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Preparing for Nuclear Extinction Comment by Larry Ross, April 21, 2005
Since 1945 and the Hiroshima/Nagasaki nuclear bombings, the US has led the way in developing nuclear weapons. A total of nine states now deploy nuclear weapons, supposedly for their security. They were originally portrayed as a deterrent to prevent attack. But now the US, under Bush, has changed the rules. They can now be used for war-making as one of a number of options in a conventional war situation. Making these weapons is a huge profitable industry, powered by the military-industrial complex. They have far more influence than is generally realised. Since 1945, it had been thought that nuclear weapons were too destructive to use, except as a deterrent to prevent attack, or as a last resort suicidal weapon in response to a nuclear attack. President Kennedy said in 1963, "A nuclear sword of Damocles hangs over us all by the slenderest of threads, and can be cut, by accident, miscalculation or act of madness" That startling statement to the UN did not lead to actions which would alter the suicidal situation. A great many similar warnings since have been issued by the world's greatest political and scientific leaders. Yet nothing has been done to reduce the risk. Indeed, George Bush's new nuclear doctrines make it much more likely that nuclear weapons will be used. For 35 years famous anti-nuclear activist and author, Dr Helen Caldicott, has warned about the preparations, consequences and looming dangers of a nuclear war. She fears George Bush's re-election will lead to a nuclear Armageddon and she isn't sure mankind would survive another four years. She said:Bush's re-election meant "endless war and I think it could mean nuclear war...these people are much worse that the Reagan people". Now a new warning has been issued by Nobel Prize winners below. It is the latest in a number of similar warnings by famous people about Russia and the US keeping 4,000 missiles on-alert status ready to launch-on-warning. It is not known how many other states keep their nuclear missiles on-alert status. All these warnings and requests to reduce the nuclear risks have not been heeded. Bush has not only lowered the nuclear threshold, he is ready to wage pre-emptive nuclear war against both nuclear and non-nuclear nations and said so in the Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review of 2002. I would have thought that there would be far more public and media concern expressed about our perilous situation. Not so. I am amazed to find very little media comment or public concern. Even allowing for widespread ignorance, about the preparations and hair-trigger readiness to use these weapons, and the probable consequences being the end of humanity - there is enough people who do know the facts to raise the alarm. What does the silence mean? Over 95% of all species that have evolved, have become extinct. The main thing that makes man different from other animals is that we have a brain. We can see dangers coming and take steps to avoid or eliminate such dangers. However we are doing the opposite. We are using our brains to not only create the nuclear dangers but rationalise that they are for our security. We have been taught to accept, tolerate and treat as normal, nuclear weapons that protest us. In addition, a tiny fraction of us (Bush and his fundamentalists and neo-conservatives) have decided on doctrines that will allow them to use these weapons. Many people accept even that. The media help a very great deal, by either avoiding the issue, or praising Bush no matter what he does, or casually referring to it and then quickly moving on to more important things for front page headlines like Jonah Lomu's kidney problems. So many, many people have warned during the last 60 years that we are racing toward nuclear extinction. Well it seems we are now on the brink and
I don't think we will somehow muddle
through on this one. Tell me if I'm wrong. But I think the final ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join 44 Nobels, 288 NGOs, Europarliament, in Nuke Weapons Appeal
Nobel
Laureates, Organizations Appeal for Removal of
http://www.nti.org/d_newswire/issues/2005_4_5.html More than 30 Nobel laureates have joined hundreds of organizations and lawmakers in signing a statement to be released today calling for all strategic nuclear weapons to be taken off "hair-trigger" and "launch on warning" alerts (see GSN, June 22, 2004). The statement is to be released in Melbourne, Geneva, Hiroshima, San Francisco, London and the United Nations in New York, according to the Association of World Citizens, one of the organizations coordinating the project. Signatories include the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), several members of the British and Australian parliaments, and other lawmakers and organizations from around the world. The European Parliament and Australian Senate also approved resolutions endorsing the statement, the Association of World Citizens said in a press release. A RAND Corp. report found that the United States and Russia have 4,000 warheads on hair-trigger alert that could be launched within minutes, the association said. The Statement of Endorsement calls on all known or suspected nuclear weapons powers "to support and implement steps to lower the operational status of nuclear weapons systems in order to reduce the risk of nuclear catastrophe." The United States, Russia, China, France,
the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea should also
"implement in good faith their obligations under international law
to accomplish the total and unequivocal elimination of their nuclear arsenals,"
according to the statement. Non-nuclear nations are encouraged to push
for nuclear disarmament through international forums (Association of World
Citizens Join 44 Nobels, 288 NGOs, Europarliament, in Nuke Weapons Appeal |
