Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

Tag: Minuteman III

  • U.S. to Launch Minuteman III Missile Test Just Five Days After 50th Country Ratified Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

    U.S. to Launch Minuteman III Missile Test Just Five Days After 50th Country Ratified Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

    For Immediate Release

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

    U.S. TO LAUNCH MINUTEMAN III MISSILE TEST JUST FIVE DAYS AFTER 50TH COUNTRY RATIFIED TREATY ON THE PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

    SANTA BARBARA, CA– Early tomorrow morning, between 12:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m., the United States will launch an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base. While the Air Force maintains that missile tests are planned many months in advance, the timing of this test is questionable, at best.

    This test will take place just five days after Honduras became the 50th country to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). With the 50th ratification, the treaty will enter into force on January 22, 2021. The treaty prohibits the possession, testing, use, or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

    Rick Wayman, CEO of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a non-profit based in Santa Barbara committed to the abolition of nuclear weapons and solving the most dangerous technological, social, and psychological issues of our time, commented on the timing of the missile test. He noted, “This past Saturday, the world took an important step toward the elimination of nuclear weapons with the 50th ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Now, in addition to its diplomatic undermining of the treaty through threatening letters, the U.S. government plans to demonstrate its active defiance of the treaty’s provisions by testing a nuclear-capable missile.”

    Wayman further commented, “While most of the world’s countries are evolving to a view that nuclear weapons are unacceptable under all circumstances, the U.S. is testing a nuclear missile built to fight the Cold War; one which is designed to cause the indiscriminate slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people.”

    The military will track the unarmed ICBM as it travels to a predetermined target, typically some 4,200 miles away near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 nuclear bombs on, in and above the Marshall Islands — vaporizing islands, creating craters into its shallow lagoons and exiling hundreds of people from their homes and their land.

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    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and train people of all ages and backgrounds to solve the most dangerous technological, social, and psychological issues of our time, and to survive and thrive in the 21st century. 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. Launches Minuteman III Missile Test Just Four Weeks After the Last Test

    U.S. Launches Minuteman III Missile Test Just Four Weeks After the Last Test

    For Immediate Release

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

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

    SANTA BARBARA, CA– Early this morning, for the second time in less than a month, a Minuteman III missile was tested during a launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

    Less than a month ago on August 4th, just two days prior to the 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the U.S. Air Force launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base, which was loaded with three mock nuclear warheads.

    Rick Wayman, CEO of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a non-profit based in Santa Barbara committed to the abolition of nuclear weapons and solving the most dangerous technological, social, and psychological issues of our time, commented on the close succession of missile tests by saying, “Less than one month ago, while the U.S. was launching a missile test, the majority of the world was solemnly remembering the 75th anniversaries of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and vowing that such a catastrophe will never happen again. Wednesday’s test, combined with the three-warhead missile test last month, appear to be in preparation for the expiration of New START in February when limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons will be lifted and the U.S. will be able to put multiple nuclear warheads back on each Minuteman missile.”

    Wayman went on to say, “The unnecessarily provocative tests by the U.S. is an important reminder that the nuclear threat remains very real. We have decision makers who are willing and able to escalate nuclear threats even further by putting multiple warheads back on ICBMs – something that has not been done for decades.”

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    If you would like to interview Rick Wayman, please call (805) 965-3443 or (805) 696-5159.

    The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and train people of all ages and backgrounds to solve the most dangerous technological, social, and psychological issues of our time, and to survive and thrive in the 21st century. 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 and peaceliteracy.org.

  • U.S. Launches Minuteman III Missile Test Less Than 48 Hours Before 75th Anniversary of Hiroshima Atomic Bombing

    U.S. Launches Minuteman III Missile Test Less Than 48 Hours Before 75th Anniversary of Hiroshima Atomic Bombing

    For Immediate Release

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

    Santa Barbara, CA – The U.S. Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile Tuesday morning, August 4, at 12:21 a.m. PDT from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The missile traveled over 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

    While Air Force Global Strike Command asserts that missile tests are scheduled years in advance, it is difficult to ignore the timing of this test – less than 48 hours before the 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

    Rick Wayman, CEO of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a non-profit based in Santa Barbara committed to solving the most dangerous technological, social, and psychological issues of our time, including the abolition of nuclear weapons, commented on the missile test. He said, “This week, the majority of the world is solemnly remembering the 75th anniversaries of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and vowing that such a thing will never happen again. Hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings were indiscriminately slaughtered by two primitive U.S. atomic bombs in August 1945. The weapon that was tested this morning is designed for far greater damage.”

