Are You Supporting the Continued Proliferation of Illegal Nuclear Weapons?

In March of this year the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, of which the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a member, published a report called Don’t Bank on the Bomb. The report looks at the role of investment in the global nuclear infrastructure, both by the nations who are proliferating and modernizing the weapons and their delivery systems as well as the banks, finance, and investment management groups who not only make this obscene industry possible, but in many cases tie each and every one of us into a dirty business with world ending potential. I dare you to look at the report and find out how your money is financing nuclear weapons.

You didn’t look did you? Let me give you a brief sampling of some American financial institutions who are involved: AIG, American Express, Allstate, Bank of America, Citi, Farmers Insurance, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Knights of Columbus, Morgan Stanley, Northwestern Mutual, State Farm, and Wells Fargo. That is just a brief sample of the 322 institutions identified by the report¹.

For Nuclear Security Beyond Seoul, Eradicate Land-Based "Doomsday" Missiles

This article was originally published by the Christian Science Monitor. We think it is extremely important, though, which is why it is on our blog as well.

President Obama and other world leaders gathered at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea, this week to address threats posed by unsecured nuclear material. If Mr. Obama is truly concerned about nuclear safety, he should seriously consider doing away with the 450 inter-continental ballistic missiles deployed and ready to fire at Russia on a moment's notice.

Last month we were among 15 protesters who were arrested in the middle of the night at Vandenberg Air Force Base, some 70 miles north of Santa Barbara, Calif. We were protesting the imminent test flight of a Minuteman III inter-continental ballistic missile.

The Air Force rationale for doing these tests is to ensure the reliability of the US nuclear deterrent force; but launch-ready land-based nuclear-armed ballistic missiles are the opposite of a deterrent to attack. In fact, their very deployment has the potential to launch World War III and precipitate human extinction – as a result of a false alarm.

Air Force Cancels Nuclear Missile Launch after Pressure from NAPF Action Alert Network

For the second time in less than six months, the US Air Force has scheduled a test launch of a Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on a highly inappropriate date. Last year, they scheduled a test of the US' land-based thermonuclear warhead delivery vehicle on September 21. That's just any old day on the calendar, just like most of the other 364 days, right? Wrong. It's the International Day of Peace, recognized by the UN General Assembly as a day for "commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all
nations and peoples."

After thousands of NAPF Action Alert members pointed out the absurdity of testing a missile that delivers thermonuclear weapons on "a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence, [which is] an invitation to all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day," the Air Force canceled the test. For technical reasons, of course.

Then late last week, they announced that they would be testing a Minuteman on March 1. Just another day on the calendar, right? Wrong again. March 1 is the anniversary of the biggest thermonuclear weapon test ever conducted by the United States. The Castle Bravo test had an explosive yield of 15 megatons, which is 1,000 times the power of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. The Bravo test caused widespread damage to numerous atolls in the Marshall Islands that is still felt to this day. The Marshall Islands also happened to be the target of this Minuteman missile test.

Last night, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation sent out a press release highlighting this fact. This morning, we sent an action alert to our members asking them to demand the cancellation of the test. Lo and behold, just before lunchtime today, the Air Force canceled the March 1 test. For technical reasons, of course.

Maybe they'll schedule the next launch for August 6 - there's no reason why that date would remind people of what nuclear weapons actually do.

Sense of Urgency Leads to Civil Disobedience at Vandenberg

David Krieger, Fr. Louis Vitale and
Daniel Ellsberg. Photo by Jim Haber.

In the early hours of Saturday, February 25, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation President David Krieger was arrested with 14 others protesting the test launch of a Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. The Minuteman is the United States' land-based missile, 450 of which sit in silos around the Midwest on hair-trigger alert, ready to be fired at a moment's notice. Saturday's launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base targeted the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

I had the chance to ask David a few questions about his arrest now that he has had a couple of days to reflect on it.

RW: What made you decide after 30 years of working as President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation to get arrested protesting this missile launch?

Sept. 21: Peace 1, Nuclear Missiles 0

I just got word that the US Air Force has postponed the planned test of a Minuteman III nuclear missile. It was originally scheduled for September 21, the International Day of Peace. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, together with organizations around the world and many thousands of our supporters, worked hard to register our ardent opposition to this test.

