Y2K - Russian Nuclear Weapons And Rockets Not Secure - Clock Ticks On

By Nick Oredson TIME Digital 5-6-99

In Russia, the Y2K problem isn't about embedded chips in microwaves, it's about nuclear bombs. The specter of a Y2K-induced nuclear apocalypse is so terrifying, and real, that earlier this year Russia came to the U.S. and the IMF for help in controlling its arsenal through the turn of the millennium. The U.S. formed a delegation of technicians to send to Russia, but before work could begin the war in the Balkans heated up, and diplomatic relations cooled down to Cold War temperatures. Now all bets are off, and the clock is ticking...

In mid-February a group of U.S. computer specialists and military people, led by Assistant Secretary of Defense Ted Warner, But now, with Russian-U.S. relations at a post-Cold War low because of the Balkan war, the U.S. is struggling to show that this crucial agreement has not suffered. When Will the Russians back out for real? It seems unlikely. For the Russians to prevent U.S. experts from upgrading their computers would be like kicking the firefighters out of the house for leaving the toilet seat up. Unfortunately, rationality has been in scarce supply ever since the war in the Balkans began, and nobody knows what might happen, especially if NATO deploys ground troops. The future of the Balkan war is also uncertain, and global nuclear security has been added to the list of issues hinging on its outcome.

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-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), May 07, 1999

Answers

Hey, Andy, did you hear Yeltson's comments on the NATIONAL NEWS yesterday? He said something to the effect of the NATO bombings were a criminal act, and if the russians felt that they were under attack, they would respond by destroying America. Then they said Yeltson's comments were "unoffical". BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRIAD. I think wwiii is comming, in addition to y2k. *sigh*

-- Crono (Crono@timeesend.com), May 07, 1999.

Andy & C. You can be sure it IS coming (WWIII). We have forgotten the lessons of Pearl Harbor , and with Klinton + liberals "wasting" our military assets, or just plain giving them away (i.e. China), the wolves are` waiting for the Big "Superpower' (sic) to stumble; then the attack will begin. Saw the rise of Hitler, heard the isolationist talk, lived thru all the denial of the citizens, but when the Japs bombed Pearl , all the wishful thinking citizens suddenly realized the emporer really DID have his pants down , and only rearguard action by McArther and some tough marines at Guadalcanal kept the wolves from the door. It WON'T HAPPEN THIS TIME !!! A Wise (old) Man

-- A. Wiseman (Wiseman@prodigy.com), May 07, 1999.

Crono, the fact that our government continues to prop up the Yeltsin administration is a clear indicator of how desperate the situation is. The man has obviously lost the ability to reason clearly and is subject to fits of irrational behavior, while retaining control of Russia's nuclear arsenal. If they think the best chance for a peaceful outcome to this mess lies in him, what does that say about his likely succesors? Or maybe they don't want a peaceful outcome.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), May 07, 1999.

Yeltsin's comments show that the greatest fear in Russia is that NATO is preparing to attack them, not the reverse.

-- doubting thomas (gotgold@home.net), May 07, 1999.

MY point exactly.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), May 08, 1999.