbacking.” It is in our nature as human beings.
Often by being prepared for the most remote of possibilities, is the best way to insure they never happen. Imagine the difference to history had the British/French Expeditionary forces chosen to guard the Ardennes. Imagine if Pearl Harbor had been posted on full alert. Imagine if the early morning Logan Airport security detail had been on high awareness that day, since our Republican administration already knew that “Osama Bin Laden was Determined to Attack the US but chose to do nothing about it…………….
Perhaps more “conspiracy theories” could do us some good after all?