Author: Mike Ryan

Paris: War Is Not the Answer

by David Krieger

The attacks on innocents in Paris on November 13, 2015 were horrifying crimes, filling the city with grief and uniting people throughout the world in solidarity with the victims and with France.  These attacks were cold-blooded murders of innocent people, clearly crimes deserving punishment.  But when crimes are used as the impetus for war, the crimes and grief are multiplied and the toll of innocents increases to become the norm.  Surely, we must cry havoc, but we must also be wary of letting loose the dogs of war.

The attacks in New York on September 11, 2001 were also unspeakable crimes.  These attacks also stirred the sympathy and solidarity of the world, in this case for the United States, until the U.S. answered the attacks by letting loose the snarling dogs of war, first against Afghanistan and then against Iraq, a country having nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.  The leaders who perpetrated these wars also caused untold sorrow and death of innocents.  While perpetrators of the attacks in New York, including Osama bin Laden, have been tracked down and captured or killed, those U.S. leaders who committed the worst of the Nuremberg crimes, crimes against peace, particularly in Iraq, have never been brought to justice.

To read more, click here.

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Warns of Nuclear War, Nuclear Terror

by Robert Kazel

Although peace activists know it well, the average American is “blissfully unaware” that the likelihood of a nuclear attack inside U.S. borders has markedly increased for two reasons: serious deterioration in relations between American officials and their Russian counterparts and potential development by terrorists of improvised nuclear technology.

That was the warning delivered in November by William Perry, former U.S. secretary of defense, who told attendees in Chicago at the annual Clock Symposium sponsored by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that intensified public information campaigns will be essential to enlighten a citizenry that’s become complacent and ignorant about the rising threat of catastrophe.

To read more, click here.

Acceptance Speech at NAPF’s 2015 Evening for Peace

by Setsuko Thurlow

I am delighted to be here tonight, and meet all of you, working hard for a peaceful and just world free of nuclear weapons. I am honored and humbled to receive your Award tonight. I am truly grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Tonight I would like to share with you my personal testimony of surviving the atomic bombing as a child victim, and then living in North America advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons. For the 70th anniversary of the bombings, it is appropriate to reflect upon and ponder the meaning of living in the nuclear age.

To read more, click here.

UN General Assembly to Vote on Nuclear Disarmament Resolutions

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is urging countries to vote in favor of numerous nuclear disarmament-related resolutions on December 7.  ICAN is calling on governments to support resolutions in support of an open-ended working group on nuclear disarmament, the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, the Humanitarian Pledge, and the ethical imperatives of a nuclear weapons-free world.

These four resolutions were adopted in the First Committee by a significant majority. Since the First Committee voted in November, nuclear-armed countries have pressured non-nuclear countries to abstain or vote against the resolutions.

To read the ICAN action alert and see how you can help, click here.

Russia Says Leak of Secret Nuclear Weapon Design Was an Accident

A Russian television station has broadcast a report that seemed to inadvertently reveal the design for a nuclear-armed drone submarine that could attack coastlines. The submarine has not yet been produced, and the Kremlin insists that the revelation was accidental.

The document said that the submarine would “defeat important economic objects of an enemy in coastal zones, bringing guaranteed and unacceptable losses on the country’s territory by forming a wide area of radioactive contamination incompatible with conducting military, economic or any other activities there for a long period of time.”

Many analysts believe that this information was leaked purposely as part of the heightened nuclear saber-rattling between Russia and the United States.

Andrew E. Kramer, “Russia Says Leak of Secret Nuclear Weapon Design Was an Accident,” The New York Times, November 12, 2015.

U.S. Launches Nuclear Missile off California Coast, Causing UFO Scare

On November 7, the U.S. Navy launched an unarmed Trident II D5 missile from a submarine off the coast of California just after dark. The resulting streak of light across the sky, which could be seen as far away as Arizona, caused many people to think they were seeing a UFO or a meteor.

The Navy does not announce tests of its nuclear-capable missiles in advance. The missile, which can carry nuclear warheads many times more powerful than the atomic bomb that destroyed the city of Hiroshima, landed at a target in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The Navy later stated that the test was part of “a scheduled, ongoing system evaluation test.”

Emma Henderson, “‘UFO Over Los Angeles on Saturday Night Revealed to be Trident Missile Launched by U.S. Navy,” The Independent, November 11, 2015.

Turkey Shoots Down Russian Fighter Jet

On November 24, Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet that it claims was violating its airspace after repeated warnings went unheeded. Russia, on the other hand, claims that the aircraft was in Syria when it was shot down. Regardless of the exact location of the Russian jet, this military action has significantly raised the levels of tension between nuclear-armed rivals. Also, when the tables were turned and one of his own jets was shot down by Syria in 2012 over an air space violation, then Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan (now its president) complained: “Even if the plane was in their airspace for a few seconds, that is no excuse to attack.”

Russia possesses approximately 4,500 nuclear weapons, while Turkey is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which is a nuclear-armed alliance. The United States stores approximately 60 nuclear weapons on Turkish territory under the auspices of NATO nuclear sharing.

Martin Hellman, who writes regularly about nuclear risk, wrote of this situation, “If we keep ignoring [nuclear] risk, eventually one of these provocative incidents will blow up in our faces. The time to recognize that danger and to start work on reducing the risk is now, not once a crisis exists.” You can read Hellman’s three-article series by clicking the link below.

Martin Hellman, “Turkey Shoots Down Russian Jet: What Happens Next?,” Defusing the Nuclear Threat, November 24, 2015.

Does Your Bank Finance Nuclear Weapons Production?

Pax, a peace organization based in the Netherlands, has published a revised edition of the report “Don’t Bank on the Bomb.” The report examines in detail the records of companies involved in the production of nuclear weapons, as well as financial institutions that finance them.

While the majority of nuclear weapons funding comes from taxpayers in nuclear-armed countries, private sector investors also provide financing that enables the production, maintenance and modernization of nuclear arsenals.

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation recently issued an action alert targeting State Farm, one of the many institutions that finance companies that produce nuclear weapons. Click here to take action by encouraging State Farm to stop financing nuclear weapons producers.

Huge Acquisition Costs Threaten Nuclear Modernization Plans

Michael McCord, Pentagon Comptroller, has said that the massive future costs of acquiring new nuclear weapon delivery systems will be one of the biggest challenges facing the next U.S. President. McCord estimates that by the year 2021, the U.S. will need to come up with at least $10 billion per year through 2035 in order to fulfill current plans to modernize its nuclear weapons, delivery systems and production facilities.

