Author's note: Louis XIV ordered his cannons be cast with the relief, “Ultima Ratio Regum”, Latin for "The last argument of kings.” One of the ultimate privileges of a sovereign state is the act of declaring war.
A synopsis of the Damascus Nuclear Accident and the impartial potential of nuclear weapons
By Alireza Shahabi Sirjani
Human Error
The explosion of a Titan II missile with a nuclear warhead in an underground facility in Damascus, Arkansas on 18 September, 1980, resulted in the death of a United States serviceman and a Broken Arrow situation. Whether it was engineering foresight, safety features or divine fortune, the payload was ultimately severed from its power source, shielding millions of innocent people from the ravages of the indiscriminate nature of the weapon, its fallout and aftermath.
A Titan II ICBM in its launch silo | Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
The constellation of events leading up to the detonation of the missile, to several injured and the tragic loss of one man’s life, and the recovery of the nuclear device is known as the Damascus Nuclear Accident. Investigative research into the causes and management of the horrid accident points a dubious finger at human error. To preserve a semblance of trust and ensure reliability in systems, officials tend to blame systemic failings on the operators, rather than the hardware or the technology. By directing the responsibility of accidents onto individuals, systems can be shielded and protected from criticism over their costs and effective payoff in the name of protecting the lives of civilians.
The accident
The events that played out in Damascus at Missile Complex 374-7, could have very well stemmed from human arrogance and overconfidence in one's ability to overcome situations based primarily on past experiences over advisory recommendations. In this instance, the operator used a tool that was no longer approved for the task at hand (a torque wrench) rather than the newly approved tool (a ratchet) to remove a pressure cap from the missile.
During this routine maintenance check, a mundane tool became a catalyst for the dramatic and harrowing events that unfolded: the socket slipped from the hands of the operator falling roughly 30 meters to the ground where it became a projectile that ricocheted off the outer shell of the nuclear armed ICBM. The binary mechanical conclusions that were reached in the aftermath of the incident failed to take into account the heroic actions of individuals who tried to bring the crisis futilely under control. Additionally, the device was rendered inert without a power source, adding further insult to injury.
This documented incident, regardless of cause or division of guilt, is one story from a number of accidents that have occurred in the United States. Large portions of it, as well as other accidents, have been declassified providing insight into the management of nuclear military units and facilities. Media attention has arguably shined a light on the threats posed by deterrent systems protecting the civilian population -- not forgetting the firmly entrenched concept of checks and balances of the US civil government.
The threat of nuclear weapons
The point I wish to make here is not the simple rehashing of the Damascus Nuclear Accident, but rather to critique the realist rationality surrounding the ominous threat that nuclear weapons pose to the security of civilian populations and the greater global community. Nuclear powers’ non-compliance to agreements such as the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) could very well be linked to (and a reflection of) insufficient trust in the good will of others.
This sentiment could be a significant hurdle in the perpetuation of notions that dictate the preservation of deterrence against threats, for the safety of the self. Such behaviour also added further fuel to realist perspectives of power, its balances and the preservation of the status quo, while highlighting the self-serving and fleeting nature of treaties and agreements.
Weapons of mass destruction are the result of the perversion of scientific progress, and are by themselves unable to distinguish between friend and foe. These devices follow the rules of physical chemistry and matter, and like a forest fire, they will consume and destroy dried out plant life as well as lush saplings and forest creatures indiscriminately.
Photo by Ilja Nedilko on Unsplash
Accidents happen
Although weapons are designed with fail-safes and redundancy features to prevent operator mishandling and accidents – accidents happen, and not all circumstances can be accounted for. Safeguards can only be implemented within the scope that can be envisioned by man who is fallible by nature, and his creations could carry the same inherent weakness. When considering the destructive capacity of nuclear weapons, the backlash resulting from a miscalculation could be catastrophic. These weapons are not only a threat to the lives of one's “enemies” but could also be a threat to those who possess and stockpile them.
The recovered broken arrow from the Damascus incident was a nine-megaton warhead, the most devastating commissioned weapon of its time, with a yield 250 times greater than the two bombs used over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. When the beast is let loose, it can and will bite the hand that feeds it. In other words, with the level of human scientific progress and knowledge, man as the creator of these weapons is powerless to defend or shield himself. When the natural laws of physics are triggered -- a cascading thermonuclear reaction occurs.
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Alireza Shahabi Sirjani
Contributing Writer
Alireza Shahabi Sirjani studied his BA in International Relations at WVPU where he is currently studying his MA in the same field. Prior to studying IR, he studied Architecture at the Technical University of Vienna. He has interned in a number of architectural offices as well as international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency. He is a member of the CTBT Youth Group and his interests in the field if International Relations fall mainly in the area of arms control.