Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

Category: Press Releases

  • Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons Adopted

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release                                                      

    Contact:

    Sandy Jones: (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org
    Rick Wayman: (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org

     

    Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons Adopted

    Negotiations conclude at United Nations. Treaty will open for signature in September.

    New York–More than 120 countries gathered at the United Nations and today formally adopted the “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” a treaty that categorically prohibits the possession, use, and threat of use of nuclear weapons. Non-governmental organizations played a key role in the negotiations leading up to the nuclear ban treaty.

    Considered an historic step toward creating a safer and more secure world, the treaty expresses in its preamble deep concern “about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from any use of nuclear weapons.” It further recognizes “the consequent need to completely eliminate such weapons, which remains the only way to guarantee that nuclear weapons are never used again under any circumstances.”

    The treaty is a clear indication that the majority of the world’s countries no longer accept nuclear weapons and do not consider them legitimate. It demonstrates that the indiscriminate mass killing of civilians is unacceptable and that it is not possible to use nuclear weapons consistent with the laws of war.

    David Krieger, President of the Santa Barbara-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), commented, “This is an exciting day for those of us who have worked for a world free of nuclear weapons and an important day for the world. The majority of the world’s nations have agreed upon a treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons and will open this new treaty for signatures in September. What this represents is humanity finally standing up for sanity and its own survival 72 years into the Nuclear Age.”

    While the United States chose to boycott the negotiations, their repeated objections demonstrate that this treaty has the potential to significantly impact U.S. behavior regarding nuclear weapons issues. Previous weapon prohibition treaties, including the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, have demonstrated that changing international norms leads to concrete changes in policies and behaviors, even in states not party to the treaty.

    The treaty also creates obligations to support the victims of nuclear weapons use and testing and to remediate the environmental damage caused by nuclear weapons.

    This effort to ban nuclear weapons has been led by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which is made up of over 400 non-governmental organizations from 100 countries. The movement has benefitted from the broad support of international humanitarian, environmental, nonproliferation, and disarmament organizations that have joined forces throughout the world. Significant political and grassroots organizing has taken place, and many thousands have signed petitions, joined protests, contacted representatives, and pressured governments.

    Rick Wayman, Director of Programs at NAPF, said, “This treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons is truly a joint effort between the majority of the world’s countries and many dedicated non-governmental organizations, including the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.”

    Wayman presented a final statement and a working paper on behalf of the Foundation at the United Nations during the treaty negotiations. He continued, “It was an honor to participate in this historic process, which focused on the unacceptable humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, leading inevitably to their international prohibition. Today – because of this treaty – the world is a safer place, though there remains much work to be done.”

    The treaty was adopted today by a vote of 122 to 1 with 1 abstention. It will open for signatures by states at the United Nations in New York on September 20, 2017. The treaty will enter into force 90 days after the fiftieth instrument of ratification is deposited with the United Nations. The treaty can be read in its entirety at http://www.undocs.org/en/a/conf.229/2017/L.3

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger or Rick Wayman, please call 1.805.965.3443.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit www.wagingpeace.org.

    Rick Wayman delivering a statement on behalf of NAPF at the United Nations on June 16, 2017.

  • U.S. Plans Missile Defense Test From Vandenberg, Aiming at Intercept, Tuesday, May 30

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Sandy Jones: (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org
    Rick Wayman: (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org

    Santa Barbara–The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is planning a test of its Ground-based Mid-Course Interceptor Missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base on May 30, 2016.

    The targeted intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) will lift off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The ground-based interceptor will launch out of an underground silo from Vandenberg between noon and 4:14 P.M. in an attempt to intercept the targeted ICBM.

    According to the Missile Defense Agency, “This will be the first time a ground-based missile interceptor launched from California attempts to smash into a ‘threat-representative’ intercontinental ballistic missile in its mid-course over the Pacific.”

    The U.S. has already spent at least $41 billion on the Ground Missile Defense System. According to Rick Wayman, Programs Director at the Santa Barbara-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, “The Ground Missile Defense System is a boondoggle of the highest order. The U.S. continues to shovel billions of dollars into a system that simply will never work reliably. It’s long past time to stop throwing good money after bad and end this misguided missile system.”