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has published a new booklet entitled “Humanize Not Modernize” that outlines just some of the things that could benefit society instead of the $1 trillion that the U.S. intends to spend on nuclear modernization over the next 30 years. To read the booklet, click here.

Jordana Mishory, “McCord: Nuclear Modernization Bow Wave Is Biggest Acquisition Problem,” Inside Defense, November 13, 2015.

Tony de Brum and People of the Marshall Islands Win the Right Livelihood Award

On November 30, Tony de Brum, Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands, received the Right Livelihood Award in a ceremony at the Swedish Parliament. De Brum and the people of the Marshall Islands were given the award, commonly called the Alternative Nobel Prize, “in recognition of their vision and courage to take legal action against the nuclear powers for failing to honor their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and customary international law.”

To watch a video of de Brum’s award acceptance speech, click here.

To read more about the Nuclear Zero Lawsuits, click here.

A Ground Zero Forgotten

Over the past 70 years, the Marshall Islands have faced numerous challenges. The United States tested 67 nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958, resulting in incalculable damage to people and the environment that continues to this day. Lately, the realities of global climate change have been manifesting dangerously on the low-lying islands, with rising sea levels threatening their continued existence.

The Marshall Islands has not taken these challenges lightly. They are a leading voice in the movement to combat climate change, including at the international negotiations currently taking place in Paris. They are also proactively working to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat through the Nuclear Zero Lawsuits, which they filed in 2014 against all nine nuclear-armed nations.

Dan Zak, “A Ground Zero Forgotten,” Washington Post, November 29, 2015.

December’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Their website, www.thebulletin.org, contains many distinct blogs, including Nuclear Notebook, Development and Disarmament Roundtable, Voices of Tomorrow, and many more.

To go to the site, click here.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of December, including the December 5, 1965 incident in which a U.S. 4E Skyhawk fighter jet armed with a Mark 43 hydrogen bomb rolled off an aircraft carrier and fell into the Pacific Ocean. The hydrogen bomb was lost.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

For more information on the history of the Nuclear Age, visit NAPF’s Nuclear Files website.

The Climate-Nuclear Nexus

Just in time for the global climate meetings in Paris, the World Future Council has published a new report entitled “The Climate-Nuclear Nexus.” The report, principally authored by Jurgen Scheffran of the University of Hamburg, considers how nuclear weapons and climate change have grave implications for global and human security, and how the two interact with each other.

For a rising number of people, the effects of these two threats are not a theoretical, future issue of concern. Behind the facts and figures are stories of real suffering from climate change and nuclear weapons programs. The people of the Marshall Islands, who are threatened by rising sea levels and are still heavily impacted by U.S. nuclear weapon testing from 1946-58, are a clear example.

To read the full report, click here.

We Are Many

A new documentary film entitled “We Are Many” will be screened in the coming weeks in New York and Los Angeles. The film, by Amir Amirani, chronicles the 2003 worldwide protests against the invasion of Iraq that were the largest global protests ever. On February 15, 2003, over 15 million people marched to protest the invasion of Iraq in over 800 cities around the world. The film unveils the drama, emotion, magnitude and stories of this historic day. To view a trailer of the film, click here.

The film will screen numerous times each day in New York from December 4-10, and in Los Angeles from December 11-17. For information and tickets to the New York screenings, click here. For information and tickets to the Los Angeles screenings, click here.

The Art of Waging Peace Documentary

NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell may soon have a new teaching tool available for the classroom and for non-violence activists everywhere: a documentary on The Art of Waging Peace.

Filmmaker Kent Forbes first heard about Paul when he gave a lecture at the University of Maine in 2012. “His talk really stuck with me,” said Forbes. “I was very intrigued by his original approach to the problem of war and by his unique qualifications.”

To read more about the documentary and to watch a teaser, click here.

Give the Gift of Peace from the NAPF Peace Store

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s online peace store has many great gifts for your peace-loving family and friends. From books to t-shirts, from sunflower “seeds of peace” to tote bags, you’re sure to find some meaningful and lasting gifts.

Order today and you’ll receive your items in time for the holidays.

Humanize Not Modernize Tote Bags Now Available

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s new campaign, “Humanize Not Modernize,” has just been launched. Over the next year, we will be letting you know specifically what could be done with the $1 trillion that the United States plans to spend modernizing its nuclear weapons, delivery systems and production infrastructure over the next three decades.

As part of this campaign, we have produced a limited number of “Humanize Not Modernize” reusable tote bags. They can be a great conversation starter about this important issue wherever you go. The bags are available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

In addition, through December 31, if you donate $25 to the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, we will send you a tote bag as a token of our thanks. If you donate $50 or more by December 31, we will send you two tote bags – one for yourself and one to give away.

Evening for Peace Video Now Available

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has published a video of our 2015 Evening for Peace, honoring Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and a dedicated campaigner for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Ms. Thurlow’s acceptance speech is also available as a written transcript here.

“We condemn the billions of dollars that several nuclear weapons states are committing to spending to modernize their arsenals as well as the arms race such actions are stimulating.”

— Statement from the 15th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, which took place in Barcelona November 13-15, 2015.

“What shall remain in the wake of this war, in the midst of which we are living now? What shall remain? Ruins, thousands of children without education, so many innocent victims, and lots of money in the pockets of arms dealers.”

— Pope Francis

“The hope of humankind is that compassion and compromise may replace the cruel and senseless violence of armed conflicts.”

— Benjamin Ferencz, American attorney and prosecutor at the Nuremburg Tribunal. This quote appears in Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

2015 Evening for Peace Introduction

by David Krieger

Tonight we shine a light on courageous Peace Leadership. This is the 32nd time we have presented our Distinguished Peace Leadership Award. It has gone to some of the great Peace Leaders of our time, including the XIVth Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Carl Sagan, Yehudi Menuhin, Jody Williams, Jacques Cousteau, Helen Caldicott and Medea Benjamin.

We are honored to be presenting our 2015 award to an exceptional woman, who is a hibakusha and child victim of war. She was just 13 years old when the US dropped an atomic bomb on her city of Hiroshima. She lost consciousness and awakened to find herself pinned beneath a collapsed building.

