An expert has issued a chilling warning about the looming specter of nuclear war, asserting that regardless of its origin, the catastrophic outcome remains the same: total annihilation.
Annie Jacobsen, renowned for her insightful books on America’s military, including explorations of the secretive DARPA research lab and the enigmatic Area 51, has sounded the alarm on the harrowing reality of nuclear brinkmanship.
In a recent podcast with Lex Fridman, she painted a grim picture of the razor-thin margin between survival and devastation, highlighting the critical six-minute window that confronts the U.S. president in the event of detecting a Russian or Chinese missile launch.
Under the current U.S. doctrine of “launch on warning,” there is scant time for deliberation or assessment of the situation.
The moment an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is detected, the United States is poised to retaliate preemptively, ensuring that the devastating cycle of destruction is set in motion without hesitation.
Jacobsen elucidates the grim mechanics behind this policy, underscoring the vigilant surveillance conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense‘s early warning system, particularly the SBIRS satellite constellation tasked with monitoring potential threats. This constant vigilance is a grim reminder of the perilous reality of nuclear deterrence, where any perceived threat triggers an irreversible cascade of destruction.
Moreover, Jacobsen exposes the fallibility inherent in the system, recounting past instances where the decision to launch nuclear strikes was later revealed to be based on erroneous information. The stakes are immeasurable, and the margin for error is perilously slim.
Even former President Ronald Reagan expressed skepticism about the rationality of unleashing Armageddon based on a fleeting blip on a radar screen. His sentiments echo the sentiments of many, who question the sanity of entrusting such grave decisions to the whims of technological detection.
Jacobsen shatters any illusions of control or reversal once the launch sequence is initiated. Contrary to cinematic portrayals, nuclear missiles cannot be recalled or diverted once set in motion, condemning millions to a fate beyond comprehension.
The horrors of a nuclear detonation are beyond imagination, with the resulting mushroom cloud engulfing entire cities in a maelstrom of destruction. (Related: NUCLEAR WAR: Radioactive fallout from attacks on U.S. ICBM silos could kill 300 million Americans.)
Jacobsen paints a grim tableau of unimaginable suffering, where the speed and ferocity of nuclear warfare defy human comprehension.
In her extensive research, Jacobsen encountered a unanimous consensus among political and military figures: nuclear war is sheer madness. The grim calculus of mutually assured destruction renders any notions of victory or triumph hollow and delusional.
What happens after a nuclear detonation?
A groundbreaking study, published two years ago, sheds light on the chilling repercussions of modern nuclear detonations and their catastrophic impact on the world as we know it.
Led by Cheryl Harrison, an assistant professor in the LSU Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, the study, co-authored by a team of experts, conducted multiple computer simulations to assess the consequences of regional and large-scale nuclear warfare in today’s context.
The simulations painted a grim picture: in all scenarios, nuclear firestorms would unleash soot and smoke into the upper atmosphere, effectively blotting out the Sun and triggering global crop failures.
Within the first month post-detonation, average global temperatures would plummet by approximately 13 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing even the temperature drop of the last Ice Age.
Furthermore, the abrupt cooling of ocean temperatures would lead to the expansion of sea ice, obstructing major ports and impeding shipping routes across the Northern Hemisphere. This disruption would severely hamper the distribution of essential goods, exacerbating food shortages in densely populated areas such as Shanghai.
The repercussions extend far beyond the surface, with marine ecosystems facing decimation as plummeting light levels disrupt the delicate balance of marine algae, the foundation of the marine food web.
This catastrophic disruption would result in widespread famine in the oceans, crippling fishing industries and aquaculture worldwide.
Watch this interview with General Michael Flynn as he discusses among other things the risk of a nuclear war with Russia.
