Nuclear weapons
Sir, — Power failure, tripping of a relay, faulty programming, are only a few of the ways in which machinery failures and human errors can trigger world war 111, as mentioned in Simon Winchester’s article. (“The Press,” June 18). Warning the Sc.’iets, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General David Jones, said: “We are ready and can respond in a very few minutes.” It follows that, if the errors were not detected in a very few minutes war would begin because of huge pressures on both sides “to unleash their weapon be? fore they were destroyed in
place.” It is dangerous for New Zealand to rely o such a faulty, “hair-trigger” system for defence sec rity, when it is such a threat to our very survival. Armed neutrality would avoid the risk to New Zealand and allow us to play a more positive role in preventing war by peace-making activities. — Yours, etc., L. F. J. ROSS. June 18, 1980.
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Press, 21 June 1980, Page 14
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160Nuclear weapons Press, 21 June 1980, Page 14
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