She thought she would die, but she survived and has made it her life’s work to end the nuclear weapons era and to assure that her past does not become someone else’s future. She is a global leader in the fight to prevent a Global Hiroshima and assure that Nagasaki remains the last city to suffer a nuclear attack. Our honoree is a Peace Ambassador of the United Nations University of Peace in Costa Rica, a Peace Ambassador of the city of Hiroshima, and was a nominee for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

To read more, click here.

Time for Nuclear Sharing to End

by Xanthe Hall

It is a little known fact: Germany (and four other European countries) host nuclear weapons as part of NATO “nuclear sharing.” This means that in a nuclear attack the US can load its bombs onto German (or Belgian, Italian, Turkish and Dutch) aircraft and the pilots of those countries will drop them on an enemy target. This arrangement pre-dates the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which explicitly disallows any transfer of nuclear weapons from a nuclear weapon state to a non-nuclear weapon state, thus undermining the spirit of the treaty.

This new nuclear bomb – the B61-12 – is intended to replace all its older versions and be able to destroy more targets than previous models. It is touted by the nuclear laboratories as an “all-in-one” bomb, a “smart” bomb, that does not simply get tossed out of an aircraft, but can be guided and hit its target with great precision using exactly the right amount of explosive strength to only destroy what needs to be destroyed.

To read more, click here.

Legal Gap or Compliance Gap?

by John Burroughs and Peter Weiss

If the use of nuclear weapons already is unlawful, how should the concept of a “legal gap” be understood? The deficiency should be seen as a compliance gap, the failure to eliminate nuclear weapons in accordance with Article VI of the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). That article requires the pursuit of negotiations in good faith of “effective measures…relating to nuclear disarmament.”

The concept of a legal gap should not be understood as in any way signaling that the use of nuclear weapons is currently legally permissible. Nuclear weapons simply cannot be used in compliance with fundamental principles of international law protecting civilians from the effects of warfare, protecting combatants from unnecessary suffering, and protecting the natural environment.

To read more, click here.

Russia: Global Strike Concept Impedes Nuclear Disarmament

Speaking at the First Committee at the United Nations General Assembly, the Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s department for non-proliferation and arms control, Mikhail Ulyanov, said, “This policy [of Prompt Global Strike] can be an insurmountable obstacle on the way of implementing further steps for the reduction of nuclear arsenals.”

Prompt Global Strike is a program of the U.S. military to deliver a precision-guided conventional weapon anywhere in the world within one hour. Critics of Prompt Global Strike argue that it is impossible for a target country, such as Russia, to know for sure whether an incoming missile would contain a conventional or nuclear warhead. This would significantly increase the dangers of an accidental nuclear war.

“Foreign Ministry: U.S. Prompt Global Strike Concept Impedes Nuclear Disarmament,” Russia Beyond the Headlines, October 12, 2015.

Two Fires at Nuclear Waste Dumps

A state-owned radioactive waste dump caught fire in Nevada on October 18. The pit is thought to store low-level nuclear waste, such as contaminated laboratory gear. Fire Marshal Chief Peter Mulvihill said, “We don’t know exactly what caught fire. We’re not exactly sure what was burning in that pit.”

In St. Louis, an underground fire has been smoldering for five years beneath a landfill. The fire is now less than a quarter-mile from a large deposit of nuclear waste. The nuclear waste originated in 1942 when Mallinckrodt Chemical Works processed uranium for the Manhattan Project. The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to figure out exactly where all of the radioactive material is located and is considering ideas for how to place a barrier between the fire and the nuclear waste.

Keith Rogers, “Fire that Shut Down US 95 Called Hot, Powerful,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 20, 2015.

Matt Pearce, “Officials Squabble as Underground Fire Burns Near Radioactive Waste Dump in St. Louis Area,” Los Angeles Times, October 20, 2015.

U.S. to Clean Up Site of 1966 Nuclear Accident in Spain

After nearly 50 years, the United States has announced that it will clean up radioactive contamination caused by a plane crash in 1966. A U.S. B-52 bomber carrying four nuclear weapons collided with a KC-135 tanker plane over southeast Spain. Two of the hydrogen bombs were recovered intact from the sea, but the other two landed in the countryside, spewing 3 kilograms of plutonium 239 around the town of Palomares. At least 50,000 cubic meters of earth are still contaminated.

According to The Guardian, “The Palomares clean-up deal is seen by many as a sweetener in exchange for Spain agreeing to Washington ramping up its military presence in the country.”

Stephen Burgen, “US to Clean Up Spanish Radioactive Site 49 Years After Plane Crash,” The Guardian, October 19, 2015.

Doctors Without Borders Hospitals Bombed in Afghanistan and Yemen

Two hospitals operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), an international non-governmental organization dedicated to providing medical care and supplies to people in conflict and disaster zones, were bombed during the month of October. In the first incident, U.S. planes dropped bombs on a MSF hospital in Kunduz, killing 22 MSF staff and patients.

In Yemen, the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition bombed the MSF hospital multiple times over a two-hour period on October 26. The hospital’s roof was marked with the Doctors Without Borders logo, and the GPS coordinates had been shared multiple times with the Saudi-led coalition.

Click here to read a poem about the Afghanistan hospital bombing entitled “War Crime Blues.”

Sune Engel Rasmussen, “Kunduz Hospital Attack: How a US Military ‘Mistake’ Left 22 Dead,” The Guardian, October 21, 2015.

“Yemen: US-Backed Coalition Bombs Doctors Without Borders Hospital,” Democracy Now, October 28, 2015.

U.S. Awards Huge Contract to Northrup Grumman for New Stealth Nuclear Bomber

The U.S. government has awarded a contract worth up to $80 billion to Northrup Grumman to develop a new stealth bomber capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This massive program is just one part of the Pentagon’s plan to spend $1 trillion over the next 30 years to “modernize” U.S. nuclear weapons, delivery vehicles and production infrastructure.

Over the past five years, Northrup Grumman’s political action committees and its employees have contributed $4.6 million to the campaigns and PACs of 224 lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. Northrup Grumman also spent $85.4 million during that time to lobby Congress, the Department of Defense and other agencies.

Alexander Cohen, “New Strategic Bomber Contract Awarded After Millions of Dollars Worth of Lobbying,” Huffington Post, October 28, 2015.

Robert Burns, “Air Force Picks Northrup Grumman to Build Next Big Bomber,” Associated Press, October 27, 2015.

