From Russia to Iran to North Korea, a new president with civilization-ending weaponry at his fingertips will face an in-tray of potential international crises.
On Trump’s first day in office he will be handed the “nuclear biscuit” – a small card with the codes he needs to talk to the Pentagon war room to verify his identity in the event of a national security crisis; and followed by an aide with a briefcase, known as the “nuclear football”, containing information to authorize a nuclear attack.
The “biscuit” and “football” are the embodiment of the awesome, civilization-ending power that will be put in Trump’s hands, perhaps Twitter should be added.
But they only become relevant in rare moments of extreme crisis, but a US president’s ability to manage crises around the world will help determine whether they become extreme.
Situations already in the in-tray for Trump will be a North Korean regime rapidly developing a long-range nuclear missile. Another that could blow up at any time is Russia, whose warplanes are flying increasingly close to NATO planes and ships in a high-stakes game of chicken. And he could trigger a third crisis, with Iran, if he follows through with his threat to tear up last year’s nuclear agreement.
The temperament question for the President came into stark consideration again for many when the President provided a nuclear tweet on twitter that said “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes” and provided no other details.
The tweet was seemingly in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements, that Russia is the strongest nation in the world but his country’s nuclear potential needs fortifying.
All of this raising the specter of a new arms race that would reverse decades of efforts to reduce the number and size of the two countries’ nuclear weapons. With a tweet from his finger, Trump laid out a position that represents a radical shift in thinking for the U.S. relative to pursuing a policy of nuclear arms reduction.
The situation demonstrating what Jesus foretold in Matthew 24, that in the last days nation will rise against nation.
It is unknown how the new President will respond to potential flash-points awaiting him, for he has no policy or governing record. Yet the world can rest assured he will be challenged, and it seems his trigger finger could be tested.