No to illegal nukes use

THE top US nuclear commander says he would resist President Donald Trump if he ordered an “illegal” launch of nuclear weapons.

Air Force General John Hyten, commander of the US Strategic Command, told a Halifax International Security Forum in Canada he had given thought to what he would say if he received such an order.

“I think some people think we’re stupid,” General Hyten said in response to a question about such a scenario.

“We’re not stupid people. When you have this responsibility, how do you not think about it?”

He explained the process that would follow a command.

As head of STRATCOM, “I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do”, General Hyten said.

“And if it’s illegal, guess what’s going to happen? I’m going to say, ‘Mr President, that’s illegal’. And guess what he’s going to do? He’s going to say, ‘ What would be legal?’ And we’ll come up with options, of a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that’s the way it works.”

The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on the remarks.

US senators have questioned Mr Trump’s authority to wage war and use nuclear weapons amid concern that tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program. REUTERS