UK Trident Replacement to Cost at Least $256 Billion

The United Kingdom’s plan to replace its four nuclear-armed Trident submarines will cost at least $256 billion, according to new figures released by Crispin Blunt, a Conservative Member of Parliament. Blunt said, “The successor Trident program is going to consume more than double the proportion of the defense budget of its predecessor…. The price required, both from the UK taxpayer and our conventional forces, is now too high to be rational or sensible.”

Stewart Hosie, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, said, “This is truly an unthinkable and indefensible sum of money to spend on the renewal of an unwanted and unusable nuclear weapons system.”

Elizabeth Piper, “Exclusive: UK Nuclear Deterrent to Cost 167 Billion Pounds, Far More than Expected,” Reuters, October 25, 2015.

U.S. Government Files Response Brief at Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

On October 28, the United States government filed a Response Brief in the Nuclear Zero Lawsuit that is currently pending at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Laurie Ashton, Counsel for the Marshall Islands in the case, commented on the U.S. response: “Anyone studying the United States Response Brief can see the disconnect between the parties’ positions.  Under the United States’ position, the President is above the law.  But, while the United States claims a constitutional textual commitment of this case to the President, it cites no actual constitutional text, nor does it respond to the constitutional text cited by the Marshall Islands.  It also is disappointing to see the United States continue to rely on inapplicable case law concluding that when diplomacy fails in a treaty dispute, peaceful judicial resolution is not an option, but War is.  We look forward to filing our Reply Brief in early December.”

Click here to access all of the court documents from the Nuclear Zero Lawsuits, including the case in U.S. Federal Court and the cases in the International Court of Justice.

Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Interviewed on Russian Television

RT recently interviewed Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony de Brum about the legacy of U.S. nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the current efforts by the RMI to abolish nuclear weapons and stop climate change.

Minister de Brum was an eyewitness to many U.S. nuclear weapon tests in the RMI, including the 1954 Castle Bravo test, the largest nuclear test ever conducted by the United States. From 1946 to 1958, the U.S. conducted 67 nuclear weapon tests in the RMI, with the equivalent explosive yield of 1.6 Hiroshima-sized bombs daily over the 12-year period.

De Brum also discussed the RMI’s current efforts to hold nuclear-armed nations accountable for upholding international law relating to ending the nuclear arms race and negotiating for nuclear disarmament. De Brum will also be a key figure at the upcoming climate negotiations in Paris in early December.

Oksana Boyko, “Nuclear (a)toll? Ft. Tony de Brum, the Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands,” RT, October 18, 2015.

November’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is the Nuclear Secrecy Blog by Alex Wellerstein. Wellerstein is a historian of science at the Stevens Institute of Technology and is well known for his interactive NUKEMAP software.

Recent titles on the blog include, “The Plot Against Leo Szilard,” “Neglected Niigata,” and “Did Lawrence Doubt the Bomb?”

To read the blog, click here.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of November, including the November 26, 1958 incident at Chennault Air Force Base in Louisiana, in which a nuclear-armed B-47 bomber caught fire. The nuclear weapon’s high explosive charges detonated, spreading radioactive materials over a large area.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

For more information on the history of the Nuclear Age, visit NAPF’s Nuclear Files website.

Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist

NAPF President David Krieger recently wrote a review of the book Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist by David Hartsough. An excerpt of the review is below:

“I recently read this impressive autobiography by nonviolent activist David Hartsough, which I recommend highly.  David was born in 1940 and has been a lifelong participant and leader in actions seeking a more decent world through nonviolent means.  His guiding stars have been peace, justice, nonviolence and human dignity.  He has been a foe of all U.S. wars during his lifetime, and a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War.  He has lived his nonviolence and made it an adventure in seeking truth, as Gandhi did.  I will not try to recount the many adventures that he writes about, but they include civil rights sit-ins, blockading weapons bound for Vietnam, accompanying at-risk individuals in the wars in Central America and creating, with a colleague, a Nonviolent Peaceforce.

“David Hartsough’s life is inspiring, and the lessons he draws from his experiences are valuable in paving the way to a world without war.  I encourage you to read his book on his lifelong efforts at Waging Peace.”

To read the full book review, click here.

Project Censored

Adam Horowitz, Director of the documentary Nuclear Savage: The Islands of Secret Project 4.1, has written a chapter in the 2016 edition of Project Censored, which is available to purchase online now. Project Censored highlights the top censored stories and media analysis from 2014-15. Adam’s chapter focuses on the efforts of PBS to prevent Nuclear Savage from being shown on the air in the United States.

The film tells the story of American Cold War nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands, and how U.S. government scientists deliberately exposed populations of local islanders to massive radiation fallout. It is a shocking tale of U.S. government-sanctioned human rights abuse.

To purchase a copy of the 2016 Project Censored publication, click here. To learn more about Nuclear Savage, click here.

Open Letter to President Obama

On April 5, 2009, President Obama declared in Prague the United States’ dedication to “seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” Recently, NAPF President David Krieger sent an open letter to President Obama, encouraging him to take decisive action in his last year in office to facilitate the achievement of this goal.

Click here to read David Krieger’s letter to President Obama. To take action by adding your name and comments in a letter to President Obama, click here.

The Path to a World Free of Nuclear Weapons

NAPF President David Krieger has been selected to guest-edit an upcoming issue of the journal Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice on the topic of “The Path to a World Free of Nuclear Weapons.”

Is a world without nuclear weapons attainable and, if so, what will be required to create such a world? What obstacles will need to be overcome? This theme can be explored from a variety of perspectives – legal, moral, organizational, political, economic, as well as from the perspectives of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and various forms of security (national, international, global, and human security).

Essays of 2,500 to 3,500 words (with no footnotes or endnotes) along with a 1-2 line biography must be received by April 1, 2016 no later than 5 p.m. PST for publication in mid-August. Please include a short recommended readings list. Details are available on the Submission Guidelines page. Eight to ten essays will be selected for publication.

Please direct content-based questions or concerns to NAPF at wagingpeace@napf.org.

Evening for Peace Honoring Setsuko Thurlow

On October 25, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation hosted its 32nd Annual Evening for Peace in Santa Barbara, California. The Foundation honored Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, with its Distinguished Peace Leadership Award for her lifetime of work to abolish nuclear weapons.

Over 75 local high school and college students were able to attend the event thanks to the sponsorship of the Santa Barbara Foundation and other generous donors. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the event’s lead sponsor, Sherry Melchiorre, and all of the sponsors for making such a memorable evening possible.

