Nuclear Forces Commander Affirms I Will Follow Legal Orders, Not Illegal Orders

Adm. Charles Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told reporters earlier this week that he would not recommend changes in the current system of nuclear command and control. He would, however, decline to follow illegal orders to deploy a nuclear weapon, Richard confirmed. “I will follow any legal order that I’m given — I will not follow any illegal orders,” he said. “And if you go much further, if I were to say anything else, we’re starting to call in civilian control of the military, which I think is a prized American attribute.”