Talk:Nuclear Football

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Contents 1 British PM has a football also? 2 why a football 3 disambiguation 4 User "Old Right" 5 Be Careful 6 Pop Culture References 7 Factual Mistake in the Article 8 Kaboom!

[edit] British PM has a football also?

Guys, here's a question for you, elsewhere in wikipedia it says that the Queen of England is the Commander in Chief of the british military. Putting aside the fact that we Patriots of the United States find it astonishing to see The People of any modern first world nation willing to sacrifice their sovreign power to a monarch ("Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" says the Declaration), how does the launching of nuclear weapons work in Britain? I assume the PM is the one who would give the order, not the Queen? Does Blair have a "nuclear football"? --Brian, former US Navy submariner 71.116.106.31 00:25, 9 April 2006 (UTC)

I believe launch authority rests with the PM, though I don't have anything offhand to say so. ("War Plan UK" probably would, but it's a few hundred miles away...) Shimgray | talk | 22:49, 11 May 2006 (UTC)

Ah, now this is a very interesting question, especially having in mind a curious concept in the 'unwritten' constitution of the UK, that of the Crown and royal prerogative - through which ministers including the Prime Minister derive their executive authority. The Prime Minister, acting in his capacity as a crown officer, can ask for a nuclear strike. However the Prime Minister, unlike the President of the US, is not a commissioned officer in HM Forces and therefore cannot order any serving member of the armed forces to do anything and require them to obey. Instead, s\he will ask the Chief of the Defence Staff (who is a commisioned officer) to order the launch. This, in theory, provides a safeguard against a particularly despotic Prime Minister "going rogue" and ordering a nuclear strike on their own. In practice, however, it is unlikely this distinction would be observed - especially in a crisis situation likely to require nuclear retaliation. Further complications arise due to submarine based Trident weapons and the envelopes on-board. This whole topic is explored in much more detail in the book "The Secret State - Britain and the Cold War" by Professor Peter Hennessy. - Divinedegenerate 16:07, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Brian - I find the way you worded your question highly offensive. 81.77.204.208 03:04, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Gotta agree there. In case you haven't noticed, no-one cares about US patriots in Britain. Vitriol 18:28, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] why a football

And why is it called a football? EAi 17:35, 12 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I think it's because it's the most popular name devised for it -- it officially doesn't have one.

And why the hell is the fate of the nation's nuclear arsenal entrusted to a suitcase?!?!?!? Ghost Freeman 18:16, 12 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I don't think Duane from ABC Liquors can pick up the satcom and say, "Yeah, dude. Code x5793. Glass parking lot! Whoaahh!!" simply because he found the football. Relax. Ayeroxor 20:59, May 10, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] disambiguation

I started a discussion at Talk:Football#Nuclear_Football on whether a disambiguation statement is warranted on the Football page since this briefcase is more commonly referred to as the Football rather than the Nuclear Football. Just thought that those of you who follow this topic might be interested if you have any comments concerning this matter. --Umofomia 07:46, 9 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] User "Old Right"

At least twice, user Old Right (you really should check out his history) has vandalized this page, adding or removing information with the intent to lean the article towards a POV. If you see any of his activity in the article history, or any other articles for this matter, please review it.

[edit] Be Careful

A few sentences were clearly copy and pasted from [1], especially the part on the beginnings of "the Football". Bayerischermann 02:02, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Pop Culture References

The first place I can think of that I'd ever heard the use of the term 'football' ascribed to the presidential nuclear death satchel would be in the movie Seven Days in May. Having never read the book, I cannot say if the book used the term as well.

It is featured briefly at the begging of the NCIS pilot episode yankee white. It is also featured prominantly in the novel Area 7 by Matthew Reilly. MxAesir 13:17, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Factual Mistake in the Article

Why would President George H. W. Bush losing the briefcase be most recently? Bill Clinton was President after Bush, so I can't see how the article could possibly be accurate as is. Maybe the original author confused George H. W. Bush (41st President) with George W. Bush (current, 43rd President). However, I don't really have any sources to confirm this, just intuition. Duckdid 06:43, 21 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Kaboom!

Has this thing ever been used? Or are we not allowed to know? Vitriol 18:46, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Since it was designed while Kennedy was in office, and the only time nuclear weapons have ever been used (besides tests) was in 1945... I'm guessing not. Of course it could have other non-nuclear functions, we don't know. -216.138.38.86 18:49, 2 March 2007 (UTC)