To read more about the event, view photos, and see the full list of sponsors, click here.

Respect and Peace Leadership in Maine

At Fryeburg Academy’s annual United Nations Flag Processional in October, each flag-bearer was introduced and asked to say one word in their native language: respect. This event, held in Fryeburg, Maine, was highlighted by NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell, who delivered a powerful message of how to avoid conflict through respect.

“Most human conflict,” said Chappell, “is a result of people feeling disrespected. Universally, every culture finds these three things respectful: Being able to listen, being able to recognize someone’s worth and potential, and leading by example.”

To read more about Paul’s recent trip to Maine, click here.

“If the nuclear-armed states refuse to participate in the negotiating process, we must accept that. We cannot compel them to engage. But we must not feel powerless to act without their endorsement. It is time for the nuclear-free majority to assert itself more confidently.”

— H.E. Dr. Caleb Otto, Permanent Representative of Palau to the United Nations, in a speech at the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on October 21, 2015.

“I have not assumed that you or any other sane man would, in this nuclear age, deliberately plunge the world into war which it is crystal clear no country could win and which could only result in catastrophic consequences to the whole world, including the aggressor.”

— John F. Kennedy, in a phone call to Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on October 22, 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“Remember always…people are more important than countries.”

— Mairead Maguire. This quote appears in Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

David Krieger
Grant Stanton
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

Reason Is Not Enough

by David Krieger

Reason is not enough to halt the nuclear juggernaut that rumbles unsteadily toward catastrophe, toward omnicide.

The broken heart of humanity must find a way to enter the debate. The heart must find common cause with imagination. We cannot wait until the missiles are in the air with the sand falling through the hourglass. We must use our imaginations. We must listen to the sad stories of those who survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki and imagine the force of the winds, the firestorms rushing through our cities, the mushroom clouds rising, the invisible radiation spreading. If we can’t imagine the death and destruction, we cannot combat it and we will never stop it.

To read more, click here.

Will the Nuclear Powers Also Play by the Rules?

by Lawrence Wittner

When all is said and done, what the recently-approved Iran nuclear agreement is all about is ensuring that Iran honors its commitment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) not to develop nuclear weapons.

But the NPT—which was ratified in 1968 and which went into force in 1970—has two kinds of provisions. The first is that non-nuclear powers forswear developing a nuclear weapons capability. The second is that nuclear-armed nations divest themselves of their own nuclear weapons. Article VI of the treaty is quite explicit on this second point, stating: “Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”

What has been the record of the nuclear powers when it comes to compliance with the NPT?

To read more, click here.

The UN: Are Development and Peace Empty Words?

by Rebecca Johnson and Ray Acheson

Relentless militarism, underpinned by patriarchal capitalist structures and institutions, are at the root of today’s major security crises, from nuclear threats to the millions of refugees fleeing armed gangs and Syria’s bombed-out cities. As the UN General Assembly convenes in New York, governments need to take more responsibility for tackling the weapons, arms trade and conflicts that their policies have created and exacerbated.

The 2030 Agenda commits governments “to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence.” It declares: “There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development.” Yet despite this emphasis on peace and freedom from violence, the Agenda only includes one goal related to weapons – to significantly reduce illicit arms flows by 2030 (goal 16.4).

To read more, click here.

Pope Francis Speaks Out for Nuclear Disarmament

Pope Francis spoke out strongly in favor of peace and nuclear disarmament during his speech to the United Nations on September 25. In his highly-anticipated remarks, Pope Francis said, “There is urgent need to work for a world free of nuclear weapons, in full application of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, in letter and spirit, with the goal of a complete prohibition of these weapons.”

He also spoke about the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1. He said, “The recent agreement reached on the nuclear question in a sensitive region of Asia and the Middle East is proof of the potential of political good will and of law, exercised with sincerity, patience and constancy. I express my hope that this agreement will be lasting and efficacious, and bring forth the desired fruits with the cooperation of all the parties involved.”

“Video: Pope Francis Speaks at the UN on Nuclear Weapons,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, September 25, 2015.

Anti-Nuclear Parliamentarian Elected as Leader of UK Labour Party

Jeremy Corbyn, a long-time member of the UK Parliament, was elected as leader of the Labour Party in September 2015. Corbyn has a distinguished history of working for the global abolition of nuclear weapons, primarily with the UK-based Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Speaking recently at the Labour Party Conference, Corbyn said, “I don’t believe £100 billion on a new generation of nuclear weapons taking up a quarter of our defense budget is the right way forward. I believe Britain should honor our obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and lead in making progress on international nuclear disarmament.”

Speaking to the BBC, Corbyn said, “I am opposed to the use of nuclear weapons. I am opposed to the holding of nuclear weapons. I want to see a nuclear-free world. I believe it is possible.”

“Speech by Jeremy Corbyn to Labour Party Annual Conference 2015,” Labour Press, September 29, 2015.

U.S. and Iranian Presidents Speak About Nuclear Agreement at UN

U.S. President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani both spoke about the recent nuclear agreement in their remarks to the United Nations General Assembly on September 28. President Obama said, “For two years, the United States and our partners – including Russia, including China – stuck together in complex negotiations. The result is a lasting, comprehensive deal…. And if this deal is fully implemented, the prohibition on nuclear weapons is strengthened, a potential war is averted, our world is safer. That is the strength of the international system when it works the way it should.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, “Today, a new chapter has started in Iran’s relations with the world. From the standpoint of international law, this instrument [the nuclear agreement] sets a strong precedent where, for the first time, two sides rather than negotiating peace after war, engaged in dialogue and understanding before the eruption of conflict.”

Click the links to read the full remarks of President Obama and President Rouhani.

North Korea Says It Is Bolstering Its Nuclear Arsenal

North Korea has announced that it is improving the quality and quantity of its nuclear arsenal in response to the “reckless hostile policy” of the United States and its allies.

North Korea has also announced plans to launch a satellite into orbit for scientific purposes. Many opponents of the North Korean regime view such satellite launches as a thinly-veiled attempt to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.

Choe Sang-Hun, “North Korea Says It Is Bolstering Its Nuclear Arsenal,” The New York Times, September 15, 2015.

Japanese Government Reinterprets Peace Article in Constitution

Despite significant protest both in Japan and abroad, the Japanese legislature voted to reinterpret Article 9 of the constitution, which declares that the Japanese people “forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation.” The Article also pledges that “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained” and that “the right of belligerency will not be recognized.”

