Nuclear Football

[Reason]

~Thought this was interesting~

http://cryptome.info/obama-protect3/pict6.jpg
WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 24: A military aide carries the nuclear football, with the nation's nuclear launch codes, through Statuary Hall as President Barack Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for his address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, 2009 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Barack Obama will address a joint session of the Congress at 9:01pm tonight where he plans to address the topics of the struggling U.S. economy, the budget deficit, and health care.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Football

The Nuclear Football is a specially outfitted black briefcase used by the President of the United States of America to authorize the use of nuclear weapons.

Adopted to permit the president to make a nuclear-attack order while away from fixed command centers, such as the White House Situation Room, it functions as a mobile hub in the strategic defense system of the United States.

While exact details about the football are highly classified, several sources have provided information about the bag, its contents, and its operation.

[Rael]

Yeah, one time Air Force One took off and it was left on the tarmac.

[Matt Collins]

Interesting that it has an antenna sticking out of it.

[Rael]

Interesting that it has an antenna sticking out of it.

I think thats just a walkie talkie stuck in the outside pocket.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Yeah! - lets play footbal! - Hut 1, Hut 2, Hut 3 - KABOOOOOOMMM!

:rolleyes:

and Oh-Bomb-Us has this thing... OH SHIT!

-t

[Carole]

~Thought this was interesting~

http://cryptome.info/obama-protect3/pict6.jpg
WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 24: A military aide carries the nuclear football, with the nation's nuclear launch codes, through Statuary Hall as President Barack Obama arrives at the U.S. Capitol for his address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, 2009 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Barack Obama will address a joint session of the Congress at 9:01pm tonight where he plans to address the topics of the struggling U.S. economy, the budget deficit, and health care.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Football

The Nuclear Football is a specially outfitted black briefcase used by the President of the United States of America to authorize the use of nuclear weapons.

Adopted to permit the president to make a nuclear-attack order while away from fixed command centers, such as the White House Situation Room, it functions as a mobile hub in the strategic defense system of the United States.

While exact details about the football are highly classified, several sources have provided information about the bag, its contents, and its operation.
That bag looks about to burst from its seems. The thing is apt to spill its guts all over the floor any second. :D

[Rael]

The guy who carries it is put under more scrutiny than Obama was.

The football is carried by one of the rotating presidential military aides (one from each of the five service branches), who occasionally is physically attached to the briefcase. This person is a commissioned officer in the U.S. military, pay-grade O-4 or above, who has undergone the nation's most rigorous background check (Yankee White). These officers, who are armed, are required to keep the football within ready access of the president at all times. Consequently, an aide, football in hand, is always either standing or walking near the president or riding in Air Force One, Marine One or the presidential motorcade with the president.

[Rael]

The football's specific contents are highly classified. It holds a secure satellite communication (SATCOM) radio and handset for communication, and any other materials that the president would rely on should a decision to use nuclear weapons need to be made. These include summaries of various predetermined attack options (commonly referred to as the "playbook") as well as plans to handle the national emergency that would follow a nuclear attack and retaliation. These materials are generated by, respectively, the National Security Agency, the United States Strategic Command (attack options), and the United States National Security Council (security/continuity-of-government plans). The attack options provided in the football are part of the Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), which contains different scenarios that involve the use of nuclear weaponry.

Some accounts[who?] assert that the case contains equipment and protocols for activating the Emergency Alert System (EAS). This is a logical assumption since, by the Federal Communication Commission's own official description, the EAS is designed to allow the president to address the nation within ten minutes of a national emergency, regardless of location.

The case itself is a metallic, possibly bullet-resistant, modified Zero Halliburton briefcase which is carried inside a black leather "jacket." The entire package weighs approximately 40 pounds (18 kg). A small antenna, presumably for the SATCOM radio, protrudes from the bag near the handle. A common misconception is that the football is handcuffed to its carrier. Rather, a black cable is employed that loops around the handle of the bag and the wrist of the aide.[citation needed]

[sailor]

Does Obama have a concealed carry permitt for this thing??

You can`t carry around a .22 pistol, but he gets criticised(!) if he leaves home the nuclear annihilation bag. :rolleyes:

[Matt Collins]

Some accounts[who?] assert that the case contains equipment and protocols for activating the Emergency Alert System (EAS). This is a logical assumption since, by the Federal Communication Commission's own official description, the EAS is designed to allow the president to address the nation within ten minutes of a national emergency, regardless of location.
This would be highly unlikely given that 10 minutes before or after an attack the President has much bigger things to worry about than addressing the nation. Sounding the EAS, yes, but not making an address.

[Reason]

Does Obama have a concealed carry permitt for this thing??

You can`t carry around a .22 pistol, but he gets criticised(!) if he leaves home the nuclear annihilation bag. :rolleyes:

:D

[nate895]

The guy who carries it is put under more scrutiny than Obama was.

The football is carried by one of the rotating presidential military aides (one from each of the five service branches), who occasionally is physically attached to the briefcase. This person is a commissioned officer in the U.S. military, pay-grade O-4 or above, who has undergone the nation's most rigorous background check (Yankee White). These officers, who are armed, are required to keep the football within ready access of the president at all times. Consequently, an aide, football in hand, is always either standing or walking near the president or riding in Air Force One, Marine One or the presidential motorcade with the president.

Also, they can have absolutely no family or marital connections outside of the country.

[Reason]

Also, they can have absolutely no family or marital connections outside of the country.

That is relatively standard for most of the higher level security clearances.

[nate895]

That is relatively standard for most of the higher level security clearances.

I just find it funny that, even if Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural born citizen, he can't get a top security clearance to carry the very device that he has the power to use.

[Agent CSL]

They left it on the tarmack once? Haha. If it was me, I'd have that thing hooked up to the carrier's pulse. If the football is no longer detecting a pulse (either the carrier is killed or the bag stolen/left behind), the football would self destruct and beacon to the command center the exact location and situation.

That's how I'd do it. :o

[pacelli]

Halliburton makes the bag? Gee, that makes me feel so much safer.

[idiom]

18Kg? Thats a heavy sucker.

Inside there is a red button and a blue button.

The Red button calls for coffee and the Blue button launches the missiles.... No, wait, the Blue button...