It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets
— Voltaire
In war, no one wins or loses. There is only destruction. Only those who have never fought like to argue about who won and who lost
— Bao Ninh, a writer who fought for the communist North Vietnamese army
Sugested changes to the nuclear war launch protocol…
— Law professor Roger Fisher in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists journal
There is a young man, probably a Navy officer, who accompanies the President. This young man has a black attaché case which contains the codes that are needed to fire nuclear weapons. I could see the President at a staff meeting considering nuclear war as an abstract question. He might conclude: “On SIOP Plan One, the decision is affirmative, Communicate the Alpha line XYZ.” Such jargon holds what is involved at a distance.
My suggestion was quite simple: Put that needed code number in a little capsule, and then implant that capsule right next to the heart of a volunteer. The volunteer would carry with him a big, heavy butcher knife as he accompanied the President. If ever the President wanted to fire nuclear weapons, the only way he could do so would be for him first, with his own hands, to kill one human being. The President says, “George, I’m sorry but tens of millions must die.” He has to look at someone and realize what death is – what an innocent death is. Blood on the White House carpet. It’s reality brought home.”