The reinterpretation of Article 9 will allow for “collective self-defense” in conjunction with allied nations. Gensuikyo, the Japan Council Against A and H Bombs, has vociferously opposed the reinterpretation of Article 9. After the recent vote by the legislature, Gensuikyo said in a statement, “We are firmly determined to do our utmost to get the war laws repealed.”

Matt Ford, “Japan Curtails Its Pacifist Stance,” The Atlantic, September 19, 2015.

Russia Threatens Countermeasures if U.S. Deploys Modernized Nuclear Bomb in Germany

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has said that Russia will be forced to take countermeasures if the United States deploys the modernized B61-12 nuclear bomb in Germany. According to recent German news reports, such deployment of U.S. nuclear bombs could take place as soon as the end of 2015.

Peskov stated, “This could alter the balance of power in Europe. And without doubt it would demand that Russia take necessary counter measures to restore the strategic balance and parity.”

The United States already deploys approximately 180 nuclear bombs in five NATO countries: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.

Masha Tsvetkova and Katya Golubkova, “Russia Pledges Counter Measures if U.S. Upgrades Nuclear Arms in Germany,” Reuters, September 23, 2015.

U.S. Uranium Processing Facility Likely to Cost Over $10 Billion

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA), a watchdog group located near the Y-12 nuclear facility in Tennessee, has estimated that the planned Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) will cost at least $10 billion, despite government promises that it will not exceed $6.5 billion.

The Uranium Processing Facility has been plagued by mismanagement, runaway cost projections, and schedules that recede toward infinity. It continues, year after year, to be listed on the Government Accountability Office’s “High Risk Projects” list. Despite the problems, the UPF continues to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in the federal budget.

The proposed UPF would produce new secondaries for thermonuclear weapons, which greatly increase the explosive yield of nuclear weapons.

“Oak Ridge Bomb Plant Cost Soaring Toward $10 Billion,” Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, September 8, 2015.

Tony de Brum and People of the Marshall Islands Win the Right Livelihood Award

Foreign Minister Tony de Brum and the people of the Marshall Islands will receive the 2015 Right Livelihood Award “in recognition of their vision and courage to take legal action against the nuclear powers for failing to honor their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

De Brum is co-agent of the Marshall Islands in the Nuclear Zero Lawsuits against the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations at the International Court of Justice. The Marshall Islands also filed a lawsuit against the United States in U.S. Federal Court. De Brum is also a leading voice in international climate negotiations, and will play an important role at the upcoming climate summit in Paris in December.

Commenting on the award, NAPF President David Krieger said, “Tony de Brum is one of the truly outstanding political leaders of our time. He is relentless in his pursuit of peace and justice. He and the people of the Marshall Islands have played an oversized role in the fight to end the nuclear weapons era – by going to court to hold the nuclear-armed countries to their nuclear disarmament obligations under international law.  They have also played a major role in the fight to halt climate change. Minister de Brum and the people of the Marshall Islands are most worthy of the Right Livelihood Award and of the recognition being bestowed upon them.”

“Foreign Minister Tony de Brum and the People of the Marshall Islands Receive Right Livelihood Award,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, October 1, 2015.

Scottish Parliament Debates the Nuclear Zero Lawsuits

On September 23, the Scottish Parliament held a debate about the Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Zero Lawsuits against the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations. The debate, initiated by Bill Kidd, a member of Scottish Parliament and Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, included contributions from members of numerous political parties.

Summing up the debate, Keith Brown, the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, said, “Although the case that the Republic of the Marshall Islands is bringing against the UK Government is a matter for the International Court of Justice, the Scottish Government can certainly sympathize with the Marshall Islands on the issue of nuclear weapons. Our history of nuclear weapons is of course different from that of the Marshall Islanders, as we have heard, but we share a common belief that there should be no place for nuclear weapons in our world today, and that there is an obligation on each and every nation to do all that it can to realize that vision.”

“Scottish Parliament Debates Nuclear Zero Lawsuits,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, September 23, 2015.

Amicus Letters of Support to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Two amicus letters of support have been submitted to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the Marshall Islands’ position in their Nuclear Zero Lawsuit against the United States.

Three Nobel Peace Laureates – Mairead Maguire, Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi – submitted a letter, along with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, a UK-based organization.

The letters of support, along with all of the documents related to the Nuclear Zero Lawsuits, can be accessed at http://nuclearzero.org/in-the-courts.

October’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in the United Kingdom. CND General Secretary Kate Hudson writes on issues of nuclear disarmament, peace and justice.

Recent titles on the blog include, “Jeremy Corbyn and the Future of Trident,” and “Why the Atom Bomb was Dropped on Japan.” To read the blog, click here.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of October, including the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which nearly led to nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

For more information on the history of the Nuclear Age, visit NAPF’s Nuclear Files website.

Toxic Remnants of War Network

The Toxic Remnants of War Network is a new civil society network working to reduce the humanitarian and environmental impact of pollution from conflict and military activities. The network connects NGOs, countries, institutions and independent experts engaged in work on the environment, humanitarian disarmament, public health and human rights.

To learn more about this new network, click here.

I Was Her Age

A new documentary by British filmmaker Emma Baggott follows a delegation of eight Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors who accompanied youth on a journey around the world to share the horrors of nuclear weapons and appeal for their prohibition and eradication. Created in collaboration with Peace Boat and Mayors for Peace, this film is freely available for educational use by citizens around the world.

To view the 33-minute film, click here.

Peace Poetry Contest Winners Announced

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has announced the winners of the 2015 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards. A panel of poets read through the many hundreds of submissions to declare winners in three age categories: Adult, Youth (13-18) and Youth (12 and under).

To read this year’s winning poems, click here. For more information about the 2016 poetry contest, click here.

Evening for Peace Honoring Setsuko Thurlow

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Annual Evening for Peace will take place on October 25, 2015 in Santa Barbara, California. The Foundation will present its Distinguished Peace Leadership Award to Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and an outspoken advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons. She is the recipient of the Order of Canada Medal, the highest honor for Canadian civilians, and is a Hiroshima Peace Ambassador. She is also a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Click here for more information about the Evening for Peace, including sponsorship opportunities, ticket information and details about this year’s honoree.

Peace Leadership in Europe

From a conference of international scholars to a group of international nine and ten year-olds, the work of the NAPF Peace Leadership Program moves into an ever-expanding world.

NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell gave the keynote address at the 2015 CMM Learning Exchange at the University of the Armed Forces in Munich, Germany. Paul Chappell shared from his CMM project: Literacy in the Art of Living, the Art of Listening, and the Art of Waging Peace. “To survive as a species in the twenty-first century and beyond, we must promote literacy in these often neglected arts. We must also promote literacy in our shared humanity. This is how we will evolve as a civilization, or we will perish. That is our only choice.”

Following the conference, Paul Chappell spent September 21, the International Day of Peace, speaking at United World College in Maastricht, in the Netherlands, an international school with more than 800 students from ages 2 to 18.

To read more about Paul’s recent trip to Europe, click here.

“There can be no safe hands for nuclear weapons. The humanitarian consequences of a possible detonation of a nuclear weapon, whether intentionally or accidentally, will be catastrophic for humanity.”

— Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, speaking on the opening day of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Spending on nuclear weapons squanders the wealth of nations. To prioritize such spending is a mistake and a misallocation of resources which would be far better invested in the areas of integral human development, education, health and the fight against extreme poverty. When these resources are squandered, the poor and the weak living on the margins of society pay the price.”

— Pope Francis

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see your shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.”

— Helen Keller. This quote appears in Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

Alex Hale
David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

Humanize, Not Modernize

by David Krieger

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is now in its 33rd year of working for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons.  We seek these goals for the people of today, and also for those of the future, so that they may have a healthy planet to live on and enjoy.

Science and technology have brought great benefits to humanity in the form of health care, communications, transportation and many other areas of our lives.  An average person alive today lives a better and longer life than did kings and nobles of earlier times.  Yet, science and technology have not been universally positive.  They have also given us weapons capable of destroying civilization and most complex life on the planet, including that of our own species.

To read more, click here.

70 Years After Hiroshima, It’s Time to Confront the Past

by Setsuko Thurlow

In the United States, a repugnant remembrance is soon to be unveiled. The National Park Service and the Department of Energy will establish the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Unlike the memorials at Auschwitz and Treblinka, the United States seeks to preserve the history of the once top-secret sites at Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and Hanford, where international scientists developed the world’s first nuclear bomb, as a sort of celebration of that technological ‘achievement’. Among the first so-called ‘successes’ of this endeavor was creating hell on earth in my beloved Hiroshima.

Former German President Richard von Weizeker once said, “We must look truth straight in the eye – without embellishment and without distortion.” The truth is, we all live with the daily threat of nuclear weapons. In every silo, on every submarine, in the bomb bays of airplanes, every second of every day, nuclear weapons, thousands on high alert, are poised for deployment threatening everyone we love and everything we hold dear.

How much longer can we allow the nuclear weapon states to wield this threat to all life on earth? Let us make the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the appropriate milestone to achieve our goal: to abolish nuclear weapons, and safeguard the future of our one shared planet earth.

To read more, click here.

Youth Pledge for Nuclear Abolition

Nuclear weapons are a symbol of a bygone age; a symbol that poses eminent threat to our present reality and has no place in the future we are creating.

Seventy years have passed since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and yet the existence of nuclear weapons continues to threaten every single person with the prospect of a cruel and inhumane death. For 70 years speeches have been made, statements issued and endorsed saying “never again,” and yet we are still held hostage by nuclear weapons. We, youth around the world, are mustering the courage to stand up and fulfill these decades-old promises of abolition. We need to eliminate this threat to our shared future and we urge you to join us, the Generation of Change.

It is time to take action.

To read the full pledge and to add your name, click here.

After the Iran Deal: How to Make the Most of the Next 15 Years

by Alice Slater

A major sticking point for universal support for the Iran deal is the worry expressed repeatedly by doubters and supporters alike, in the plethora of mainstream media coverage, that in 15 years Iran may have the capacity to break out and produce a nuclear bomb only one year after the deal expires. David Petraeus and Dennis Ross, Obama’s former Special Assistant on the Middle East, have actually suggested, in The Washington Post, that we should “put teeth” into the deal by threatening now that “if Iran dashes toward a weapon especially after year 15, that it will trigger the use of force.”

How much better would the public be served if the extensive reporting on the deal also provided the information we need on how we could beat Iran to the punch and honor our own obligations under the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty to negotiate for the elimination of nuclear weapons?

To read more, click here.

Nuclear Weapons Experts File Amicus Brief in Support of Marshall Islands Lawsuit

Four nuclear weapons experts have filed an amicus curiae brief in support of a lawsuit filed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to compel the United States to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The basic bargain of the NPT is that non-weapons states agreed to never acquire nuclear weapons, in exchange for which nuclear weapons states promised to enter into good faith negotiations for nuclear disarmament. Ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate in 1970 made its provisions the law of the land under the U.S. Constitution.

The experts filing the brief are: Hans Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists; Dr. James Doyle, a nuclear nonproliferation expert fired by the Los Alamos national lab after publishing a study arguing for nuclear weapons abolition; Robert Alvarez, a former Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, now at the Institute for Policy Studies; and Jay Coghlan, director of Nuclear Watch New Mexico.

This amicus curiae brief, along with other briefs, can be found online at www.nuclearzero.org/in-the-courts.

“Nuclear Weapons Experts File Amicus Brief in Support of Marshall Islands Lawsuit,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, August 12, 2015.

Marshall Islands Foreign Minister to Receive Nuclear-Free Future Award

Tony de Brum, Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), will receive the Nuclear-Free Future Award in the category of “Solutions.”  De Brum has led efforts by RMI to get the nine nuclear-armed nations to fulfill their duties under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), including serving as a co-agent in groundbreaking lawsuits against them at the International Court of Justice.  The Marshall Islands were the site of 67 U.S. atomic tests from 1946-58 that left the region contaminated with deadly radioactivity, forced the evacuation of entire islands, and caused long-lasting deadly health effects among the people of the RMI.  Minister de Brum personally experienced the atomic detonations as a young boy including the massive 1954 Castle Bravo shot at Bikini Atoll, the largest of over 1,000 nuclear detonations by the United States.  De Brum has been a resolute voice in calling for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons.

The awards ceremony will take place in Washington, D.C. on October 28, 2015. For more information about the Nuclear-Free Future Award, click here.

