Issue #123 – October 2007
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- Perspectives
- Washington is Sending Mixed Signals on Nuclear Agreements by Jimmy Carter
- Middle Powers Initiative Statement on US/Iran Confrontation
- Meeting the Challenge of Abolishing Nuclear Weapons by David Krieger
- Nuclear Proliferation
- Feinstein Will Try to Zero Out Warhead Funding in Conference on Spending Bill
- Inflammatory Amendment on Iran Passes in the Senate
- Peace Begins Here
- Nuclear Insanity
- Nuclear Weapons Flown Over Continental US
- Artist Explores Nuclear Insanity
- Resources
- Nuclear Threat Intiative Report by Matthew Bunn
- New NAPF Video – Nuclear Weapons and the Human Future
- US Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments and Issues
- US-China Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
- Foundation Activities
- Inspiration and Integrity – 2007 Evening for Peace Honors Peter, Paul & Mary
- Foundation President David Krieger Speaking in Italy
- David Krieger to Discuss What Matters Most
- Youth Empowerment Initiative Prepares for New School Year
Perspectives
Washington is Sending Mixed Signals on Nuclear Agreements
by Jimmy Carter
By abandoning many of the nuclear arms agreements negotiated in the last 50 years, the United States has been sending mixed signals to North Korea, Iran, and other nations with the technical knowledge to create nuclear weapons. Currently proposed agreements with India compound this quagmire and further undermine the global pact for peace represented by the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
To read more, visit: www.wagingpeace.org/articles/2007/09/20_carter_washington_sending.php.
Middle Powers Initiative Statement on US/Iran Confrontation
Absent a Security Council resolution authorizing use of force, there is presently no basis in international law for the United States or any other state to respond to Iran’s nuclear program with a military attack or to threaten such an attack.
Resolution of differences between the United States and Iran through diplomatic means has become imperative. The catastrophe of Iraq should inform us that the use of force under present circumstances will bring even greater tragedy to the war-torn Middle East. Any threat to unilaterally use overwhelming force is irresponsibly hazardous. There is no imminent threat posed by Iran. There is a practical, legal and moral obligation to obtain security through peaceful and law abiding means.
To read more, visit: www.gsinstitute.org/mpi/archives/000332.html#statement.
Meeting the Challenge of Abolishing Nuclear Weapons
by David Krieger
A recent conference on “The Challenge of Abolishing Nuclear Weapons” brought together experts from 10 countries, including the US, Russia, China, India, Germany and Japan, for two days of intensive discussions. The conference, which was held in San Francisco, was sponsored by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research. The participants examined the obstacles in the way of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
To read more, visit:
www.wagingpeace.org/articles/2007/09/17_krieger_meeting_the_challenge.php?krieger.
Nuclear Proliferation
Feinstein Will Try to Zero Out Warhead Funding in Conference on Spending Bill
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) will try to zero out funding for new nuclear weapons in the 2008 Defense spending bill when it reaches conference.
While the Bush administration has requested $30 million for the proposed Reliable Replacement Warhead program, the Senate Appropriations Committee bill would provide only $15 million.
The House has already passed a version of the bill that would eliminate all funding for the Reliable Replacement Warhead. Senator Feinstein wants to avoid a fight over funding on the Senate floor; she prefers to fight for the House version of the bill while in Committee. “Rather than risk losing on the floor . . . it seems to me that it’s better to do it in conference,” Feinstein said.
Senator Feinstein is also the author of the US Posture Review Act, which calls for a full review of US nuclear policy before going ahead with any type of new weapons program. S. 1914 would require reports on these reviews in 2009 and 2010. It also calls for public input on the debate over US nuclear policy. This bill would essentially eliminate any funding for the Reliable Replacement Weapon until at least 2010.
Rogin, Josh, “Feinstein Will Try to Zero Out Warhead Funding in Conference on Spending Bill,” CQ Today, 18 September 2007.
Inflammatory Amendment on Iran Passes in the Senate
On September 26, the US Senate passed an inflammatory amendment, declaring the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran a terrorist group.
The Kyl-Lieberman amendment to the Senate Defense Authorization Bill passed by a vote of 76 to 22. See how your Senators voted.
Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) has continuously opposed the amendment, stating that the Bush administration could use it as an authorization of force against Iran. Additionally, this is the first time that a section of a nation’s military has been designated a terrorist organization.
The amendment could further fray relations between Iran and the United States and delay talks with Iran about Iraqi security. Opponents of the amendment believe this is a similar legislative path as that taken to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, calling the amendment a backdoor to a military confrontation with Iran.
Peace Begins Here
An exciting new peace exhibit will take place at the University of California at Davis through November 25. The “Peace Begins Here” exhibit is based on the book Peace: 100 Ideas, co-authored by Foundation President David Krieger and artist Josh Chen.
Peace messages and images will flash on an outside wall of the Varsity Theater, greet commuters inside Unitrans buses, be broadcast over Davis Community Television, and appear on posters in businesses throughout the area.
Nuclear Insanity
Nuclear Weapons Flown Over Continental US
On August 29, a crew at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota loaded six nuclear-armed missiles on to a B52 bomber bound for Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Each of the six nuclear warheads mounted on the plane’s wings held 10 times more destructive power than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
The Air Force did not recognize its mistake for over 36 hours, during which time the nuclear weapons were without special guard. It was the first known flight by a nuclear-armed bomber over US airspace, without special high-level authorization, in nearly 40 years. Flights of nuclear-armed bombers were suspended in 1968 after a series of serious crashes and accidents. A detailed list of nuclear accidents is available at the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s “Nuclear Files” website:
www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/issues/accidents.
Artist Explores Nuclear Insanity
Peace artist Dale Clark recently described his latest plans for an interactive art project. It will consist of a cardboard replica of the front of the White House, which he intends to set up where people are passing by.
Clark will invite individuals to come inside the mock White House, where there is a desk with a chair behind it and two telephones on the desk. One telephone is white, the other red. Dale will invite his guest to sit at the desk, and will give this instruction: “You are the acting President of the United States and you have just been notified that there is a massive nuclear attack on its way to the United States. It will land in just 60 seconds. There is nothing that can be done to stop it. In the time remaining to you, you have two choices. You can pick up the red phone and order a massive retaliatory strike leading to the probable end of all humanity. Or, you can pick up the white phone to call a loved one to say goodbye.” Which phone would you choose?
Resources
Nuclear Threat Intiative Report
by Matthew Bunn
A new report titled “Securing the Bomb 2007,” commissioned by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, finds a dangerous gap in efforts to thwart nuclear terrorism and calls for urgent global campaign to reduce the risk.
The report provides a comprehensive assessment of efforts to secure and remove vulnerable nuclear stockpiles around the world and a detailed action plan for keeping nuclear weapons and their deadly ingredients out of terrorist hands. To read more, visit www.nti.org/e_research/securingthebomb07.pdf.
New NAPF Video – Nuclear Weapons and the Human Future
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is pleased to announce the release of its newest video, Nuclear Weapons and the Human Future. Co-edited by Foundation volunteers Ryan Roberson and Ivan Van Wingerden, the video outlines the Foundation’s case against nuclear weapons.
Please contact Rick Wayman at (805) 965-3443 or rwayman@napf.org to order a free copy of this DVD. We encourage you to show the video to your friends, neighbors and family.
You can preview the video online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XAceVWVqfE.
US Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments and Issues
This report from the Congressional Research Service reviews the ongoing programs that will affect the expected size and shape of the US strategic nuclear force structure. It begins with an overview of the force structure during the Cold War, and summarizes the reductions and changes that have occurred since 1991. It then offers details about each category of delivery vehicle – land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and heavy bombers – focusing on their current deployments and ongoing and planned modernization programs. The report concludes with a discussion of issues related to decisions about the future size and shape of the US strategic nuclear force. To read more visit www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL33640.pdf
US-China Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
Another report from the Congressional Research Service discusses the Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, which was signed in 1985 and implemented in 1998. The discussion focuses on the Congressional role in crafting and carrying out the agreement. To read more visit www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33192.pdf.
Foundation Activities
Inspiration and Integrity – 2007 Evening for Peace Honors Peter, Paul & Mary
The audience was on their feet singing along with Peter and Paul on September 17 at the Victoria Hall Theatre in Santa Barbara. Though Mary Travers couldn’t attend due to her recovery from back surgery, the trio was honored with the Foundation’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award. They were praised for their courage and persistence in reaching millions of people with songs of conscience while lending their talents over more than four decades to numerous projects promoting peace and justice.
The mood was buoyant and positive among the audience, which included 112 students from area schools and colleges. All the students were sponsored by generous donors so they could attend the Evening for Peace for free. From the stage, Peter Yarrow and Noel (Paul) Stookey spoke about the need for personal and community-wide commitment to the cause of peace. They also inspired the audience with songs like “If I Had a Hammer” and “Have You Been to Jail for Justice.”
In a video message, Archbishop Desmond Tutu captured the feeling of the night — as well as the need for positive action — when he said:
“I want to pay a very warm tribute to Peter, Paul & Mary for all that they have done to make God’s world the kind of place it was created to be: a world of sharing, caring, compassion and love.where conflict and weapons are no more and love and compassion take their place. This is the world all of us want. Let’s make it happen.”
Foundation President David Krieger Speaking in Italy
On October 3, Dr. Krieger will participate in a public debate on the Nuclear Threat: Europe Against Nuclear Proliferation and War sponsored by the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms at the City Theater in Campi Bisenzio, Italy. From October 4-5 he will participate in the International Conference on Nuclear Proliferation: Historical Appraisal and Present Problems at the University of Florence, Italy and will speak on “Nuclear Dangers and Challenges to a New Nuclear Policy.”
You can read Dr. Krieger’s recent speeches to the Danish Parliament in Copenhagen, and other talks given in Europe at our website: www.wagingpeace.org.
David Krieger to Discuss What Matters Most
Foundation President David Krieger will be the featured guest at Santa Barbara City College’s autumn session of “What Matters Most.” Dr. Krieger will discuss how he has determined what matters most in life, and how acting on these values has impacted his life. He will also present Nuclear Weapons and the Human Future, the Foundation’s case against nuclear weapons.
“What Matters Most” will take place on Sunday, October 21 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm at the Thornton Auditorium, Wake Center, 300 N. Turnpike Rd., Santa Barbara, California. Admission is free.
Youth Empowerment Initiative Prepares for New School Year
As the new school year begins, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Youth Empowerment Initiative is preparing for another powerful year of programs.
The UC Nuclear Free campaign (www.ucnuclearfree.org) made significant breakthroughs in 2006-07 in demanding that the University of California stop managing the nation’s two nuclear weapons labs (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico). Students plan to build on last year’s momentum to achieve further success.
Think Outside the Bomb (www.thinkoutsidethebomb.org) held a successful conference in August with over 100 participants, mostly students, from the United States and Puerto Rico. Students will implement their action plans around the country in the coming months to increase the call for an end to the nuclear weapons complex.
With the arrival of Steve Stormoen, the new Youth Empowerment Initiative Coordinator, and Nick Robinson, the new Program Associate, the Foundation is looking forward to major progress being made this year toward its mission of inspiring a new generation of peace leaders.
Quotes
“In a world where over one billion human beings live below the poverty line of one dollar per day, weapons spending amounts to $184 per year for every man, woman and child on the planet.”
– Jayantha Dhanapla, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
“The continued reliance on nuclear weapons as a cornerstone of US defense offers a false sense of security. Nuclear weapons are useless against terrorists and rogue regimes, so why does the US still need 10,000 of them – an arsenal vastly out of proportion to any potential military targets and absurdly unnecessary as a deterrent?”
– “Nuclear Roulette,” Los Angeles Times Editorial, page A28, September 7, 2007.
“It’s a Gulf of Tonkin kind of resolution that would give George Bush the fig leaf…to invade [Iran].”
– Democratic Presidential Candidate Mike Gravel on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment to the Senate Defense Authorization Bill.
“We see a threat, and we are preparing a response to that threat. And this for sure will stimulate the US scientists, the military-industrial complex, to build some sort of more effective weapons. But our guys also won’t be sitting on their hands.”
– Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, repeating the Russian argument that building a missile defense system in Eastern Europe will spark a new arms race.
“Nuclear proliferation is not yesterday’s news. It’s a burning question for both today and the future.”
– Norweigan Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, calling for more anti-nuclear activism worldwide.
Editorial Team
David Krieger
Nickolas Roth
Vicki Stevenson
Rick Wayman
