Air Force Removes Nuke Commander Citing ‘Loss of Confidence’

Latest Move 'Unrelated' to Recent Inspection Failures

The US Air Force has announced that it is removing Col. David Lynch from his position as commander of nuclear weapon forces at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montanta, citing “loss of confidence.

The lack of confidence appears to be systemic across America’s nuclear weapons forces, and is just the latest in a string on failed inspections and security mishaps across several sites.

The 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom failed inspection just two weeks ago, getting an “unsatisfactory” rating. Officials say that was totally unrelated to today’s decision.

Which on the one hand is difficult to believe: was Col. Lynch’s problem as nuclear commander at a base really entirely unrelated to that bases nuclear wing getting the lowest possible rating?

But if they really are unrelated, that’s possibly an even worse sign, suggesting that two huge problems were ongoing at that base at the same time.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.