Trident

[auldhippy]

www.thecanary.co/2015/11/12/former-military-commander-backs-corbyns-opposition-trident/

Robert Green, an ex-commander who served in the Royal Navy, has publicly announced his support for Jeremy Corbyn’s anti-Trident stance. Green, who has first-hand experience of nuclear weapons, lays out in powerful detail the reasons why Corbyn’s position is “honourable” and “legally and strategically correct”, in an article written for The Ecologist.

Green’s approval comes after a controversial assessment of Corbyn’s views by Sir Nicholas Houghton, the current head of the UK armed forces, on the Andrew Marr show on 8 November 2015. As has been highly publicised, Jeremy Corbyn previously said that he would not push the nuclear button, which is likely a welcome admittance to anyone who values their existence. Not for Houghton, however, who commented that:

It would worry me if that thought was translated into power … because the whole thing about deterrents rests on the credibility of its use.

Robert Green challenges this misconception, noting:

As for this macho ritual ‘nuclear test’ of British political leadership, the reality is that no Prime Minister would have to ‘press the button’. That dirty work is delegated to the Commanding Officer of the deployed Trident submarine.

This “dreadful” and “suicidal” responsibility, he goes on to say, leaves these personnel at danger of being held accountable for war crimes. This is a serious possibility, because the International Criminal Court holds nuclear weapon use to the same standards as armed conflict – namely abiding by humanitarian law. Green lays out in stark terms what this means in a nuclear context:

The envisaged use of even a single 100 kiloton UK Trident warhead could never meet these requirements.

[auldhippy]

Feck sake, from today's paper

A nuclear-powered submarine has collided with a ship off the coast of Gibraltar, with the accident coming despite the Royal Navy saying it has "world leading sensors".

The Astute-class submarine, which is the largest nuclear-powered attack craft in the Royal Navy, was submerged below the water as part of a normal training exercise when it had a "glancing collision" with a merchant ship passing by.

HMS Ambush took a hit to its outer body but the Ministry of Defence has said there was no damage to its nuclear plant and none to the other vessel.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/royal-navy-submarine-gibraltar-nuclear-collision-ship-coast-astute-class-hms-ambush-a7147661.html

[flatandy]

And? That's not a trident sub. It's a nuclear powered sub. Nothing to do with Trident.

Are you suggesting we should only have solar and pedal and horse powered subs?

[auldhippy]

Jul 21, 2016 14:16:23 GMT flatandy said:

And? That's not a trident sub. It's a nuclear powered sub. Nothing to do with Trident.

Are you suggesting we should only have solar and pedal and horse powered subs?

Yes or at least non nuclear powered subs. As much as I admire the mastery of technology and perfect record (apart from a few French & UK collisions) of the West the potential for catastrophe is immense.

[perrykneeham]

I doubt the Admiralty will lose too much sleep over the opinions of a former Fleet Air Arm back-seater.

[auldhippy]

Jul 21, 2016 17:22:56 GMT perrykneeham said:

I doubt the Admiralty will lose too much sleep over the opinions of a former Fleet Air Arm back-seater.

Good to see such respect for someone who defended you, not.

[perrykneeham]

Jul 21, 2016 17:37:55 GMT auldhippy said:

Jul 21, 2016 17:22:56 GMT perrykneeham said:

I doubt the Admiralty will lose too much sleep over the opinions of a former Fleet Air Arm back-seater.

Good to see such respect for someone who defended you, not.

Interesting to hear you accepting that nuclear weapons are a valid defence OH.

[auldhippy]

Hearing things that weren't said eh? Nurse has your meds.

[perrykneeham]

Interesting. Commander Bob's auntie:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Murrell

[auldhippy]

I suppose that's pertinent to something but not on this thread,

[flatandy]

I see that part of Britain's 30bn deterrent almost landed on the US. Good job we have this essential system. It will certainly deter all those countries that regularly think about invading a pointless damp rock off the north coast of Europe...

www.bbc.com/news/uk-68355395

[mids]

That's what happens when you do diversity hires. The submarine commander was a gay, black, disabled, trans lesbian. Probably.

[voice]

wow, you really are obsessed. Must be exhausting.

[happyhammerhead]

mids, do you think the commander forgot to press a button which activates the missile's booster rockets?

[mids]

Are you having another go at humour?

[Repat Van]

Feb 21, 2024 16:10:33 GMT mids said:

That's what happens when you do diversity hires. The submarine commander was a gay, black, disabled, trans lesbian. Probably.

Jesus Christ get a new therapist. The one you have is clearly useless.

[happyhammerhead]

Feb 21, 2024 20:37:49 GMT mids said:

Are you having another go at humour?

No, why?

[perrykneeham]

Was this the new ULEZ compliant eTrident?

[flatandy]

I'm pretty sure that the middle of the Atlantic is not part of the ULEZ.

Do better.

[voice]

So, they don't test these things very often cos the UK is skint and they cost millions, and this is only the second test in 10 years, both being utter failures, yet Shapps, with the confidence only known to the terminally befuddled, stands up in parliament to say, 'all's well, the deterrent is working fine, nothing to see here, move along"