Originally published on the CGS blog on September 6, 2007.
The Coffee House’s Larry Johnson (not really the Larry “Grandmama” Johnson …or even the KC Chiefs’ Larry “L.J.” Johnson), wondered about the “hubbub” surrounding recent revelations that a USAF B-52 “accidentally” carried nuclear warheads from North Dakota to Louisiana, so he did what anyone would do…he rang a B-52 flyboy friend. Here’s what he found out:
My buddy, let’s call him Jack D. Ripper, reminded me that the only times you put weapons on a plane is when they are on alert or if you are tasked to move the weapons to a specific site.
Then he told me something I had not heard before.
Barksdale Air Force Base is being used as a jumping off point for Middle East operations. Gee, why would we want cruise missile nukes at Barksdale Air Force Base. Can’t imagine we would need to use them in Iraq. Why would we want to preposition nuclear weapons at a base conducting Middle East operations?
His final point was to observe that someone on the inside obviously leaked the info that the planes were carrying nukes. A B-52 landing at Barksdale is a non-event. A B-52 landing with nukes. That is something else.
Now maybe there is an innocent explanation for this? I can’t think of one. What is certain is that the pilots of this plane did not just make a last minute decision to strap on some nukes and take them for a joy ride. We need some tough questions and clear answers. What the hell is going on? Did someone at Barksdale try to indirectly warn the American people that the Bush Administration is staging nukes for Iran? I don’t know, but it is a question worth asking.
That’s not only a question worth asking, it’s a question that demands an honest answer…but I’m not gonna start holding my breath just yet.
UPDATE: From Crooks and Liars :
Josh Marshall noted that he’s heard from knowledgeable sources that this really was just a “pretty damn serious accident,” and Atrios added, “I have no idea if it really has anything to do with Iran, but the idea that nukes just happen to accidentally climb aboard a bomber is a wee bit absurd. There’s some story here.”
