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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhen Daily Intelligence Briefings Prevented a Nuclear War
By JOSH ZEITZ at Politico
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/trump-daily-intelligence-briefings-history-jfk-cuban-missile-crisis-214521
"SNIP...................
On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump said he doesnt need to get daily intelligence briefingsnow or after his inauguration on January 20because he is, like, a smart person.
Before he does away with the ritual, he might want to consider a particular time in history when a president did his homework, took his briefings, paid attention to the details and in so doing averted a nuclear war.
It was October 19, 1962the fourth day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when a nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union seemed more likely by the hourand John F. Kennedy was hosting a tense, 45-minute conversation with his Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had since the very beginning of the confrontation urged a massive air strike against Cuban targets.
Leaning back in his leather swivel chair, his expression icy and resolute, Kennedy listened with pique as Air Force General Curtis LeMay denounced the presidents plan to impose a blockade on Cuba, rather than launch an offensive military campaign. The blockade was almost as bad as the appeasement at Munich, LeMay indecorously told the president. It was a weak response and a lot of our citizens would feel that way, too. In other words, youre in a pretty bad fix at the present time. Kennedy was in near-disbelief. What did you say? he asked.
.....................SNIP"
Docreed2003
(16,817 posts),And both were extremely active in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the missle crisis, the world would have been a much different place after that October in 62. Can you imagine what Nixon would have done during that same event??
Jean-Jacques Roussea
(475 posts)Chasstev365
(5,191 posts)spanone
(135,636 posts)Girard442
(6,059 posts)A war is a direct route to presidential popularity, extraordinary powers, and silencing of criticism.
Of course, if DC is nuked, he's dead. That might give him pause.