Annie Jacobsen

And he is about to notify the president that the six-minute window has to begin when he learns it was a mistake. The mistake was that there was a training tape with a nuclear war scenario, right? We haven't even begun to talk about the nuclear war scenarios that the Pentagon runs. An actual VHS training tape. Right. had been incorrectly inserted into a system at the Pentagon.

And he is about to notify the president that the six-minute window has to begin when he learns it was a mistake. The mistake was that there was a training tape with a nuclear war scenario, right? We haven't even begun to talk about the nuclear war scenarios that the Pentagon runs. An actual VHS training tape. Right. had been incorrectly inserted into a system at the Pentagon.

And he is about to notify the president that the six-minute window has to begin when he learns it was a mistake. The mistake was that there was a training tape with a nuclear war scenario, right? We haven't even begun to talk about the nuclear war scenarios that the Pentagon runs. An actual VHS training tape. Right. had been incorrectly inserted into a system at the Pentagon.

And so this nuclear launch showed up at that bunker beneath the Pentagon and at the bunker beneath STRATCOM because they're connected. As being real. And then it was like, oh, whoops, it's actually a simulation test tape.

And so this nuclear launch showed up at that bunker beneath the Pentagon and at the bunker beneath STRATCOM because they're connected. As being real. And then it was like, oh, whoops, it's actually a simulation test tape.

And so this nuclear launch showed up at that bunker beneath the Pentagon and at the bunker beneath STRATCOM because they're connected. As being real. And then it was like, oh, whoops, it's actually a simulation test tape.

And Perry described to me what that was like, the pause in his spirit and his mind and his heart when he realized, I'm about to have to tell the president that he needs to launch nuclear weapons. And he learned just in the neck of time that it was an error. And that's one of five examples.

And Perry described to me what that was like, the pause in his spirit and his mind and his heart when he realized, I'm about to have to tell the president that he needs to launch nuclear weapons. And he learned just in the neck of time that it was an error. And that's one of five examples.

And Perry described to me what that was like, the pause in his spirit and his mind and his heart when he realized, I'm about to have to tell the president that he needs to launch nuclear weapons. And he learned just in the neck of time that it was an error. And that's one of five examples.

For me personally, that's the only firsthand story that I ever heard because it's so rare and it's so unique. And most people in the national security system, at least in the past – have been loath to talk about any of this, right? It's like the sacred oath. It's taboo. It's taboo to go against the system of systems that is, you know, making sure nuclear war never happens.

For me personally, that's the only firsthand story that I ever heard because it's so rare and it's so unique. And most people in the national security system, at least in the past – have been loath to talk about any of this, right? It's like the sacred oath. It's taboo. It's taboo to go against the system of systems that is, you know, making sure nuclear war never happens.

For me personally, that's the only firsthand story that I ever heard because it's so rare and it's so unique. And most people in the national security system, at least in the past – have been loath to talk about any of this, right? It's like the sacred oath. It's taboo. It's taboo to go against the system of systems that is, you know, making sure nuclear war never happens.

Bill Perry was one of the first people who did this. And a lot of it, I believe, at least in my lengthy conversations with him, we had a lot of Zoom calls over COVID when I began reporting this. And He had a lot to do with me feeling like I could write this book from a human point of view and not just from the mechanized systems.

Bill Perry was one of the first people who did this. And a lot of it, I believe, at least in my lengthy conversations with him, we had a lot of Zoom calls over COVID when I began reporting this. And He had a lot to do with me feeling like I could write this book from a human point of view and not just from the mechanized systems.

Bill Perry was one of the first people who did this. And a lot of it, I believe, at least in my lengthy conversations with him, we had a lot of Zoom calls over COVID when I began reporting this. And He had a lot to do with me feeling like I could write this book from a human point of view and not just from the mechanized systems.

Because, and I only lightly touch upon this because it's such a fast sweeping scenario, but Perry, for example, spent his whole life dedicated to building weapons of war. Only later in life to realize this is madness. And he shared with me that it was that idea about one's grandchildren inheriting these nuclear arsenals and the lack of wisdom that comes with their origin stories, right?

Because, and I only lightly touch upon this because it's such a fast sweeping scenario, but Perry, for example, spent his whole life dedicated to building weapons of war. Only later in life to realize this is madness. And he shared with me that it was that idea about one's grandchildren inheriting these nuclear arsenals and the lack of wisdom that comes with their origin stories, right?

Because, and I only lightly touch upon this because it's such a fast sweeping scenario, but Perry, for example, spent his whole life dedicated to building weapons of war. Only later in life to realize this is madness. And he shared with me that it was that idea about one's grandchildren inheriting these nuclear arsenals and the lack of wisdom that comes with their origin stories, right?

When you're involved in it in the ground up, apparently it has... perhaps you're a different kind of steward of these systems than if you just inherit them and they are pages in a manual.

When you're involved in it in the ground up, apparently it has... perhaps you're a different kind of steward of these systems than if you just inherit them and they are pages in a manual.