    The U.S. Department of Energy recently submitted their 2018 budget request in which they proposed “$10.2 billion for Weapons Activities to maintain and enhance the safety, security, and effectiveness of our nuclear weapons enterprise.” This particular test alone will have a price tag upwards of $244 million.

    It should be noted that the test comes on the heels of negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons in international law. These negotiations took place under the auspices of the United Nations and more than 130 nations participated. A draft treaty has been released and is expected to be finalized by early July.

    David Krieger, President of the Foundation, stated, “The U.S. ground-based missile defense system has only a 53 percent success rate in 17 tests. It will not be able to protect Americans or anyone else. It is simply an efficient and cynical way to funnel funds to defense corporations.” He continued, “There is simply no good prospect for this kind of weapons testing, especially with rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. What is needed is an all-out diplomatic push for true security to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.”

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation or Rick Wayman, Director of Programs, please call the Foundation at (805) 965-3443.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit wagingpeace.org.

  • Draft Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons Released

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Sandy Jones
    (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org

    Rick Wayman
    (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org

    DRAFT TREATY TO BAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS RELEASED TODAY

    In a momentous step to create a safer and more secure world, a draft treaty to ban nuclear weapons was released today by the United Nations. The document is seen as an essential milestone in the years-long effort to ban these indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction and an important step toward their eventual elimination.

    Over 130 countries participated in the first negotiation session that took place in March of this year in New York under the auspices of the United Nations. Participants shared initial positions and goals for the treaty language, focusing on the humanitarian cost of nuclear weapons use and the threat posed to every country. Most also compared a nuclear weapons ban to previous bans on chemical and biological weapons, land mines, and cluster munitions, which have had significant impact and changed international behavior.

    David Krieger, President of the Santa Barbara-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, commented, “This draft treaty is a historic step on the road to a nuclear weapons-free world. It provides an excellent framework for the negotiations that will resume on June 15th. The arc of the nuclear threat is bending toward prohibition and abolition. It is time for the nuclear-armed countries and their allies to join with the active non-nuclear states in putting an end to the nuclear threat to humanity for their common benefit.”

    The world now faces 21st century threats and challenges — cyber attacks, pandemic disease, climate chaos and terrorism. These threats cannot be addressed by nuclear weapons or the logic of nuclear deterrence. More ominously, the spread of nuclear weapons technology and material only increases the chances of intentional or accidental nuclear detonation by states or terrorist groups.

    Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said, “Now that we have a draft, nuclear-armed and nuclear alliance states should take the opportunity to engage productively in these discussions. Failure to participate undermines any objection they might have once the document is complete. This is a test of their commitment to a world without nuclear weapons.”

    Countries will have the opportunity to finalize the treaty at the second negotiation session, which will take place from June 15 through July 7 at the United Nations in New York .

    The draft treaty in its entirety can be found at http://www.icanw.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/BanDraft.pdf.

     

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, please call 1.805.965.3443.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit www.wagingpeace.org.

  • U.S. to Launch Another Provocative Minuteman III ICBM Test

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Rick Wayman: (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org
    Sandy Jones: (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org

     

    U.S. to Launch Another Provocative Minuteman III ICBM Test

    Vandenberg Air Force Base – Amidst mounting tensions between the United States and North Korea, and just one week after a test launch of a U.S. unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the U.S. has scheduled another Minuteman III ICBM missile test for Wednesday, May 3, between 12:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. PDT from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Like last week’s test, according to Air Force Global Strike Command, “The purpose of the ICBM test launch program is to validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.”

    David Krieger, President of the Santa Barbara-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), noted, “How does one test the effectiveness of a weapons system that is designed as a deterrent, that is, to prevent others from ever using nuclear weapons against us? Such effectiveness cannot be assumed from a missile test no matter how ready we are to fire the missile or how accurate the missile proves to be. In other words, so-called ‘effectiveness’ is a psychological concept that cannot be proven by a missile test. This is a very dangerous game we are playing.”

