“What kind of maniacs are running this country?”
Walter M. Shaub — Former head of the Office of Government Ethics
The United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) wishes you all a Happy Nuke Year! Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY
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On New Year’s eve, the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) tweeted a rather disturbing message:
“#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball…if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger.”
The message was accompanied by a video showing a B-2 bomber dropping weapons.
A few hours later, Strategic Command deleted the tweet, saying it was “in poor taste”, and replaced it with an apology.
“Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste & does not reflect our values. We apologize. We are dedicated to the security of America & allies.”
The tweet left many observers feeling positively flummoxed. Joe Cirincione, author of ‘Nuclear Nightmares, Securing the World before it is too late’ does not mince his words.
“At first, I did not believe this could be real. But it is. It is an industry ad doubling as a sick, bragging joke by our Strategic Command. Disgraceful.”
US Strategic Command apologizes for ‘poor taste’ tweet
The video in the original tweet shows a B-2 stealth bomber dropping a GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.
The GPS-guided bomb weighs tens of thousands of pounds and is designed specifically to penetrate thick concrete that protects entrenched structures such as underground bunkers and weapon storage sites.
REFERENCES
Military Deletes New Year’s Eve Tweet Saying It’s ‘Ready to Drop Something’ — NYT (Jan 1 2019)
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United States Strategic Command : “We are ready to drop something much, much bigger.”
Intel Today 