With
the Bush Administration moving steadily toward the development
of usable nuclear weapons and more states acquiring the capacity
to produce them, the abolition of these weapons is more imperative
than ever. Several groups in the United States have redoubled
their efforts to raise this critical issue. The Vermont office
of the AFSC is one of them.
In March we sponsored a tour by FCNL staffer David Culp. David
Culp has extensive experience on nuclear arms control. He was
instrumental in the passage of the nuclear testing moratorium
in 1992; the elimination of construction funds for the National
Ignition Facility, a nuclear weapons facility by the House in
1995; the cancellation of a multibillion dollar reactor to produce
tritium for nuclear weapons production in 1995; the ratification
of the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997; and the defeat of
a new nuclear warhead, or "min-nuke" in 2000. He is
one of five registered lobbyists on nuclear disarmament on Capitol
Hill.
David visited northern New Hampshire and Vermont on a tour arranged
by the Vermont AFSC. At the Friends Meeting House in Hanover,
NH and again at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, VT
his presentation "Endless War, Endless Weapons: the Nuclear
Weapons Plans of the Bush Administration," addressed whether
the United States will be using nuclear weapons in the Middle
East, to stop the development of such weapons by North Korea
or in its "endless war" against terrorism. He also
talked about the long range nuclear weapons plans of the Bush
administration.
House Republicans, on February 13, 2003, released their agenda
for the U.S. nuclear weapons program. The report, "Differentiation
and Defense: An Agenda for the Nuclear Weapons Program,"
expresses nostalgia for the Cold War and calls for a return
to development of new nuclear weapons. It endorses preemptive
nuclear strikes and declares the "end of arms control."
The white paper was drafted by a subcommittee of the House Republican
Policy Committee. It provides a rationale for the Bush administration
as it develops its nuclear weapons policies and programs.
This August (during the anniversary of the atomic bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki) several high level officials of the
Bush Administration met to formulate their long range nuclear
policy. All indications are that the policy will not be good
news for the abolition movement and others concerned that the
international community will soon be experiencing another nuclear
weapons arms race.
David described the danger: amongst the Administration's plans
is promoting the development of "useable" nuclear
weapons, sometimes described as "bunker busters" or
"earth penetrators." These relatively small nukes,
5 kilotons or less, are designed to be used to destroy underground
bunkers or weapon storage areas.
In the words of Joseph Gerson: "the Bush Administration
plans to revitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal by upgrading existing
'systems' and developing and deploying 'entirely new systems.'"
The Administration's Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) "calls
for modernizing the nuclear weapons complex so that it can design,
develop, manufacture and certify new warheads."*
David Culp warned that to do this the US would have to break
the 12 year voluntary moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
This would unleash other nations which have thus far abided
by the moratorium and those wishing to develop their own weapons.
A new round of testing, will lead to a new arms race. This time
India, Pakistan, China and perhaps North Korea and others will
be participating. We have to ask if the Bush Administration
making the US safer with its continuing refusal to honor the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory
nation, and work toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
You
can join the effort to move the US government toward the abolition
of all nuclear weapons worldwide by contacting the Vermont
AFSC office and by keeping abreast of these efforts through
the FCNL.
FCNL, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, is a Quaker
lobby in the public interest. FCNL seeks to bring the concerns,
experiences and testimonies of the Religious Society of Friends
to bear on policy decisions in the nation's capital.
FCNL's small staff works with a nationwide network of thousands
of Quakers and like-minded people to advocate social and economic
justice, peace, and good government. Since its founding in 1943,
FCNL
has witnessed from a basis of spiritual and ethical purpose,
and seeks change in both national policy and public opinion.
They can be reached at:
202-547-6000
and at www.fcnl.org
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