Of course there has been no government statement saying, "We were wrong to schedule this test on the International Day of Peace and now recognize the problems inherent in our continued reliance on missile testing and nuclear weapons." Nor will there ever be such a statement. But we should all be proud of our work against this test, and we must continue to spread the message that the only to stay safe from a nuclear attack is to implement a Nuclear Weapons Convention for the phased, verifiable, transparent and irreversible elimination of all nuclear weapons worldwide.

Anti-Nuclear Resisters in Court

I just got back from court. I went in support of two dedicated protestors, Father Louis Vitale and Dennis Apel, who were arrested at Vandenberg Air Force Base for "trespassing," even though they were in the designated protest zone the whole time. The whole "designated protest zone" concept is outrageous in and of itself, but for the base security to arrest these men on a public highway was nothing more than an attempt at intimidation.

The judge granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the case, so the charges have been dropped. The defendants and others plan to be back at Vandenberg on September 21 to protest the next nuclear missile launch on the International Day of Peace.

While the anti-nuclear resisters in California were let off by the legal system this time, a group in Tennessee is facing a more uphill battle. Below is an article by John LaForge that bears repeating:

A Struggle for Democracy

Big things have been happening in Kansas City, Missouri over the past few months. For decades, the Kansas City Plant has manufactured the vast majority of non-nuclear components for the US nuclear arsenal. For the first time in the long history of nuclear proliferation around the world, a new plant was proposed that would be effectively owned by a city, financed through $815 million in municipal bonds. An inspiring group of citizens, calling themselves the Kansas City Peace Planters, has resisted this proposal with a welcome degree of success thus far.

The Peace Planters have engaged in civil disobedience at the construction site of the new plant, calling for the new plant to engage in green energy work instead of destructive nuclear weapons work. This has brought media attention to the issue and has increased public awareness of the outrageous proposal to build new nuclear weapons facilities 20 years after the end of the Cold War.

“No Regrets for Our Youth”

In a recent publication titled, “An Open Letter to Graduates” NAPF President David Krieger asks several thought-provoking questions to the future leaders of our world. While some of the questions require sincere self-reflection, others empower a sense of responsibility and commitment to change the world for the better. While reading the letter for the first time one question reminded me of a recent conversation I had with my older brother, Joe. “Does your education lead you to believe that money will buy happiness?”

For as long as I can remember, Joe has been one of the people I respect the most in my life. He works extremely hard, thinks for himself, and makes the best of every situation he’s in. On my last trip home he told me that he didn’t feel like he was really helping people in his profession and it was starting to take a toll on his life. This came as a shock to me since he went to a great school and spent the last several years working a well-paying job for a busy medical practice. He said, “It just seems like when I do help people, it’s in a very indirect way and I can’t help but think that I could be doing more.” What I learned from Joe is that the root of a fulfilled life is not success, but how you benefit humanity.

We have all heard the joke, “Money can't buy happiness, but I'd rather cry in a Ferrari.” I have to admit that I too would rather cry in a Ferrari, but here are the facts: a Ferrari won’t promote a safer planet, a Ferrari won’t stand up against injustice, and “a Ferrari” is not a suitable answer for our grandchildren when they ask us what contribution we made to the world during our lifetime. According to David’s letter, the true path to an enriched and happy life is through compassion for others, courage, and commitment. And these qualities are worth far more than a $200,000 Ferrari.

I recently watched a Kurosawa film called, “No Regrets for Our Youth.” The movie follows the story of a spoiled girl named Yukie who only cares about the superficial elements in life. When she falls for a man who is arrested for protesting the Fascist government, she realizes how empty her shallow life had been. This movie is significant because it teaches us that it is never too late to support something bigger; something that will benefit mankind and the generations to come. We all have traits that resemble Yukie prior to her transformation, but if she is capable of change then so are we. David’s letter is addressed to recent graduates, but we can all learn from the questions he asks us to consider. Check it out.

The Samurai Sword as a Symbol of Peace

For most people the image of a Samurai sword doesn’t automatically evoke warm fuzzy feelings of peace and tranquility, but despite popular belief we can actually learn a great deal from the Samurai soldier. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Non-violence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a unique weapon in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” If we fight for peace with a sword that heals, tactical strength and discipline will enable us to cut through violence and injustice.