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bananas

(27,509 posts)
Sun Apr 1, 2012, 03:35 AM Apr 2012

Roger C. Molander, Nuclear Protest Leader, Dies at 71

Source: New York Times

Roger C. Molander, who abandoned what he called the “priesthood” of cold warriors in the White House and the Pentagon to organize one of the nation’s largest and most colorful protests against nuclear arms, died on March 25 in Washington. He was 71.

<snip>

Mr. Molander drew from his expertise as a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering to become an influential arms control analyst in the Defense Department and on National Security Council in the Nixon, Ford and Carter administrations. He became frustrated with the slow pace of negotiations with the Russians on nuclear weapons issues, and even more upset with the matter-of-fact approach some colleagues took toward atomic war.

In April 1982, he told The New York Times about a meeting at the Pentagon that helped change his life.

“A Navy captain was saying that people here and in Europe were getting too upset about the consequences of nuclear war,” Mr. Molander recalled. “The captain added that people were talking as if nuclear war would be the end of the world when, in fact, only 500 million people would be killed.”

<snip>

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/us/roger-c-molander-dies-at-71-stirred-nuclear-protests.html?_r=1

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Roger C. Molander, Nuclear Protest Leader, Dies at 71 (Original Post) bananas Apr 2012 OP
Wish there were more with Dr. Molander's integrity. Octafish Apr 2012 #1
That navy capt isn't representative kristopher Apr 2012 #2
LCDR Florence ''Terri'' Pike (USNR) makes me think otherwise. Octafish Apr 2012 #3

kristopher

(29,798 posts)
2. That navy capt isn't representative
Sun Apr 1, 2012, 08:48 AM
Apr 2012

The idea of nuclear war is considered by most upper military with probably more horror than most lay people because they are clear about how devastating the consequences are. Unfortunately part of their horror is rooted in the fact that people like the capt exist in sufficient numbers to ensure that there is a high probability of maximum possible escalation should a nuclear conflict begin.

Octafish

(55,745 posts)
3. LCDR Florence ''Terri'' Pike (USNR) makes me think otherwise.
Sun Apr 1, 2012, 11:18 AM
Apr 2012

Last edited Sun Apr 1, 2012, 12:33 PM - Edit history (1)

While I agree with your assessment that most of the officer corps are good people, aware of the dangers and consequences of nuclear war, I distrust the leadership as a whole.

LCDR Pike tried to comply with the Assassination Records Review Board and got railroaded for her trouble by the brass.

http://jfkcountercoup.blogspot.com/2011/10/railroading-of-lcdr-terri-pike-over.html?m=1

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