 |
The retired Army general, who was the highest ranking U.S. military officer below the president during the Clinton administration, details the mishap in his memoir Without Hesitation. |
| |
這名退役陸軍將領在柯林頓主政時期是總統手下最高階的美國軍官，他在回憶錄《義無反顧》裡詳述了這件意外插曲。 |
| |
"Even though movies may show the President wearing these codes around his neck, it's pretty standard that they are safeguarded by one of his aides, but that aide sticks with him like glue," he said. "(Clinton) assumed, I'm sure, that the aide had them like he was supposed to." |
| |
「儘管也許電影裡的總統會把核武密碼戴在脖子上，但原則上都是由總統的一名助理保管，只是那名助理隨時跟在他身邊，形影不離，」他說：「我相信（柯林頓）一定以為那名助理確實按照規定好好保管著密碼。」 |
|
The item that went missing was a card containing code numbers. |
|
These numbers allow the president to access a briefcase known as the "football." |
|
The case contains instructions for launching a nuclear attack. |
| |
遺失的物品是一張含有密碼數字的卡片。這些數字可讓總統開啟一只稱為「橄欖球」的手提箱，裡面存放著啟動核武攻擊的指示。 |
| |
Defence Department officials make monthly inspections to ensure that the president has the correct codes. |
|
According to Sheldon, on at least two occasions a White House aide told the Pentagon checker that Clinton was too busy to meet, but that the codes were in place. |
| |
國防部官員每個月都會進行檢查，確保總統持有正確的密碼。薛爾頓指出，至少有兩次白宮助理向五角大廈的檢查人員指稱柯林頓太忙，沒有時間會面，但是密碼保管妥當。 |
|
Sheldon writes that in 2000 when it was time to replace the codes with a new set, "the president's aide said neither he nor the president had the codes -- they had completely disappeared." |
| |
薛爾頓寫道，密碼在二○○○年必須整組更新，結果「總統的助手表示他和總統手上都沒有那組密碼──那組密碼消失無蹤了。」 |
|
Sheldon says he believes that this all took place without Clinton's knowledge. |
| |
薛爾頓說他認為這一切都是在柯林頓不知情的狀況下發生的。 |
|
"I can't imagine a more serious breach, if something like that were ever to be lost or be compromised," said Fran Townsend, homeland security advisor for President George W. Bush. |
|
"That's the command and control capability of the president to launch a nuclear attack." |
| |
小布希總統的國土安全顧問唐森德說：「那樣的東西如果遺失或有洩漏之虞，我實在想不出還有什麼更嚴重的安全漏洞。那可是總統發動核武攻擊的指令與控制憑證。」 |
.gif)
