[Published: Sunday November 19 2017]
US nuclear chief to resist 'illegal' presidential order
Washington 19 Nov (ANA) - The top nuclear commander in the US says he would resist any "illegal" presidential order to launch a strike. Air Force Gen John Hyten, said as head of the US Strategic Command he provided advice to a president and expected that a legal alternative would be found. His comments come just days after US senators discussed a president's authority to launch a nuclear attack. Some of them expressed concern that President Donald Trump might irresponsibly order such a strike. Others though said a president must have the authority to act without meddling from lawyers. It was the first such hearing in more than 40 years. In August, Mr Trump vowed to unleash "fire and fury like the world has never seen" on North Korea if it threatened the US. Last month, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Republican chairman, Senator Bob Corker, accused the president of setting the US "on a path to World War Three".(FA)
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