Could you push the Nuclear Button?

Yes, I could. The reason being is if we need to deploy nukes, that probably means the enemy we're facing has either done something terrible to us or is about to (i.e. nuke us); or there's a situation where nukes need to be employed otherwise it could result in great loses on our end.

Yes, but with a great deal of remorse.

My job was not to launch but I did control the codes and the messaging. Too many movies about madmen getting the codes.

Yep

No, I couldn't. The idea of being responsible for the destruction of millions of lives, both instantly and in the aftermath truly troubles me. Having to answer to God for it prevents me from doing it.

Sp4 Byron Skinner If my duty (Job) was to press the launch button of a nuclear weapon I wouldn't have any problem in doing my duty. Personally I see nuclear weapons as being Militarily useless as our military did in the 1980's when they withdrew nuclear Tomahawk Cruise Missiles and the Pershing II tactical range missile systems. On the battle all you have to do is spread out your forces and let the enemy nuc you. You will lose some soldiers but their deaths would be very expensive deaths to the enemy. Also defense against nuclear delivery platforms has increased greatly. In the 2003 invasion of iraq no Scud missiles landed on American troops even thout Saddam had hundreds to fire on the advancing Americans. Just for an example the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) a couple of days ago, launched an SM 6 Dual 1 SAM and it made a hit on a Chinese simulated DF 21D Carrier killer. Even though the DF 21D has yet to hit a moving carrier and pretty much the technology to do so is on the US. The SAM 3 Dual 6 SAM will be able to do cold kills in orbit. Our Navy does't employ carrier killer missiles because there are no carriers out there that are not from friendly countries. Back to Nuclear Weapons remember Colin Powell's Pottery Barn theory, "you broke it you bought it" Any city the US would nut would have to be rebuilt by the US the country that the city is in would have spent to much in money, resources, and people to afford to rebuild. Right now in the Middle East the use will have to fix Aleppo, Mosul and Raqqah. After spending hundreds of billions destroying these cities we will have to spend more billions rebuilding them.

orders are orders if the order came confirmed yes it is my job then i would do it. thats like asking an Infantryman would you shoot someone woman or child that had a weapon small arms or strapped to them. than i would have to do my job. then live with it. did i shoot that child and save a platoon who was going to die anyway when the bomb went off. war is hell i have never had to do anything like that the call never came in my 6 years of service. 1981 to 1987 the President Reagan years

As the ultimate, Final Protective Fire, yes, let the birds fly.

You have to certainly have to have allot of faith in your government and it's leaders to puch the nuclear button. If people were made to watch what nuclear weapons do, to the earth and to living things there would'nt be so much John Wayne syndrome. I'm NOT Putting John Wayne, the actor down. he was great. So you over sensitive people don't get your crotch in a bunch.

I recall a news reporter in the 60's who once said-"I'd rather live on my knees, than die on my feet."---You're protecting millions of Americans---What do you think is the right thing to do?