US nukes at Turkey base at risk of seizure: report

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: AFP

Washington (AFP) - Dozens of US nuclear weapons stored at a Turkish air base near Syria are at risk of being captured by "terrorists or other hostile forces," a Washington think tank claimed Monday.

Critics have long been alarmed by America's estimated stockpile of about 50 nuclear bombs at Incirlik in southern Turkey, just 70 miles (110 kilometers) from the border with war-torn Syria. The issue took on fresh urgency last month following the attempted coup in Turkey, in which the base's Turkish commander was arrested on suspicion of complicity in the plot.

"Whether the US could have maintained control of the weapons in the event of a protracted civil conflict in Turkey is an unanswerable question," said Monday's report from the Stimson Center, a nonpartisan think tank working to promote peace.

Incirlik is a vital base for the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, with the strategically located facility affording drones and warplanes fast access to IS targets.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-nukes-turkey-risk-seizure-report-043432750.html

[saidsimplesimon]

1. At the moment,

my trust of Erdogan is on the same level as that of potential terrorists. Disarm Turkey, or the entire world, now is the time.

[NWCorona]

2. I've said it before and I'll say it again. IMHO the B sixty one stockpile is long gone.

Possibly to Ramstein do to the proximity.

[Javaman]

6. You think the U.S took preemptive action to move them?

I tend to agree with you, but do you have anymore insight?

[NWCorona]

7. IMO certain DOD protocols were triggered once Turkey closed the airspace and

And locked down the perimeter of Incirlik. I can't see them going against SOP on this unless a stand down order was given.

We also have to look at Erdogans erratic behavior before this event. The fact that he was moving closer to Russia/Putin while making bellicose statements can't be overlooked.

That's just my two cents

[Javaman]

9. thanks. seems logical.

I don't see the U.S./Obama being reckless with the nukes.

[EX500rider]

3. Without the permissive action link codes they are just big paperweights..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permissive_Action_Link

[MowCowWhoHow III]

4. At the very least they could be used for dirty bombs

Plus if you get a haul of 50+, you have lots of slack for any PAL-hacking endeavors.

[ToxMarz]

5. I would imagine they are potentially very dangerous in the wrong

hands even without being properly detonated.

[Crash2Parties]

8. I like the anti-tamper parts,

that effectively fuse the entire firing mechanism. All they are good for at that point is use as a dirty bomb but whose going to take them apart to get at the isotopes?