    Rick Wayman, Director of Programs at NAPF, commented, “It is significant to note that this nuclear-capable missile test will take place on the second day of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty conference. This treaty requires all parties to negotiate in good faith for an end to the nuclear arms race.”

    Wayman continued, “Conducting a test-launch of a missile whose sole purpose is to deliver nuclear warheads anywhere around the world is a glaring example of bad faith and violates the spirit of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. It’s exactly this kind of double standard that undermines U.S. credibility when insisting that other nations not develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.”

    North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile on April 29, the day after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson convened a special session of the U.N. Security Council, calling for new economic sanctions on North Korea and other “painful” measures over its nuclear weapons program.

    The Trump administration’s strategy of “maximum pressure and engagement” towards North Korea seems to rule out immediate military intervention, though U.S. officials have continued to say that “all options are on the table.”

    Continued ballistic missile tests by both parties can only be perceived as provocative in nature and an escalation of an already dangerous situation. Surely our political and military leaders can and must do better.

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at 12:03 a.m., PDT, April 26, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark P. Mackey)
    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at 12:03 a.m., PDT, April 26, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark P. Mackey)

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation or Rick Wayman, Director of Programs, please call the Foundation at (805) 965-3443.

     The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit wagingpeace.org.

  • U.S. to Test Launch ICBM Amidst High Tensions with North Korea

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Rick Wayman: (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org
    Sandy Jones: (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE – A test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, between 12:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The U.S. currently deploys some 400 Minuteman III ICBMs with nuclear warheads in silos spread across Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.

    The U.S. Air Force tested this Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on February 20, 2016. Photo | U.S. Department of Defense
    The U.S. Air Force tested this Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on February 20, 2016. Photo | U.S. Department of Defense

    According to Air Force Global Strike Command, “The purpose of the ICBM test launch program is to validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.”

    Col. John Moss, 30th Space Wing commander said, “These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities.”

    The test comes at a time of extraordinary tension between the U.S. and North Korea, with each side flexing its military muscle and making implicit and explicit threats.

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, upon learning of the planned missile test, commented, “When it comes to missile testing, the U.S. is operating with a clear double standard: It views its own tests as justified and useful, while it views the tests of North Korea as threatening and destabilizing.” Krieger went on to note, “What is needed is diplomacy rather than military provocations. Threats, whether in the form of tweets, nuclear-capable aircraft carrier groups, or nuclear-capable missile launches, only increase the dangers to us all.”

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger or Rick Wayman, Director of Programs, please call the Foundation at (805) 965-3443.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit wagingpeace.org.

  • More than 120 Nations Convene Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty Negotiations at the United Nations

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Rick Wayman
    (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org
    Sandy Jones
    (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org

    More than 120 Nations Convene Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty Negotiations at the United Nations

    New York City–Beginning on Monday, March 27, 2017, for the very first time, negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons in international law are taking place under the auspices of the United Nations. More than 120 nations have gathered to participate in the negotiations.

    A treaty banning nuclear weapons would make using, possessing, developing, and assisting with nuclear weapons illegal under international law and provide a framework for the weapons’ eventual complete elimination. Banning these weapons is the next step in a decades-long effort to ensure that the laws of war are followed and the indiscriminate destruction and unnecessary suffering caused by nuclear weapons is prevented forever.

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, said, “This is a breakthrough day and week in the Nuclear Age. For the first time ever, nations will be negotiating to ban nuclear weapons – weapons capable of destroying civilization and complex life.”

    The world now faces 21st century threats and challenges — cybersecurity, pandemic disease, and terrorism. These threats cannot be addressed by nuclear weapons or the logic of nuclear deterrence. More ominously, the spread of nuclear weapons, technology, and material only increases the chances of intentional or accidental nuclear detonation by states or terrorist groups.

    The treaty is expected to:

    • Legally bind parties from using, possessing and developing nuclear weapons, and assisting others in those activities.
    • Work in concert with the existing regime of nonproliferation and disarmament agreements.
    • Strengthen the norm against indiscriminate weapons and provide countries a method to meet disarmament obligations.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation will be represented at the ban negotiations by Robert B. Laney, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and Rick Wayman, Director of Programs. Wayman will be among the presenters in a discussion on Tuesday, March 28, from 10:00 AM ‘til noon, entitled, “US Nuclear Modernization Under President Trump: Implications for the Ban Treaty Process.”

    Wayman commented earlier on Monday, “In an epic role reversal, this morning we saw U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley protesting outside the UN General Assembly Hall while the majority of the world’s nations, supported by NGOs from around the world, began negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation will continue to support the good faith efforts of those negotiating a nuclear ban treaty and oppose the nuclear weapons states’ efforts to keep nuclear weapons in perpetuity.”

    The negotiations will take place in two sessions; this week in March and three weeks in June/July of 2017 at the United Nations. This week, representatives will meet to begin the drafting process by discussing and submitting language for the various components of the treaty. Between the two meetings, draft text will be produced for negotiation at the June/July meeting.

    With the risk of nuclear detonation higher than at any time since the end of the Cold War, this treaty is an urgent priority for all countries that believe in a future free of nuclear weapons.

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    If you would like to interview Rick Wayman, please call (805) 696-5159 or email him at rwayman@napf.org

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit www.wagingpeace.org.

  • Marshall Islands Nuclear Zero Lawsuit Appeal To Be Heard in Ninth Circuit Court on March 15

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Sandy Jones 805.965.3443; sjones@napf.org
    Rick Wayman 805.696.5159; rwayman@napf.org

     

    San Francisco–On Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 9:00 AM, the appeal of the dismissal of the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ case in the U.S. Federal District Court will be heard in the Ninth District Court of Appeals. The case, initially filed on April 24, 2014, alleges that the United States failed to uphold its legal obligation under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and customary International law to begin negotiations “in good faith” for an end to the nuclear arms race “at an early date” and for nuclear disarmament.

    The suit contends that the United States has clearly violated its legal obligations to pursue nuclear disarmament by spending large sums of money to enhance its nuclear arsenal. The U.S. plans to spend an estimated $1 trillion on nuclear weapons over the next three decades and President Trump has said he wants to build up the U.S. nuclear arsenal to ensure it is at the “top of the pack,” saying the United States has “fallen behind in its nuclear weapons capacity.”

    The case was dismissed on February 3, 2015 on the jurisdictional grounds of standing and political question doctrine without getting to the merits of the case. David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and a consultant to the Marshall Islands in their lawsuit, stated, “We believe the Court of Appeals should reverse the decision of the lower court and allow the case to be heard on its merits. But, no matter the outcome of this appeal, the Marshall Islands has shown great leadership with their Nuclear Zero lawsuits. They are a small nation that has acted on behalf of all humanity.”

    Marshall Islanders suffered catastrophic and irreparable damages to their people and homeland when the U.S. conducted 67 nuclear tests on their territory between 1946 and 1958. These tests had the equivalent power of exploding 1.6 Hiroshima bombs daily for 12 years.

    The Marshall Islands does not seek compensation with this lawsuit. Rather, it seeks declaratory and injunctive relief requiring the United States to comply with its commitments under international law.

    For more information about the Nuclear Zero lawsuits, visit nuclearzero.org/in-the-courts

    Note to editor:  There will be a press conference outside the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at approximately 12:00 PM. Laurie Ashton, lead council for the Marshall Islands; Pastor Julian Riklon of the Marshall Islands; Rick Wayman, Director of Programs and Operations at the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Jackie Cabasso, Executive Director, Western States Legal Foundation; Scott Yundt, Staff Attorney, Tri-Valley CAREs; and John Burroughs, Executive Director, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, will be available for comment.

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    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation was founded in1982. Its mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders.

    The Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations and is comprised of some 80,000 individuals and groups worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age.

  • Nuclear Abolition Begins With Education and Inspiration

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Sandy Jones or Elena Nicklasson
    (805) 965-3443
    sjones@napf.org or enicklasson@napf.org

     

    NUCLEAR ABOLITION BEGINS WITH EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation to hold several events in March

     

    Santa Barbara–The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation will be busy this March with several educational and inspirational events presented locally.

    The first event, on March 7, is entitled What is Your Road Map to Peace? Dorothie and Martin Hellman will share their model for a peaceful, sustainable planet and provide insights from their new book, A New Map for Relationships: Creating True Love At Home & Peace On The Planet. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM.

    The second event, taking place on March 22nd, is a lunchtime discussion featuring two global leaders in the peace movement. Reiner Braun, Co-President of the International Peace Bureau and Kevin Martin, President of Peace Action, will lead a presentation and discussion on U.S./Nato – Russian relations and preventing World War III. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

    The third event, Realistic Hope. Radical Empathy, is a unique workshop presented by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Peace Leadership Director, Paul K. Chappell. Chappell will cover, among other topics, how the power of conveying respect can increase peaceful conflict resolution and how to maintain empathy in the most difficult situations and effectively navigate the anatomy of aggression. This event will also take place on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, from 3:00 – 5:00 PM.

    These three events are free and open to the public. They will be held at the Foundation office, 1622 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara. Space is limited, however and reservations are required. To RSVP and for more information, please call Elena at 805.965.3443 or enicklasson@napf.org.

    Finally, the Plaza Playhouse Theatre in Carpinteria is presenting A Walk in the Woods, running through March 5, 2017. Lee Blessing’s Broadway play is a dramatic and humorous look at two diplomats who ostensibly try to reduce nuclear arms proliferation during the (first) cold war. The play examines the tension that Russia and the U.S. experience through a distant lens. Following the March 3rd performance, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation will make a short presentation with a Q & A session. There will also be a special discount for the March 3rd performance, (use code NAPF). For more information or to make reservations call 805.684.6380 or go to www.plazatheatercarpinteria.com.

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    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation was founded in 1982. Its mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. The Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations and is comprised of some 80,000 individuals and groups worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age.

  • Vandenberg to Launch Minuteman III Missile Test

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Rick Wayman
    (805) 696-5159; rwayman@napf.org
    Sandy Jones
    (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org

    Vandenberg to Launch Minuteman III Missile Test

    Santa Barbara, CA – A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test is scheduled for launch between 11:39 p.m. Wednesday and 5:39 a.m. Thursday of this week, from Vandenberg AFB to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. While it won’t carry an armed nuclear warhead, the purpose of the United States’ 450 land-based ICBMs is to deliver powerful nuclear warheads to any target on Earth in under an hour.

    The U.S. Air Force tested this Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on February 20, 2016. Photo | U.S. Department of Defense
    The U.S. Air Force tested this Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on February 20, 2016. Photo | U.S. Department of Defense

    The scheduled test comes just days after the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Iran to punish them for their latest ballistic missile test. President Trump tweeted that “Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE.” Michael T. Flynn, Trump’s national security advisor, said, “The ritual of convening a United Nations Security Council in an emergency meeting and issuing a strong statement is not enough. The Trump administration will no longer tolerate Iran’s provocations that threaten our interests.”

    USAF officials regularly boast of U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile tests as “messages we send to our allies who seek protection from aggression and to adversaries who threaten peace.” Clearly, this kind of double standard cannot be lost on the rest of the world.

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, commented, “Test-firing these missiles while expressing criticism when other countries conduct missile tests is a clear double standard. Such hypocrisy encourages nuclear proliferation and nuclear arms races and makes the world a more dangerous place.”

    William Perry, former defense secretary under President Bill Clinton, has stated unequivocally that his experiences have led him to believe the U.S. should remove ICBMs from its nuclear triad, which also includes strategic bombers and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

    With each missile test, the U.S. sends a clear and expensive message that it continues to be reliant on nuclear weapons. Each test costs tens of millions of dollars and contributes to the U.S. plans to spend $1 trillion modernizing its nuclear arsenal over the next thirty years.

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, please call the Foundation at (805) 965-3443.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders. Founded in 1982, the Foundation is comprised of individuals and organizations worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. For more information, visit www.wagingpeace.org.

  • The Government of the Marshall Islands and Former Foreign Minister Tony de Brum Voted “2016 Arms Control Persons of the Year”

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    Sandy Jones or Rick Wayman
    (805) 965-3443
    sjones@napf.org or rwayman@napf.org

    January 9, 2017 (Washington, D.C.)—The Republic of the Marshall Islands and its former Foreign Minister, Tony de Brum, were just awarded the “2016 Arms Control Person of the Year.” Over 1,850 individuals from 63 countries participated in the selection.

    Ten individuals and groups were nominated by the staff of the Arms Control Association for their leadership in advancing effective arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament solutions or for raising awareness of the threats posed by mass casualty weapons during the past year.

    The government of the Marshall Islands and Ambassador de Brum were nominated for pursuing a legal case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague against the world’s nuclear-armed nations for their failure to initiate nuclear disarmament negotiations in violation of Article VI of the 1968 nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and customary international law.

    “The nomination of the Marshall Islands and Ambassador de Brum and the many votes they received reflects the concern and frustration expressed by many non-nuclear weapon states about the unacceptable consequences of nuclear weapons use, the slow pace of nuclear disarmament, and the growing risks of renewed global nuclear competition,” noted Kingston Reif, director of disarmament and threat reduction at the Arms Control Association.

    The people of the Marshall Islands were subjected to 67 U.S. atmospheric nuclear test explosions from 1946 to 1958. The largest of these tests was 1,000 times stronger than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 and resulted in immeasurable suffering and emotional and physical trauma to the islanders. Tony de Brum, just nine years old at the time of the testing, said: “After seeing what mere testing of these terrible weapons of mass destruction can do to human beings, it makes sense for the Marshallese people to have implored the nuclear weapon states to begin the hard task of disarmament. All we ask is that this terrible threat be removed from our world.”

    In October, the 16-member court issued their rulings which upheld the arguments of the nuclear states that the Court lacked jurisdiction in two 9-7 votes in the cases of India and Pakistan and in an 8-8 vote in the case of the UK. India, Pakistan, and the UK were the only states to participate

    in the lawsuits because the other nuclear-armed states do not recognize the court’s compulsory jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes between states. Despite the court decisions, the cases brought the frustratingly slow pace of disarmament negotiations to the world’s attention.

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a consultant to the Republic of the Marshall Islands in their lawsuits, commented: “We are proud and excited that Tony de Brum and the government of the Marshall Islands have received this important recognition for their courageous actions. They have demonstrated that when it comes to international security, small countries can make a big difference.”  He continued, “I’ve known Tony de Brum for nearly fifty years and he has been persevering in the pursuit of peace and planetary well-being. He has been a passionate advocate for his people and the people of the world. He and the government of the Marshall Islands are most deserving of this award.”

    The runner-up in the vote for the 2016 Arms Control Persons of the Year were the foreign ministers of Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa. They had jointly secured adoption of UN Security Council resolution L.41 “to convene in 2017 a United Nations conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.”

    The second runner up was former U.S. Secretary of Defense William J. Perry for his continuing efforts to draw attention to the risk of renewed nuclear weapons competition and calling for restraint. Secretary Perry launched in 2016 a new online course on nuclear weapons and authored a new book, My Journey at the Nuclear Brink. A list of all 2016 nominees is available at https://armscontrol.org/acpoy/2016

    Previous winners of the “Arms Control Person of the Year” include include: Setsuko Thurlow and the Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, (2015); Austria’s Director for Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament, Ambassador Alexander Kmentt (2014), Executive-Secretary of the CTBTO Lassina Zerbo (2013); Gen. James Cartwright (2012); reporter and activist Kathi Lynn Austin (2011); Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov and Thomas D’Agostino, U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator (2010);Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) (2009); Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and his ministry’s Director-General for Security Policy and the High North Steffen Kongstad (2008); and U.S. Congressmen Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) and David Hobson (R-Ohio) (2007).

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, please contact Sandy Jones at sjones@napf.org or (805) 965-3443.

    Founded in 1982, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and advocate for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons and to empower peace leaders.  The Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations and is comprised of individuals and groups worldwide who realize the imperative for peace in the Nuclear Age.  For more information, visit www.wagingpeace.org.

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    The Marshall Islands and Ambassador de Brum were nominated for pursuing a formal legal case against the world’s nuclear-armed states for failing to meet their obligations under the NPT.