Whistleblower Receives $4.1 Million Settlement

Justice has finally been served for Walter Tamosaitis, one of many Americans throughout the country who has been unfairly treated merely for doing their duty and for adhering to common dictates of morality. Fired after 44 years of exceptional service, Tamosaitis has finally found remuneration, after 5 years of waiting, in one of the largest known legal damages paid out to a nuclear whistle-blower. After the verdict, he said, “Hopefully, I have sent a message to young engineers to keep their honesty, integrity and courage intact.”

Although maintaining that it “strongly disagrees that it retaliated against him in any manner,” the Los Angeles-based AECOM’s plant design and construction failed to meet federal safety standards after Tamosaitis alerted federal officials. Now at the end of his nightmare tangling with the nuclear-powers-that-be, Tamosaitis said he will “wake up tomorrow morning and pinch myself to see if it is really over.”

Ralph Vartabedian, “Hanford Nuclear Weapons Site Whistleblower Wins $4.1 Million Settlement,” Los Angeles Times, August 13, 2015.

Congress to Conclude Deliberations on Iran Deal in mid-September

The 60-day period for Congress to review the nuclear deal, agreed to by Iran and the P5+1 in July, is coming to a close. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Action Alert Network provides U.S. residents the opportunity to send messages to their members of Congress to make their opinions heard on this important issue.

We encourage you to take action today and encourage your Senators and Representative to vote in favor of the Iran nuclear deal. To take action, click here.

Gorbachev Warns of New Nuclear Arms Race

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has warned of a new global nuclear arms race in an interview with Der Spiegel. Gorbachev said, “If five or 10 countries are allowed to have nuclear weapons, then why can’t 20 or 30? Today, a few dozen countries have the technical prerequisites to build nuclear weapons. The alternative is clear: Either we move towards a nuclear-free world or we have to accept that nuclear weapons will continue to spread, step-by-step, across the globe. And can we really imagine a world without nuclear weapons if a single country amasses so many conventional weapons that its military budget nearly tops that of all other countries combined? This country [the U.S.] would enjoy total military supremacy if nuclear weapons were abolished.”

Ishaan Tharoor, “Gorbachev Warns of New Arms Race,” New Zealand Herald, August 8, 2015.

China Tests New Type of Nuclear Missile

After conducting a flight test of its new intercontinental ballistic missile, China appears to be approaching deployment capability for its DF-41 road-mobile missile, which likely holds multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV).

Along with being less vulnerable to anti-ballistic missile systems, a single missile could annihilate multiple targets simultaneously and would enable use of cross-targeting techniques, which utilize more weapons for greater kill probability. India may already be responding to this threat, which means that Pakistan likewise will follow.

Zachary Keck, “China Tests Its Most Dangerous Nuclear Weapon of All Time,” The National Interest, August 19, 2015.

U.S. Conducts Another Test of its Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

On August 19, the United States conducted a test launch of its Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, cynically commented, “When I think of the value these types of tests have played over the years, I think of the messages we send to our allies who seek protection from aggression and to adversaries who threaten peace.  I also think about the American people we’ve sworn an oath to protect; people like my grandchildren who count on us to get this right. We can’t let them down.”

David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, criticized the United States’ ongoing tests of Minuteman III missiles. He said, “While the U.S. continues to develop and test launch its nuclear-capable missiles, the Marshall Islands is seeking a judgment against the U.S. and the other nuclear-armed nations for failure to fulfill their nuclear disarmament obligations under international law.”

Capt. Christopher Mesnard, “Minot Conducts ICBM Test Launch on 45 Year Minuteman III Anniversary,” Air Force Global Strike Command, August 19, 2015.

September’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is “Global Justice in the 21st Century,” by Richard Falk. Falk is Senior Vice President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and Professor Emeritus of International Law and Practice at Princeton University.

Recent titles on the blog include, “The Nuclear Challenge: 70 Years After Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” and “Alliance Blackmail: Israel’s Opposition to the Iran Nuclear Agreement.” To read the blog, click here.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of September, including the September 11, 1957 fire that broke out in a plutonium processing facility at Rocky Flats near Denver, Colorado.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

For more information on the history of the Nuclear Age, visit NAPF’s Nuclear Files website.

Revolution in You

Soka Gakkai International’s U.S. branch (SGI-USA) has produced a new music video entitled “Revolution in You.” The five-minute video showcases the talents of some of SGI-USA’s members in an inspiring format.

The video was played at the introduction of the International Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition in Hiroshima on August 30, and is available to watch on YouTube at this link.

Evening for Peace Honoring Setsuko Thurlow

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Annual Evening for Peace will take place on October 25, 2015 in Santa Barbara, California. The Foundation will present its Distinguished Peace Leadership Award to Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and an outspoken advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Click here for more information about the Evening for Peace, including sponsorship opportunities, ticket information and details about this year’s honoree.

International Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition

Rick Wayman, NAPF’s Director of Programs, co-chaired the International Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition in Hiroshima, Japan, from August 28-30. The Summit included two days of intensive learning, planning and networking with 30 young leaders from 23 countries. Those two days were followed by a conference in which hundreds of young people from around the world gathered to learn more about the urgent need to abolish nuclear weapons and to collectively make a “youth pledge” to commit to working for nuclear abolition.

Click here for more information about the summit, including the youth pledge and video of the event.

Paul Chappell Named International Spokesperson for Peace Heroes Walk Around the World

NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul Chappell has been named international spokesperson for Peace Heroes Walk Around the World, an educational initiative developed by the Dayton International Peace Museum (DIPM) in Dayton, Ohio. The Museum, which facilitated a community-changing Peace Heroes Walk in Dayton last May, now plans to promote Peace Heroes Walk Around the World to cities across the United States and throughout other nations.

To read more, click here.

“The Chancellor is making a choice to essentially prioritize investment in nuclear weapons over the protection of the most vulnerable citizens of our country.”

— John Swinney, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, criticizing UK Chancellor George Osborne for authorizing GBP 500 million of extra spending at the UK’s Faslane nuclear weapons base.

“Let’s be the generation that makes peace possible. This youth summit is sending a strong message to the world, that the youth are for peace and for a nuclear-free-world, and the world must listen.”

— Ahmad Alhendawi, United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, speaking at the International Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition on August 30, 2015.

“You can’t talk about the overall security environment in the Middle East unless you address the reality of Israel’s own nuclear status.”

— Avner Cohen, professor of nonproliferation studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.”

— Maria Montessori (1870-1952), Italian educator. This quote appears in Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

David Krieger
Grant Stanton
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman