Category: Events

The Most Dangerous Period in Human History

by David Krieger

It is terrifying to think of Donald Trump with the codes to launch the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Ironically, Trump himself may be the single best argument anyone could make for why the world should abolish nuclear weapons. The mix of Trump and nuclear weapons is a formula for making his term in office the most dangerous period in human history.

Trump tweets from the hip, like a crazy man. When he tweets or speaks, he often muddies the waters. His aides spend much of their time trying to calm the fears he raises in his compulsive tweeting.

To read more, click here.

I Lost Family in Hiroshima. Mr. Trump, Nuclear Weapons Are No Game.

by George Takei

I can’t help but feel Mr. Trump treats brinksmanship as some game. It’s hard to believe he needs reminding, but nuclear weapons are not toys, nor are they chips to be wagered in some kind of high stakes poker match. I am among a dwindling number still around who remember the first time atomic weapons were used—at that time to end a terrible world war. I had family in Hiroshima when the Enola Gay dropped its deadly payload, obliterating the entire city in an instant.

So it is with ever-increasing alarm that we must acknowledge that a man, who apparently lacks the self-control to keep his fingers from tweeting, now literally has those same fingers on the nuclear button. But beyond the question of temperament, I must ask: Does Donald Trump understand the true horror of what he can unleash in an instant?

To read more, click here.

Top Scientists Urge Trump to Abide By Iran Nuclear Deal

Dozens of top U.S. scientists sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him not to dismantle the Iran nuclear deal when he takes office. The letter was organized by Richard Garwin, a physicist who was involved in designing the world’s first hydrogen bomb. The letter says that the Iran deal “has dramatically reduced the risk that Iran could suddenly produce significant quantities” of nuclear weapon materials and has “lowered the pressure felt by Iran’s neighbors to develop their own nuclear weapons options.”

Among the 37 signatories to the letter is NAPF Associate Martin Hellman, who wrote about the issue in a recent blog post.

William Broad, “Top Scientists Urge Trump to Abide by Iran Nuclear Deal,” The New York Times, January 2, 2017.

Pakistani Defense Minister Threatens Nuclear War Over Fake News Story

On December 23, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif wrote on his official Twitter account, “Israeli (defense minister) threatens nuclear retaliation presuming (Pakistan) role in Syria against Daesh. Israel forgets Pakistan is a Nuclear State too.”

Asif was responding to an article published by AWDNews, which quoted former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon as threatening Pakistan with nuclear weapons if Pakistan sent troops to Syria. However, Yaalon is not the current Israeli Defense Minister, and there is no evidence that Yaalon ever said such a thing.

Ben Westcott, “Duped By Fake News Story, Pakistani Minister Threatens Nuclear War With Israel,” CNN, December 26, 2016.

Threat of Hacking at Nuclear Plants Is Growing

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told a meeting of the UN Security Council that “vicious non-state groups” are actively seeking weapons of mass destruction, and that such groups can already create mass disruption using cyber technologies. Eliasson called the hacking of a nuclear plant a “nightmare scenario.”

The Security Council meeting focused on ways to halt the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons by extremist groups and criminals.

Edith Lederer, “UN: Threat of a Hacking Attack on Nuclear Plants Is Growing,” Associated Press, December 16, 2016.

North Korea Claims It Will Test Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has claimed that his country is in the final stages of preparing for a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. He stated that North Korea has “achieved the status of a nuclear power, a military giant in the East which no enemy, however formidable, would dare to provoke.”

Multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibit such launches by North Korea, and its missile program has been the cause of economic sanctions in the past. Meanwhile, other nuclear-armed states, including the United States, continue to test and develop intercontinental ballistic missiles with no sanctions or Security Council resolutions.

Louise Moon, “Pentagon Rebukes North Korea Over Claim It Will Test Missile that Could Reach U.S.,” The Telegraph, January 2, 2017.

U.S. Missile Defense Funding Continues to Grow, Despite Flaws

The Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, first deployed in 2004, is poised to grow despite a poor testing record. The GMD system is designed to defend the United States against a surprise missile attack from a country like Iran or North Korea. However, the system has failed to intercept mock enemy warheads about half of the time.

Despite this dismal failure rate, the U.S. is searching for new locations to deploy additional GMD interceptors. Numerous locations around the United States are vying for the opportunity, primarily because of the economic stimulus that could come with the $4 billion construction cost. Currently, four GMD interceptors are deployed in California and 30 are deployed in Alaska. A new site would add around 20 more interceptors, with a capacity for up to 60.

A report by the Government Accountability Office said that GMD’s test record has been “insufficient to demonstrate that an operationally useful defense capability exists.” A report by the Union of Concerned Scientists stated that the GMD system is “simply unable to protect the U.S. public.”

David Willman, “The Nation’s Missile Defense System has Serious Flaws. So Why Is the Pentagon Moving to Expand It?” Los Angeles Times, December 13, 2016.

Cost for Cleanup at Hanford Rises Yet Again

The U.S. Department of Energy has reported that the projected cost to clean up highly radioactive sludge at the Hanford Site in Washington State has risen another $4.5 billion to a current projected total of $16.8 billion. The Waste Treatment Plant is now over four times its original budget and more than a decade behind schedule.

Over 56 million gallons of radioactive sludge, currently stored in leaking underground tanks, await the opening of the proposed facility, which will turn the waste into glass. The facility has been under a stop-work order for three years because of serious technical doubts.

Ralph Vartabedian, “The Price Tag for Cleaning Up Nuclear Waste at Hanford Site Just Went Up Another $4.5 Billion,” Los Angeles Times, December 16, 2016.

Trump Administration May Face Pressure to Resume Nuclear Testing

With President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Texas governor Rick Perry to head the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), observers are worried that the agency will face pressure to resume full-scale explosive nuclear testing. The U.S. has maintained a moratorium on full-scale nuclear test explosions since 1992, while continuing to conduct computer simulations and “sub-critical” tests.

Many conservative think tanks are calling for a resumption of tests because of fears that the nuclear stockpile is no longer reliable. While the past two Energy Secretaries – Stephen Chu and Ernest Moniz – have significant backgrounds in science and physics, Rick Perry is a politician who famously championed eliminating the DOE during the 2012 presidential campaign.

As the “modernization” of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, begun under President Obama, continues, it is likely that pressure will continue to mount from the right to test the new weapons being produced.

James Glanz, “Rick Perry, as Energy Secretary, May Be Pressed to Resume Nuclear Tests,” The New York Times, December 27, 2016.

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 January, including the January 21, 1968 crash of a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber carrying four 1.1 megaton Mark 28 nuclear bombs.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

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

Don’t Bank on the Bomb

PAX has published an update of its report “Don’t Bank on the Bomb.” The report outlines the companies around the world that produce nuclear weapons, as well as the many institutions that finance the nuclear weapon producers. The report also highlights numerous financial institutions in its “Hall of Fame” for their policies explicitly prohibiting financing nuclear weapon producers.

Read the report at dontbankonthebomb.com to find out if your bank is involved in financing the production of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Ban Treaty Negotiations in 2017

The United Nations will convene negotiations in 2017 on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.” This new international agreement will place nuclear weapons on the same legal footing as other weapons of mass destruction, which have long been outlawed.

The negotiations will take place at UN headquarters in New York from March 27-31 and June 15 – July 7, with the participation of governments, international organizations and civil society representatives.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has published a webpage with more information about the negotiations and frequently-asked questions about the ban treaty process. Click here to view the page.

Command and Control on PBS January 10

Command and Control, the powerful documentary based on the book by Eric Schlosser, is scheduled to air on PBS stations around the United States on Tuesday, January 10.

The documentary recounts a chilling nuclear nightmare that played out at a Titan II missile complex in Arkansas in September, 1980. A worker accidentally dropped a socket, puncturing the fuel tank of an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying the most powerful nuclear warhead in the U.S. arsenal, an incident which ignited a series of feverish efforts to avoid a deadly disaster.

16th Annual Kelly Lecture Features Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s 16th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future will feature legendary Hollywood director Oliver Stone and Professor Peter Kuznick, co-authors of the internationally-acclaimed documentary The Untold History of the United States.

The lecture, entitled “Untold History, Uncertain Future,” will take place on February 23, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Tickets start at $10 and are available here.

For more information about the Kelly Lecture series, click here.

Open Letter to President-elect Trump: Negotiate Nuclear Zero

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has sent an open letter to President-elect Donald Trump, reminding him that, as President of the United States, he will soon have “the grave responsibility of assuring that nuclear weapons are not overtly threatened or used during [his] term of office.”

The Open Letter advises Trump of the U.S. obligation under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to negotiate in good faith for an end to the nuclear arms race and for nuclear disarmament. It explains that nuclear deterrence is based upon on the willingness of political leaders to act rationally under all circumstances, even those of extreme stress. It goes on to say that nuclear proliferation and a renewed nuclear arms race would both make for a far more dangerous world.

Among the signers to the Open Letter are many advisors, board members and staff of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and others, including Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Richard Falk, Oliver Stone and Setsuko Thurlow, to mention just a few.

To add your name to the open letter, click here.

Peace Leadership: 2016 Year In Review

In 2016, NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell reached 5,180 people directly, including 200 college-level educators and 2,550 middle and high school students, through a total of 54 lectures and 16 workshops.

Chappell gave a lecture in August 2016 at the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York. He was the final speaker of their week-long “The Ethical Realities of War” series. The lecture was presented to an audience of 1,200 at the United States’ oldest summer lecture series; the video of this talk is now being used as a teaching tool.

To read more about the accomplishments of the NAPF Peace Leadership Program in 2016, click here.

“If we do not speak for Earth, who will? If we are not committed to our own survival, who will be?”

— Carl Sagan. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“Violence is not the cure for our broken world. Countering violence with violence leads at best to forced migrations and enormous suffering, because vast amounts of resources are diverted to military ends and away from the everyday needs of young people, families experiencing hardship, the elderly, the infirm and the great majority of people in our world. At worst, it can lead to the death, physical and spiritual, of many people, if not of all.”

— Pope Francis, in a message for the 50th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2017.

“Congress must not allow the Tweeter in Chief to unleash a dangerous and costly nuclear arms race.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), in a December 23 post to Twitter.

David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

2016 Evening for Peace Introduction

by David Krieger

By training and profession, Noam Chomsky is one of the world’s leading linguists. By choice and commitment, he is one of the world’s leading advocates of peace with justice. His ongoing analysis of the global dangers confronting humanity is unsurpassed. He is a man who unreservedly speaks truth to power, as well as to the People. Like Socrates, he is a gentle gadfly who does not refrain from challenging authority and authoritarian mindsets.

He is a man who punctures hubris with wisdom. He confronts conformity with critical thinking. He is a dedicated peace educator and his classroom is the world. The Boston Globe calls him “America’s most useful citizen.”

It is an honor to have him with us, and it is my great pleasure, on behalf of the Directors and members of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, to present Noam Chomsky with the Foundation’s 2016 Distinguished Peace Leadership Award.

To read more, click here.

Revolt

by Ray Acheson

The adoption of resolution L.41, establishing a conference in 2017 to negotiate a legally binding treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, represents a meaningful advancement towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. It also represents a revolt of the vast majority of states against the violence, intimidation, and injustice perpetuated by those supporting these weapons of mass destruction.

Revolt, wrote philosopher Albert Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus, is “one of the only coherent philosophical positions…. It challenges the world anew every second.” Camus explored the theme of revolt across many books and novels, finding that struggle not only “gives value to life” but also that it is an obligation, even in the face of adversity, power, and overwhelming odds.

The act of prohibiting nuclear weapons is an act of nonviolent, positive, courageous revolt.

To read more, click here.

Nuclear Weapons – The Time for Abolition Is Now

by Robert Dodge

Nuclear weapons present the greatest public health and existential threat to our survival every moment of every day. Yet the United States and world nuclear nations stand in breach of the 1968 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty which commits these nations to work in good faith to end the arms race and to achieve nuclear disarmament. The rest of the world is finally standing up to this threat to their survival and that of the planet. They are taking matters into their own hands and refusing to be held hostage by the nuclear nations. They will no longer be bullied into sitting back and waiting for the nuclear states to make good on empty promises.

At the United Nations on October 27, 123 nations voted to commence negotiations next year on a new treaty to prohibit the possession of nuclear weapons. Despite President Obama’s own words in his 2009 pledge to seek the security of a world free of nuclear weapons, the U.S. voted “no” and led the opposition to this treaty.

To read more, click here.

United Nations Committee Calls for Outlawing Nuclear Weapons

On October 27, the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for negotiations in 2017 on a “legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.” The vote was 123 nations in favor, 38 opposed, and 16 abstaining.

The United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France and Israel – all of which possess nuclear weapons – opposed the resolution. China, India and Pakistan – also nuclear-armed states – abstained. Most notable among the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations was North Korea, which voted in favor of the resolution.

The resolution was originally sponsored by Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa, but had 55 co-sponsors when it came to a vote. The resolution will now go to a full UN General Assembly vote in December. According to the resolution, negotiations will take place in March, June and July of 2017.

“United Nations Committee Calls for Outlawing Nuclear Weapons,” Associated Press, October 27, 2016.

U.S. Nuclear-Armed Submarine Visits Guam

The USS Pennsylvania, one of the United States’ 14 nuclear-armed submarines, is visiting Guam. A U.S. Navy statement said, “This specific visit to Guam reflects the United States’ commitment to its allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific” region. Other countries in the region – most notably China and North Korea – will undoubtedly view this overt activity with nuclear weapons to be a direct threat.

The USS Pennsylvania carries 24 Trident II D-5 missiles, each of which can carry multiple independently targeted nuclear warheads. Each nuclear warhead on board is many times more powerful than the atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Barbara Starr and Brad Lendon, “U.S. Sends Message to Adversaries with Nuclear Sub Visit, Drills,” CNN, November 1, 2016.

Air Force Wins Golden Fleece Award for Refusing to Disclose Costs of New Nuclear Bomber

Taxpayers for Common Sense has awarded the U.S. Air Force the “Golden Fleece Award” for refusing to release the overall costs of the B-21 bomber program. The B-21 is intended to be a new delivery vehicle for the Air Force’s nuclear weapons.

Refusing to release the overall costs, the Air Force argues that doing so would give too much information about the proposed nuclear bomber to U.S. adversaries. Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “I am having a difficult time understanding how the public disclosure of a single contract award value funded from an unclassified budget request is going to give the enemy more information on the capabilities of a new bomber than what the Air Force has already disclosed. All I can see is that keeping it a secret deprives the American taxpayer of the transparency and accountability they deserve.”

“Golden Fleece: The Air Force B-21 Raider Attack on Your Wallet,” Taxpayers for Common Sense, October 4, 2016.

Watchdog Groups Call for New Environmental Impact Statement at Nuclear Weapons Facility

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance and Nuclear Watch New Mexico sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz calling for a new Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Y-12 is a manufacturing plant that produces the thermonuclear cores (secondaries) for U.S. nuclear warheads and bombs.

In August 2016, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) gave itself the green light to proceed with construction of the Uranium Processing Facility, a bomb plant originally intended to replace aging facilities. However, the letter notes, a new Environmental Impact Statement is required when “there are substantial changes to the proposal or significant new circumstances of information relevant to environmental concerns.”

“This is about safety — protection of workers, the public and the environment,” said OREPA coordinator Ralph Hutchison. “When it comes to nuclear weapons materials, there can be no shortcuts. They (NNSA) have changed their plan significantly, and the law requires them to re-do the environmental analysis. It’s as simple as that.”

“Watchdogs Call for New Environmental Impact Study for Nuclear Bomb Plant,” Nuclear Watch New Mexico, October 28, 2016.

Russia Suspends Nuclear Agreements with U.S.

Russia has backed out of three nuclear agreements with the United States in the latest indications of rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. Russia and the United States together possess over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons.

Perhaps the most significant agreement that the Russians have backed out of is the plan to “dispose of” 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium. Russia also backed out of an agreement to cooperate on nuclear- and energy-related scientific research, as well as an agreement to work together to convert six Russian research reactors to use low-enriched uranium.

In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush unilaterally abrogated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which has led to the development and deployment of U.S. missile defense systems in Europe.

Lidia Kelly, “Russia Suspends Nuclear Agreement, Ends Uranium Research Pact with United States,” Reuters, October 5, 2016.

Sequestration Could Threaten Nuclear Modernization Plans

Frank Klotz, head of the United States’ National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), stated that if Congress does not ease budget caps for the coming year, “all bets are off” for nuclear weapons modernization programs. Klotz was advocating for an exemption to budget restraints, similar to what NNSA has received in the past two budget cycles. NNSA has oversight of the development, maintenance and disposal of nuclear warheads.

The United States is in the midst of a planned 30-year, $1 trillion “modernization” effort to upgrade its nuclear arsenal, delivery systems and production infrastructure. Klotz said, “God forbid if sequestration rears its ugly head again, [all bets are] doubly off.”

Aaron Mehta, “NNSA Head: ‘All Bets Are Off’ for Warhead Modernization Under Sequestration,” Defense News, October 4, 2016.

Marshall Islands Can’t Sue the World’s Nuclear Powers, International Court of Justice Rules

On October 5, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest court, declared that the Court does not have jurisdiction in lawsuits filed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands against the United Kingdom, India and Pakistan. The decisions focused only on the question of jurisdiction and did not address the merits of the cases.

The judges voted 8-8 on the question of jurisdiction in the case of the Marshall Islands vs. the United Kingdom. Judge Ronny Abraham of France, President of the Court, issued the casting vote in favor of the United Kingdom’s position that the ICJ lacks jurisdiction.

Phon van den Biesen, Co-Agent of the Marshall Islands in the cases, said, ““We are extremely disappointed. The court is very divided and turned down the case on a microformality. It’s difficult to understand that it finds no jurisdiction even when the parties have ‘opposite views.’ The opposing views on nuclear weapons are obvious to anyone.”

Marlise Simons, “Marshall Islands Can’t Sue the World’s Nuclear Powers, UN Court Rules,” The New York Times, October 5, 2016.

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 24, 1961 incident in which all communication links between Strategic Air Command and NORAD went dead, leading officials to assume a full-scale Soviet nuclear attack was underway.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

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

My Journey at the Nuclear Brink

On October 24, 2016, William Perry, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, delivered a lecture at All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City. The event, co-sponsored by Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task Force, and Peace Action New York State, was based on Secretary Perry’s recent book entitled My Journey at the Nuclear Brink.

Click here to access a video of the event.

Nuclear Disarmament: The Missing Link in Multilateralism

In a new paper for Chatham House, Patricia Lewis, Beyza Unal and Sasan Aghlani outline the connections between nuclear disarmament and some of the key issues facing humanity today. So far, enormous effort has been invested in tackling these challenges; for example, in climate change prevention and mitigation, socio-economic development, and establishing and implementing the rule of law. Furthermore, recent efforts over the protection of cultural heritage in conflict, stemming the rise of terrorism, developing cybersecurity, understanding gendered impacts and addressing urgent public health issues have all benefited from energized governmental and non-governmental diplomatic actions.

To download a copy of the paper, click here.

Science and Society

An updated and enlarged edition of the book Science and Society, by John Scales Avery, will be published this month by World Scientific. The book was developed by Avery as a text for a class he was teaching at the University of Copenhagen about the vast social consequences of scientific and technological progress. The sections of the course dealing with modern times addressed topics such as genetic engineering, nuclear weapons, sustainability and climate change.

For more information and a link to order the book at a discount, click here.

Noam Chomsky Receives NAPF Distinguished Peace Leadership Award

Noam Chomsky was honored with NAPF’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award at this year’s Evening for Peace on October 23 in Santa Barbara, California.

A capacity crowd of over 300 people, including 100 students from local high schools and universities, attended the event. Video and photos of the event will be available here by mid-November.

Thanks to all of the generous sponsors, attendees and volunteers who made this memorable event possible.

Symposium: The Fierce Urgency of Nuclear Zero

On October 24-25, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation hosted a symposium with leading nuclear disarmament academics and activists. The symposium, entitled “The Fierce Urgency of Nuclear Zero: Changing the Discourse,” was an intimate brainstorming session designed to elicit new and innovative thinking on how to arrive at nuclear zero.

There was general agreement that a nuclear war poses an existential threat to humankind and that the warning sirens are now sounding.  There is hope that such a war can be avoided, but that hope, while necessary, is not sufficient to end the nuclear threat now facing humanity and other forms of complex life on the planet.  Hope must be joined with action to end the nuclear weapons era in order to abolish nuclear weapons before they abolish us.

Click here to view selected items from the symposium. In the coming weeks, we will be adding more photos, video and audio of symposium sessions.

Peace Literacy Skills at Quantico Marine Corps Base Middle/High School

At the Quantico Marine Corps Base Middle/High School in Quantico, VA, the Parent Educator Association (PEA) invited NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell to address their Model UN class and an assembly of 8th grade and high school students, teachers, and administrators.

Helene Brown, PEA chair and married to a Marine with two sons in the school, said, “Paul really impressed them with how different our world is today in terms of freedom and equality, providing us hope for our future. Many were also impressed by how different things can be even in different parts of the world.”

“As a child in school, I spent many years learning to read and write, but I did not learn peace literacy skills,” Chappell said. “The ideals and skills I use to wage peace I learned in the military.”

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

“We must teach an elemental truth: that status and prestige belong not to those who possess nuclear weapons, but to those who reject them.”

— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“As others prepare for war, we must prepare for peace. We must answer the mindless call to arms with a thoughtful, soulful call to resist the coming build up for war. A new, resolute peace movement must arise, become visible and challenge those who would make war inevitable.”

— Dennis Kucinich, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I am deeply convinced that a nuclear weapon-free world is not a utopia, but an imperative necessity. We need to constantly remind world leaders of this goal and of their commitment. As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is a danger that someday they will be used: as a result either of accident or technical failure, or of evil intent of man – an insane person or terrorist. We must therefore reaffirm the goal of prohibiting and eliminating nuclear weapons.”

— Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, in a speech marking the 30th anniversary of the Reykjavik Summit.

David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

The Simple Act of Pushing a Button

by David Krieger

“Since the appearance of visible life on Earth, 380 million years had to elapse in order for a butterfly to learn how to fly, 180 million years to create a rose with no other commitment than to be beautiful, and four geological eras in order for us human beings to be able to sing better than birds, and to be able to die from love. It is not honorable for the human talent, in the golden age of science, to have conceived the way for such an ancient and colossal process to return to the nothingness from which it came through the simple act of pushing a button.”

I recently came across this quotation by the great Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and recipient of the 1982 Nobel Prize for Literature. The quotation is from a 1986 speech by Garcia Marquez entitled “The Cataclysm of Damocles.” In the short quotation, he captures what needs to be said about nuclear weapons succinctly, poetically and beautifully. With a few deft literary brushstrokes, he shows that the journey of life from nothingness to now could be ended with no more than “the simple act of pushing a button.”

To read more, click here.

Banning Nuclear Weapons Is Crucial for Global Health

by Ira Helfand, Tilman Ruff, Michael Marmot, Frances Hughes and Michael Moore

Before this year ends, the United Nations general assembly can take a decisive step toward ending one of the most urgent threats to public health and human survival in the world today. UN member states can and must mandate negotiations on a new treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons.

Banning and eliminating nuclear weapons is a high global health priority. The general assembly has the opportunity to move us towards this critical goal. It must not fail to act.

To read more, click here.

Statement from the Holy See on Nuclear Abolition Day

by Archbishop Bernadito Auza

My delegation believes that nuclear arms offer a false sense of security, and that the uneasy peace promised by nuclear deterrence is a tragic illusion. Nuclear weapons cannot create for us a stable and secure world. Peace and international stability cannot be founded on mutually assured destruction or on the threat of total annihilation. The Holy See believes that peace cannot be solely the maintaining of a balance of power. On the contrary, as Pope Francis affirmed, “Peace must be built on justice, socio-economic development, freedom, respect for human rights, the participation of all in public affairs and the building of trust between peoples.”

Lasting peace thus requires that all must strive for progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. For our own good and that of future generations, we have no reasonable or moral option other than the abolition of nuclear weapons.

To read more, click here.

Non-Nuclear States Push for Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons

On September 28, six countries introduced a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly urging the commencement of negotiations in 2017 for a treaty banning nuclear weapons. The six countries – Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa – are urging countries “to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons.”

The draft resolution “calls upon States participating in the conference to make their best endeavours to conclude as soon as possible a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.”

Many nuclear-armed nations have expressed outright animosity toward this nuclear disarmament effort. Anita Friedt, a high-ranking official in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, said that the United States believes “pursuit of such a ban is unrealistic and simply impractical” and “could actually end up harming” broader, tangible efforts toward disarmament.

A vote is expected around the end of October.

Jamey Keaten, “Non-Nuclear States Advance Push for UN Treaty to Ban Nukes,” Associated Press, September 28, 2016.

UN Security Council Adopts U.S.-Drafted Resolution Against Nuclear Testing

On September 23, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution introduced by the United States calling on all countries to end nuclear weapons testing. The resolution coincides with the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. and a few other nuclear-capable countries have not ratified.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate expressed outrage over the move, saying that it aimed to sidestep the authority of the Senate to ratify international treaties. Many Republicans threatened to withhold the $32 million per year that the U.S. contributes to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization if the vote went ahead.

Kambiz Foroohar, “UN Adopts U.S.-Drafted Plea for Stalled Nuclear Test Treaty,” Bloomberg, September 23, 2016.

Sen. Markey and Rep. Lieu Introduce Bills on No First Use

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) have introduced bills into the Senate and House of Representatives that would eliminate the ability of the President to conduct a nuclear first strike without an explicit declaration of war from Congress.

Rep. Lieu said, “Our Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew the President could launch a massive, potentially civilization-ending military strike without authorization from Congress. Our Constitution created a government based on checks and balances and gave the power to declare war solely to the people’s representatives. A nuclear first strike, which can kill hundreds of millions of people and invite a retaliatory strike that can destroy America, is war. The current nuclear launch approval process, which gives the decision to potentially end civilization as we know it to a single individual, is flatly unconstitutional. I am proud to introduce the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2016 with Sen. Markey to realign our nation’s nuclear weapons launch policy with the Constitution.”

“Congressman Lieu & Senator Markey Introduce the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act,” Office of Rep. Ted Lieu, September 27, 2016.

North Korea Conducts Fifth Nuclear Test

On September 9, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear weapon test, thought to be its most powerful yet. The blast registered a 5.0 on the Richter scale, leading experts to believe that the explosive yield was around 10 kilotons. For comparison, the atomic bomb that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, had an explosive yield of approximately 15 kilotons.

Click here to read a statement from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation about North Korea’s most recent test.

Choe Sang-Hun and Jane Perlez, “North Korea Tests a Mightier Nuclear Bomb, Raising Tension,” The New York Times, September 8, 2016.

New Poll Shows 58 Percent of South Koreans Favor Nuclear Armament

A poll conducted by Gallup Korea of 1,010 South Koreans in September found that 58 percent support the idea of the country developing its own nuclear weapons in response to North Korea’s nuclear program. While only 39 percent of people in their 20s supported the idea, three quarters of those aged 60 and above were in support.

“Nearly 60 pct of S. Koreans Support Nuclear Armament: Poll,” Yonhap News Agency, September 23, 2016.

Women Encourage a Peace Treaty to End Korean War

A group of 100 prominent women from 38 countries has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to fulfill his promise to seek a permanent end to the Korean War. The letter urges Ban to “initiate a peace process, together with the UN Security Council president, to replace the 1953 armistice agreement with a binding peace treaty to end the Korean War.”

The letter was organized by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, along with Women Cross DMZ.

“Leading Female Activists Petition UN Chief to Pursue Korea Peace Treaty,” The Japan Times, September 28, 2016.

U.S. Airmen Propose Names for New Nuclear-Armed Bomber

The U.S. Air Force recently held a contest among airmen to find a name for its proposed new B21 nuclear-armed bomber aircraft. With cost estimates already reaching $100 billion, many of the anonymously-submitted entries addressed the outrageous cost. Entries included: Money Pit; Waste of Money; Bombastic Boondoggle; Fundsucker; Hole In the Sky to Throw Money Into; and You Won’t Believe How Much This Cost You in Taxes.

Jacqueline Klimas, “From Trumpnator to Princess Sparklepony: Here Are the 4,600 Names Submitted for the Air Force Bomber Contest,” Washington Examiner, September 22, 2016.

UK Nuclear Weapon Convoys Regularly Involved in Mishaps

Military convoys that transport British nuclear weapons through UK cities and towns have been involved in 180 mishaps in 16 years, according to a new report by Rob Edwards.

Matt Hawkins, spokesman for ICAN-UK, said the report “painted a grim picture of the great risks posed by nuclear convoys,” and that nuclear weapons “only add danger to our lives, exposing us all to the risk of radiation leaks or an attack by terrorists on one of these convoys.”

Rob Evans, “UK Nuclear Weapons Convoys ‘Have Had 180 Mishaps in 16 Years,’” The Guardian, September 21, 2016.

U.S. Defense Secretary Goes On Whirlwind Nuclear Modernization Tour

In September, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visited numerous sites integral to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. On a visit to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Secretary Carter said, “If we don’t replace these systems, quite simply they will age even more, and become unsafe, unreliable, and ineffective.” He continued, “So it’s not a choice between replacing these platforms or keeping them … it’s really a choice between replacing them or losing them.”

Carter also visited Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, where he spoke to members of the military as well as civilians involved in the design and production of nuclear weapons. Carter said, “The nuclear mission is the bedrock of American security….It is what everything else rests upon.”

Aaron Mehta, “Carter: Nuclear Triad ‘Bedrock of Our Security,’” Defense News, September 26, 2016.

International Court of Justice to Deliver Judgments on October 5

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver its judgments on preliminary issues in the three Marshall Islands’ nuclear disarmament cases against India, Pakistan and the United Kingdom on October 5 at 10:00 a.m. local time in The Hague. The judgments will be read in open court.

In all three cases the Court is to address and decide questions of jurisdiction and admissibility. If these questions are decided in favor of the Marshall Islands, the cases will go forward to the merits stage. If the Court decides against the Marshall Islands in any of the cases, the litigation in that case will be ended.

The judgments will be livestreamed on the ICJ website starting at 10:00 a.m. (4:00 a.m. Eastern, 1:00 a.m. Pacific). Click here for a link to the livestream.

“International Court of Justice to Deliver Judgments on Preliminary Issues in Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Disarmament Cases on October 5 at 10:00 a.m.,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, September 28, 2016.

October’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is Groundswell, the new blog from Peace Action. The blog aims to inform, engage and mobilize readers concerned about a wide range of peace issues.

Recent titles include “Saudi Arms Deal Under Fire,” “Whose Finger? On What Button?” and “Grassroots Campaign Has Made Cluster Bombs Unprofitable.”

Click here to read the blog.

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 October 27, 1969 incident in which President Nixon ordered 18 B-52 bombers to fly with dozens of hydrogen bombs to the eastern border of the Soviet Union. Part of Nixon’s “Madman Strategy,” this was one of the most destabilizing instances of saber-rattling of the Cold War.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

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

Noam Chomsky to Receive NAPF Distinguished Peace Leadership Award

Noam Chomsky, one of the greatest minds of our time, will be honored with NAPF’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award at this year’s Evening for Peace on Sunday, October 23, in Santa Barbara, California.

We’re calling the evening NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH because that’s what Chomsky is about– truth. He believes humanity faces two major challenges: the continued threat of nuclear war and the crisis of ecological catastrophe. To hear him on these issues will be highly memorable. Importantly, he offers a way forward to a more hopeful and just world. We are pleased to honor him with our award.

The annual Evening for Peace includes a festive reception, live entertainment, dinner and an award presentation. It is attended by many Santa Barbara leaders and includes a large contingent of sponsored students.

For more information and tickets, click here.

Fourth Graders and Peace Literacy

During the 2016 International Day of Peace (September 21), NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell shared Peace Literacy concepts with fourth graders at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The goal for the new NAPF Peace Literacy initiative is to become part of the curriculum for elementary, secondary, and higher education. Chappell explains this urgent need: “As a child in school I spent many years learning to read and write, but I did not learn peace literacy skills. For example, I was never taught how to resolve conflict, calm myself down, calm others down, or deal with the root causes of problems.”

To read more about Paul’s trip to Hawaii, click here. To learn more about Peace Literacy, click here.

Poetry Contest Winners Announced

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has announced the winners of its 2016 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards. This annual contest invites poets to “explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit.” Click here to read this year’s winning poems.

To find out more about the poetry contest, including the winning poems from all years of the contest and information on the 2017 contest, click here.

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

— Mother Teresa. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“Let us pledge to work for the total elimination of nuclear weapons with urgency and a sense of collective purpose. Our very survival depends upon it.”

— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaking on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (September 26).

“Recent Gallup polls show US public opinion of Russia is at a post–Cold War low, with 65–70 percent of Americans having an unfavorable opinion of the Kremlin. While much of this is certainly informed by real-world actions (Russia’s annexation of Crimea, its bombing of Syrian rebels), the corollary media panic perfectly captured by this 60 Minutes segment—portraying everything Russia does in the worst light possible, and everything the United States does as noble and justified—goes a long way to compounding these fears. And in doing so, making any type of future nuclear de-escalation that much less politically viable.”

— Adam H. Johnson, in an article in The Nation criticizing 60 Minutes for its reporting on the threat of nuclear war.

David Krieger
Mitchell McMahon
Kristian Rolland
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

Ten Worst Acts of the Nuclear Age

by David Krieger

The ten worst acts of the Nuclear Age described below have set the tone for our time. They have caused immense death and suffering; been tremendously expensive; have encouraged nuclear proliferation; have opened the door to nuclear terrorism, nuclear accidents and nuclear war; and are leading the world back into a second Cold War. These “ten worst acts” are important information for anyone attempting to understand the time in which we live, and how the nuclear dangers that confront us have been intensified by the leadership and policy choices made by the United States and the other eight nuclear-armed countries.

To read more, click here.

The Pentagon’s Real Strategy: Keeping the Money Flowing

by Andrew Cockburn

After 15 years of grinding war with no obvious end in sight, U.S. military operations certainly deserve such obloquy. But the pundit outrage may be misplaced. Focusing on Washington rather than on distant war zones, it becomes clear that the military establishment does indeed have a strategy, a highly successful one, which is to protect and enhance its own prosperity.

Ongoing and dramatic programs to invest vast sums in meaningless, useless, or superfluous weapons systems are the norm. There is no more striking example of this than current plans to rebuild the entire American arsenal of nuclear weapons in the coming decades, Obama’s staggering bequest to the budgets of his successors.

To read more, click here.

U.S. Conference of Mayors Unanimously Passes Nuclear Disarmament Resolution

The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), for the 11th consecutive year, adopted a strong resolution in support of nuclear disarmament. The USCM “calls on the next President of the United States, in good faith, to participate in or initiate… multilateral negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons as required by the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.”

The resolution commends President Obama for visiting Hiroshima and concluding negotiations with Iran, but notes that “the Obama Administration has laid the groundwork for the United States to spend one trillion dollars over the next three decades to maintain and modernize its nuclear bombs and warheads, production facilities, delivery systems, and command and control,” and that “federal funds are desperately needed in our communities to build affordable housing, create jobs with livable wages, improve public transit, and develop sustainable energy sources.” The USCM “calls on the next President and Congress of the United States to reduce nuclear weapons spending to the minimum necessary to assure the safety and security of the existing weapons as they await disablement and dismantlement, and to redirect those funds to address the urgent needs of cities and rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.”

Jackie Cabasso, “U.S. Conference of Mayors Unanimously Adopts Resolution,” Mayors for Peace, June 28, 2016.

Largest Concentration of Nuclear Weapons Just 20 Miles from Seattle

For the next eight weeks, fourteen Seattle busses will warn the city’s public of their close proximity to the largest nuclear weapons complex in the United States, Naval Base Kitsap. The bus advertisements ‒ purchased by local peace group, Ground Zero for Nonviolent Action ‒ were produced to bring public attention to the construction of a new underground nuclear storage complex. Located at the Strategic Weapons Facility, Pacific (SWFPAC), the new complex was constructed only 20 miles from downtown Seattle.

Though construction of the facility was completed in 2012, the cost of the facility ‒ $294 million ‒ and its explosive power ‒ over 14,000 Hiroshimas ‒ has escaped public attention. The underground complex was designed to better protect nuclear weapons that were before stored in aboveground igloos and bunkers.

Hans Kristensen, “Navy Builds Underground Nuclear Weapons Storage Facility; Seattle Busses Carry Warning,” Federation of American Scientists, June 27, 2016.

Scientists Call for End to Hair-Trigger Alert

Over 90 prominent scientists, including many Nobel Laureates, have sent a letter to President Obama, calling for action on nuclear weapons. The coalition of scientists is urging President Obama to take U.S. land-based missiles off “hair-trigger alert,” which enables their rapid launch. Keeping these weapons on hair-trigger alert allows for potentially reckless behavior, a lack of time constraints leading to swift and impulsive decision-making. The letter, sent on June 21, categorizes the risk of hair-trigger-alert as “unacceptably high.”

The policy of hair-trigger alert can be traced back to the Cold War. It was, in its time, a practice used for immediate retaliation for Soviet attacks against the U.S. and vice-versa. When the fear of a first-strike attack was in the minds of all, a swift response would have been necessary (as was claimed at the time). However, the outdated practice is now the cause for growing concern. There have been a wealth of problems associated with hair-trigger alert — false alarms, human error, and technical failures all being cited as causes for near-use. Ambiguity associated with sensors is also great reason for concern, both Russia and the U.S. coming frighteningly close to launching based on misinterpreted data.

Lisbeth Gronlund, “Top Scientists Call for Obama to Take Nuclear Missiles off Hair-Trigger Alert,” Union of Concerned Scientists, June 22, 2016.

Brexit Vote Will Not Affect U.S.-UK Nuclear Weapons Partnership

The United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union will not affect the UK-U.S. nuclear relationship, according to Vice Adm. Terry Benedict, director of the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs. He expressed no concern regarding the recent vote and is confident that nuclear weapons collaboration will continue.

The U.S. and UK have maintained a “special relationship” for decades. The two countries claim that this special relationship permits them to share nuclear weapons systems and technology. The U.S. currently leases Trident II D5 missiles to the UK to use on its Vanguard class nuclear-armed submarines.

The two navies are currently working on developing missile compartments for planned replacement nuclear-armed submarines. The new submarines would be deployed through the 2080s.

Otto Kreisher, “Benedict: UK Exit from European Union Won’t Hinder Nuclear Sub Collaboration,” USNI News, June 24, 2016.

Biden Says Japan Could Go Nuclear “Virtually Overnight”

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told Chinese President Xi Jinping that Japan has the ability to develop nuclear weapons overnight. This statement was made as a tactic to urge President Xi to influence North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons program.

In response, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko said at a news conference in Tokyo that Japan “can never possess nuclear weapons.” Seko said the three non-nuclear principles of not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on Japanese territory are an important basic policy of the Japanese government.

“Japan Could Get Nuclear Weapons ‘Virtually Overnight,’ Biden Tells Xi,” Kyodo, June 24, 2016.

North Korea Conducts Missile Tests

In June, North Korea conducted two controversial missile tests. The first launch failed, while the second missile landed 400 kilometers from the launch site, sinking into the ocean near Japan’s exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from the Japanese coast.

Believed to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile that can fly up to 4,000 kilometers, this weapon could strike Japan or Guam. B-52 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons are hosted by the U.S. military in Guam. The Japanese Defense Ministry states that the Musudan can fly faster than the previous-generation Rodong mid-range ballistic missile, raising concerns that its defense may not be able to intercept the Musudan in the event that Japan is targeted.

The UN Security Council released a statement condemning the tests, saying, “The members of the Security Council deplore all DPRK ballistic missile activities noting that such activities contribute to the DPRK’s development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension.” The permanent five members of the UN Security Council (United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France and China) regularly test nuclear-capable missiles without UN Security Council comment.

“N. Korea Missile Landed ‘In Target Zone’ Outside EEZ,” The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 24, 2016.

TEPCO Head Apologizes for Fukushima Meltdown Coverup

Over five years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant crisis began, TEPCO President Naomi Hirose publicly apologized for his predecessor’s order to not use the phrase “core meltdown” in March 2011. A report revealed that TEPCO’s then-President Masataka Shimizu told the vice president to instead use the euphemistic phrase “core damage” to describe the conditions of the crippled reactors. TEPCO continued to use the less serious phrase “core damage” for two months, until finally using the term “meltdown” in May 2011.

Mr. Hirose said, “It is extremely regrettable. People are justified in thinking it as a coverup.”

TEPCO’s internal manual considered a meltdown as damage to more than five percent of the fuel. However, TEPCO initially did not address it as a meltdown even when the March 2011 report indicated that the event damaged 25 to 55 percent of the fuel rods.

“Tepco Head Apologizes for 3/11 Ban Issued on ‘Meltdown’,” Kyodo, June 21, 2016.

California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant to Close by 2025

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) has announced that it will close the two reactors at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and, in their place, will develop more solar, wind, and other clean power sources. Located along the ocean cliffs of Avila Beach, Diablo Canyon has provided electricity for more than 1.7 million homes in Central and Northern California.

Various groups such as Friends of the Earth collaborated with PG&E to reach an agreement that the power plant will be closed after the current operating licenses expire in November 2024 and August 2025. This deal will contribute to California’s goal of generating 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Ivan Penn and Samantha Masunaga, “PG&E to Close Diablo Canyon, California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2016.

Five More Added to Drug Probe at Air Force Nuclear Base

Five more airmen are under investigation for illegal drug activity at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. The total number of airmen under investigation for illegal drug activity has now reached 19.

All airmen under investigation are members of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base. The base manages 150 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. Sixteen of the airmen are responsible for securing Minuteman III missile fields in Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska as well as transportation oversight of the missiles.

Robert Burns, “5 Added to Drug Probe at Air Force Nuclear Base,” Associated Press, June 15, 2016.

Fifty Years Later, U.S. Air Force Still in Denial Over Palomares Nuclear Accident

In 1966, an aircraft accident above the Spanish coast set four hydrogen bombs plummeting into the small farming village of Palomares. The U.S. Air Force – responsible for the B-52 bomber handling the weapons – would waste no time making sure “one of the biggest nuclear accidents in history” was swept under the rug. Though many of the 1,600 veterans recruited for the cleanup would go on to report the agonizing effects of plutonium poisoning – cancers, blood diseases, tremors, neurological disorders – they would find themselves cleansed from Air Force medical records.

Fifty years later, many veterans report segments of their medical documentation missing and have begun speaking out. Accounts of Geiger counters showing high levels of radioactivity at the site have emerged, and many veterans report having been instructed to pick up radioactive fragments with their bare hands. Though their stories and suffering bodies remain potent evidence of the fallout released during the 1966 crash, many veterans still find themselves barred access to medical treatment, by an Air Force that disputes their claims of exposure.

The Spanish people of Palomares have also been affected by the accident. The area is still contaminated by plutonium released during the 1966 crash. Although in 2015 the United States agreed to clean up the remaining plutonium, currently no plan of action exists and all operations remain at a standstill.

Dave Philipps, “Decades Later, Sickness Among Airmen After a Hydrogen Bomb Accident,” The New York Times, June 19, 2016.

Nuclear Security Firm Employed Orlando Shooter

Omar Mateen, the man who killed 49 people at a Florida nightclub last month, worked for the company G4 Security Solutions (G4S) for nine years. G4S is a private security firm that has “partnered with more than 90 percent of U.S. nuclear facilities.” The firm employed Mateen for nine years, arming him with a gun despite warnings from co-workers that he claimed connections with Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and the Boston Marathon bombers. Mateen also landed himself on the FBI’s terrorist watch list for threatening a local sheriff. Though G4S was ordered to fire the unstable security guard, Mateen was instead transferred to another post where he retained his license to carry a gun.

Although G4S claims they were unaware of Mateen’s presence on the FBI’s terrorist watchlist, this is not the first time that the company has been charged with security negligence. In 2006, G4S guards at the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station in Florida were reported sleeping on the job. A year later, 12 security guards from the company were videotaped sleeping at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania. In 2012, the Y-12 National Security Complex  ‒ “protected” by G4S security guards ‒ was broken into by three peace activists, including an 82-year-old nun. Investigations following the incident found broken security cameras, and that G4S guards ignored all alarms that sounded.

Eric Schlosser, “The Security Firm that Employed the Orlando Shooter Protects American Nuclear Facilities,” The New Yorker, June 27, 2016.

Amidst Opposition, Long Range Standoff Warhead Moves Ahead

Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, attempted to amend the 2017 defense authorization bill by proposing a $75.8 million cut to the proposed Long Range Standoff Warhead (LRSO). Unfortunately, his efforts were undercut by Democrats and Republicans alike, with his amendment failing 159-261.

There is also important opposition to the LRSO in the Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) recently published an op-ed in The New York Times entitled “A Nuclear Weapon That America Doesn’t Need.” In it, she raised three questions that should have been addressed in the initial stages of LRSO research and development: Does the military need a new cruise missile? What role will it serve? What are the costs? Critical analysis of the LRSO plan is crucial, seeing as investment itself could be interpreted as aggressive rather than an act of deterrence.

Feinstein called on “Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to…provide Congress with an analysis of alternatives to this missile. In particular, we want to know if the Defense Department has studied whether existing nuclear and conventional weapons are sufficient to strike enemy targets. He should also certify that the sole objective of the weapon is nuclear deterrence. We want to eliminate any ambiguity that this new missile would be an offensive weapon. And he should provide a public cost estimate. If taxpayers are expected to foot the bill, the price should not be shrouded in secrecy.”

Joe Gould and Aaron Mehta, “After Nuclear Missile Loss, Dems Vow to Keep Fighting,” Defense News, June 25, 2016.

Strategic Deterrent Coalition Meets in New Mexico

Admiral Cecil D. Haney, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, promoted the $1 trillion “modernization” of the U.S. nuclear arsenal at the 2016 Strategic Deterrent Coalition Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Speaking to over 250 academics, military officials, contractors, and defense employees, Haney cited the age of current U.S. nuclear weapons as problematic. “We’re fast approaching the point where having an effective nuclear deterrent will be put at risk [if the weapons are not modernized],” he said.

Haney called for a robust nuclear modernization program in response to the actions of Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. He did not address whether he thinks that U.S. nuclear modernization is spurring a nuclear arms race with the other nuclear-armed nations, nor whether he believes that nuclear weapons can effectively deter non-state actors such as ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Charles Brunt, “U.S. Must Maintain Nuclear Capability, Commander Warns,” Albuquerque Journal, June 22, 2016.

Marshall Islands’ Lawsuits Get Coverage in France

France is one of the nine nuclear-armed nations sued by the Republic of the Marshall Islands at the International Court of Justice for breaches of international law that require negotiations for an end to the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament. France does not accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, and has thus far declined to accept the jurisdiction of the Court in this particular case.

For French-speaking readers of The Sunflower, Jean-Marie Collin, director of the French section of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, has written an excellent article in Le Monde Diplomatique, a widely-read journal in France about diplomacy and international affairs.

Jean-Marie Collin, “La Bombe Juridique des Iles Marshall Contre les Puissances Nucléaires,” Le Monde Diplomatique, June 2016.

20th Anniversary of World Court Advisory Opinion

July 8 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the illegality of nuclear weapons. The 1996 Advisory Opinion has played a large role in the Marshall Islands’ cases against the United Kingdom, India and Pakistan that are currently before the ICJ.

The Advisory Opinion states in part, “There exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control.” To read the full opinion, click here.

In Sydney, Australia, from July 6-8, there will be an International Peoples Tribunal on the Nuclear Powers and the Destruction of Human Civilization. The tribunal will examine nuclear weapons policies of the nine nuclear-armed countries, outline the risks and consequences of nuclear weapons use, and apply current law to these policies to determine legality.

July’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is chomsky.info. While not a blog in the traditional sense, the site contains links to numerous recent articles by Noam Chomsky, including “Rogue States and Nuclear Dangers,” and “The Doomsday Clock, Nuclear Weapons, Climate Change, and the Prospects for Survival.”

Noam Chomsky is a member of the NAPF Advisory Council, and will receive the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s 2016 Distinguished Peace Leadership Award in Santa Barbara on October 23.

Click here to visit the site.

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 July, including the July 28, 1957 incident in which two Mark V hydrogen bombs on board a U.S. Air Force plane were intentionally dropped in the Atlantic Ocean 50-75 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, never to be recovered. The plane was experiencing mechanical trouble and had to shed weight in order not to crash.

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 Employment Implications of Canceling Trident Replacement

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has published a new report about the employment implications if the United Kingdom decides not to replace its Trident nuclear weapons system. The report, written by economist Michael Burke, reveals the significant potential for industrial development and jobs creation in the UK if the £205 billion planned for Trident is invested elsewhere in the economy.

The report states: “It is also argued that the current [nuclear weapons] system and its replacement provide civilian jobs, some of them highly-skilled and well paid, many in deprived areas where alternative employment of the same quality is scarce. While this is true, the extent of this job creation is tiny relative to the sums involved. In effect, they are among the most costly jobs in history.”

To read the full report, click here.

Nuclear Heartland: A Guide to the 450 Land-Based Missiles of the United States

Buried beneath the “Land of the Free” are 450 land-based nuclear missiles that hold American democracy and the future of humanity hostage. Hidden from the public eye, the dangers of the Nuclear Age are eclipsed by a perception of safety – ushered into the American consciousness by a small group of beneficiaries. Twenty-seven years after its initial release, Nukewatch’s Nuclear Heartland, revised edition, serves as a chilling reminder that hundreds of indiscriminate weapons still lurk beneath the surface of American soil. These “metal gods” wait patiently out of sight for a signal that would plunge our world into a state of total destruction.

To read the full book review by NAPF summer intern Ricky Frawley, click here.

NAPF 2015 Annual Report Now Available

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s 2015 Annual Report is now available online. The report includes an interview with 2015 summer intern McKenna Jacquemet, a recent graduate of Hendrix College, who talks about how her experience at NAPF has helped to shape her future. The report also summarizes NAPF’s advocacy and outreach programs, including the Peace Leadership Program, public events, and our work at the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.

To download a copy of the report, click here.

Paul K. Chappell to Speak on Ethical Realities of War at Chautauqua Institution

Paul K. Chappell, NAPF Peace Leadership Director and West Point graduate who served as a captain in Iraq, has been invited by the Chautauqua Institution to be the final speaker for their week-long summer series on “The Ethical Realities of War.” This closing lecture will take place in Chautauqua, New York, on the afternoon of August 19, 2016 in the Hall of Philosophy, an outdoor venue that can seat up to 1,400 people.

To read more about this prestigious event, click here.

Noam Chomsky to Receive NAPF Distinguished Peace Leadership Award

Noam Chomsky, one of the greatest minds of our time, will be our Distinguished Peace Leadership honoree at this year’s Evening for Peace on Sunday, October 23, in Santa Barbara, California.

We’re calling the evening NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH because that’s what Chomsky is about– truth. He believes humanity faces two major challenges: the continued threat of nuclear war and the crisis of ecological catastrophe. To hear him on these issues will be highly memorable. Importantly, he offers a way forward to a more hopeful and just world. We are very proud to honor him with our award.

The annual Evening for Peace includes a festive reception, live entertainment, dinner and an award ceremony. It is attended by many Santa Barbara leaders and includes a large contingent of sponsored students.

For more information and tickets, click here.

Sadako Peace Day on August 9

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation will host its 22nd Annual Sadako Peace Day commemoration on Tuesday, August 9 at 6:00 pm at La Casa de Maria in Santa Barbara, California. The event, featuring music, poetry and reflection, remembers the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and all innocent victims of war.

Sadako Sasaki was a two-year-old girl living in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the morning the atomic bomb was dropped. Ten years later, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Japanese legend holds that one’s wish will be granted upon folding 1,000 paper (origami) cranes. Sadako set out to fold those 1,000 cranes, writing, “I will write peace on your wings, and you will fly all over the world.”

Students in Japan were so moved by her story, they began folding cranes, too. Today the paper crane is a symbol of peace. A statue of Sadako now stands in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. And to this day, we honor Sadako’s fervent wish for a peaceful world. For more information, click here.

Take Action: The Olympics Are for Peace

In support of the mayor and people of Hiroshima, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has initiated a petition to Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, asking him to allow a minute of silence at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The opening ceremony will be at 8:00 pm on August 5. In Japan, it will be 8:00 am on the 6th. At 8:15 am on the 6th, the people of Hiroshima will observe one minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the atomic bomb that exploded over their city that day and at that time, 71 years ago, killing 70,000 people immediately and 140,000 by the end of 1945.

Over 2,200 people from 41 different countries have already signed the petition. To add your name, click here.

“Hope for the Earth lies not with leaders, but in your own heart and soul. If you decide to save the Earth, it will be saved. Each person can be as powerful as the most powerful person who ever lived–and that is you, if you love this planet.”

— Dr. Helen Caldicott. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“President Obama ought to shed the straitjacket of the Washington national security playbook and implement both reforms. Taking the nuclear first-use and quick-launch options off the table would be controversial, but he would have reason and morality on his side.”

— Bruce Blair, in a June 22 article in Politico Magazine.

“How do we know what’s inside those launchers? All one needs to do is reprogram [the system], which is an absolutely inconspicuous task.”

— Russian President Vladimir Putin, explaining the danger and suspicion that he feels toward the United States’ recently deployed ballistic missile defense installation in Romania.

“We are groups of fasters who have decided to forego nourishment for at least 4 days, from August 6th, the anniversary of Hiroshima, till August 9th, the anniversary of Nagasaki, to express our total opposition to nuclear weapons, and to call for their complete abolition.”

— Part of the call from an international group of activists who will be fasting from August 6-9. For more information and to join them, click here.

Madeline Atchison
Will Brown
Ricky Frawley
Erika Ito
David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman