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#420 – Annie Jacobsen: Nuclear War, CIA, KGB, Aliens, Area 51, Roswell & Secrecy
Lex Fridman Podcast
The Harsh Reality of Nuclear War
Nuclear war begins with an early warning system in space called Sivers detecting an ICBM launch with satellites one-tenth the way to the moon. The US has a policy of launch on warning, where it immediately counter strikes upon detection of a nuclear launch to prevent absorbing an attack. The President has the authority, within six minutes of warning, to initiate a nuclear strike without needing permission from anyone, due to the fast-paced nature of nuclear war. The sole presidential authority concept ensures that only the President can make a decision to launch nuclear weapons, without needing approval from other authorities or entities, highlighting the extraordinary speed and autonomy involved in such catastrophic decisions.
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