    Wayman went on to say that “The unnecessarily provocative test by the U.S. today is an important reminder that the nuclear threat remains very real, and that there are people in this country – along with a few other countries – who are willing to sacrifice us all in a battle that can never be won and must never be fought.”

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    If you would like to interview Rick Wayman, CEO of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, please call (805) 696-5159. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate and train people of all ages and backgrounds to solve the most dangerous technological, social, and psychological issues of our time, and to survive and thrive in the 21st century. NAPF is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with consultative status to the United Nations. It is a Partner Organization of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, winner of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. For more information, visit wagingpeace.org or peaceliteracy.org.

  • Estados Unidos Lanzó Pruebas de Misiles del Minuteman III desde la Base Vandenberg de la Fuerza Aerea

    Estados Unidos Lanzó Pruebas de Misiles del Minuteman III desde la Base Vandenberg de la Fuerza Aerea

    Para publicación inmediata
    Contacto:
    Sandy Jones (805) 965-3443; sjones@napf.org
    Ruben Arvizu; rarvizu@napf.org

    Santa Bárbara, CA: El 2 de octubre a la 1:13 am, se inició una prueba de misiles ICBM Minuteman III desarmados desde la Base Vandenberg, de la Fuerza Aérea.  Irónicamente, la prueba coincide con el aniversario del cumpleaños de Mahatma Gandhi, el gran activista que promovió siempre una India no violenta.

    Rick Wayman, Director Adjunto de la Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en Santa Bárbara dedicada a la abolición de las armas nucleares, comentó: “La semana pasada, trece países reafirmaron sus lazos formales con el Tratado sobre la Prohibición de las Armas Nucleares . Esta semana, Estados Unidos probará otro misil nuclear. Más que una ‘prueba operativa’, nos recuerda que el mundo tal como lo conocemos puede desaparecer en un instante “.

    Los representantes del Comando de Ataque Global de la Fuerza Aérea afirman que las pruebas de misiles están programadas con meses o años de anticipación y no están vinculadas a los eventos geopolíticos actuales. Sin embargo, David Krieger, presidente de NAPF, señala que el acto mismo tiene ramificaciones importantes.

    Krieger afirma: “Las pruebas de misiles como esta tienen el efecto de normalizar la perspectiva de la aniquilación nuclear. Los ciudadanos deben analizar más a fondo la amenaza que representan las armas nucleares para el planeta y para todos sus habitantes. Cada una de estas pruebas de misiles proporciona evidencia de hasta qué punto nuestros líderes políticos y militares nos están fallando al hacer rutinaria la prueba de misiles en lugar de comprometerse en el esfuerzo necesario para abolir las armas nucleares “. Krieger agregó:      “Las generaciones futuras verán como un crimen la normalización de los medios para la aniquilación universal “.

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    Si desea entrevistar a David Krieger, presidente de la Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, o Rick Wayman, subdirector de la fundación, llame al (805) 965-3443 o (805) 696-5159. La misión de la Nuclear Age Peace Foundation es educar, defender e inspirar acciones para un mundo justo y pacífico, libre de armas nucleares. Fundada en 1982, la Fundación está compuesta por individuos y organizaciones en todo el mundo que se dan cuenta de lo imperativo que es la paz en la Era Nuclear. La Nuclear Age Peace Foundation es una organización no partidista y sin fines de lucro con estatus consultivo ante las Naciones Unidas. Para más información, visite wagingpeace.org.

  • U.S. Launches Minuteman III Missile Test from Vandenberg AFB

    U.S. Launches Minuteman III Missile Test from Vandenberg AFB

    NUCLEAR AGE PEACE FOUNDATION

    For Immediate Release

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

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

     

    Santa Barbara, CA – An unarmed Minuteman III ICBM missile test is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Wednesday morning, October 2, between 1:13 and 7:13 a.m. Ironically, the test will fall on the anniversary of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the great non-violent Indian peace activist.

    Rick Wayman, Deputy Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), a Santa Barbara based non-profit dedicated to the abolition of nuclear weapons commented, “Last week, thirteen countries deepened their formal ties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This week, the U.S. will test yet another nuclear missile. More than an ‘operational test’ it reminds us that the world as we know it can be wiped out in an instant.”

    Air Force Global Strike Command representatives assert that missile tests are scheduled months or years in advance and are not connected to current geopolitical events. However, David Krieger, President of NAPF, points out that the very act of testing has important ramifications.

    Krieger states, “Missile tests such as this one have the effect of normalizing the prospect of nuclear annihilation. Citizens need to look more deeply at the threat nuclear weapons pose to the planet and all its inhabitants. Each of these missile tests provides us evidence of the extent to which our political and military leaders are failing us by making missile testing routine rather than engaging in the necessary effort to abolish nuclear weapons.” Krieger added, “Future generations will not look kindly on this normalization of the means for universal death.”

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, or Rick Wayman, Deputy Director of the Foundation, please call (805) 965-3443 or (805) 696-5159. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate, advocate and inspire action for a just and peaceful world, free of nuclear weapons. 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 Launch Minuteman III Missile Test Days After Suspending Landmark Nuclear Weapons Treaty

    U.S. to Launch Minuteman III Missile Test Days After Suspending Landmark Nuclear Weapons Treaty

    For Immediate Release

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

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

     

    Santa Barbara, CA – An unarmed Minuteman III ICBM missile test is scheduled for launch early  Wednesday morning, Feb. 6, from Vandenberg AFB. The missile will travel some 4,200 miles to a predetermined target in the central Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation stated, “The Marshall Islanders take the brunt of America’s nuclear testing program, and they have already suffered enough from such tests. It’s time for Americans to wake up. These tests don’t make us safer, they make the world more dangerous. Rather than continuing to test nuclear weapons, we should be leading negotiations to rid the world of these weapons of indiscriminate mass annihilation.”

    While Global Strike Command representatives assert that missile tests are scheduled months or years in advance, this test comes just four short days after the Trump administration suspended from the U.S. from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a crucial landmark Treaty between the U.S. and Russia that eliminated entire categories of nuclear weapons.

    Rick Wayman, Deputy Director at the Foundation commented on the approaching launch, saying “Just four days ago, the Trump administration suspended the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, one of the most important arms control treaties ever achieved between the United States and Russia. The very same week, both of these countries now appear set to test-launch Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. While ICBMs would not have violated the INF Treaty, it is alarming that this extraordinary tension is coming to a head with major nuclear-capable missile tests just hours or days apart.”

    Wayman went on to say, “The U.S. and Russia together possess over 90% of the approximately 14,500 nuclear weapons in the world. The Air Force always seeks to explain away ICBM tests as routine and disconnected from current geopolitical events. But there is nothing routine about rehearsing the annihilation of millions of people. President Trump’s reckless decision to torch the INF Treaty has put us all at even higher risk of nuclear catastrophe, and the United States’ ongoing testing of ICBMs must be viewed in this light.”

    Putting an end to the nuclear age need not be a partisan issue. The freshly-discarded INF Treaty was negotiated by President Reagan, who famously said, “Why wait until the end of the (20th) century for a world free of nuclear weapons?”

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, or Rick Wayman, Deputy Director of the Foundation, please call (805) 965-3443 or (805) 696-5159. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s mission is to educate, advocate and inspire action for a just and peaceful world, free of nuclear weapons. 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.

    Vandenberg AFB – Spaceflight Now

    spaceflightnow.com
  • Minuteman III Missile Test Launched from Vandenberg

    Minuteman III Missile Test Launched from Vandenberg

    For Immediate Release

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

     

    Minuteman III Missile Test Launched from Vandenberg Early Tuesday Morning

    Less than two months ago, U.S. and North Korea held a summit, jointly committing to North Korea’s denuclearization. What kind of message does missile test send?

    Vandenberg–The U.S. is scheduled to test a Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying a mock nuclear warhead early Tuesday morning between 12:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California. This particular test is just a month-and-half after the high-stakes summit between the U.S. and North Korea, in which Trump and Kim Jong-un signed a vaguely-worded statement, agreeing to  “work toward complete denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.”

    What kind of message is the U.S. sending to North Korea with this missile test? Rick Wayman, Deputy Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, noted, “This is the same class of missiles for which the U.S. has been highly critical of the North Koreans for developing and testing. How can the United States demand North Korea’s good faith on denuclearization while the U.S. continues its own ICBM testing? The hypocrisy is nothing new, but what stands out with this test is the potential for blowing up the peace process underway with North Korea.”

    It is widely recognized that the path to North Korean denuclearization will be anything but smooth. In fact, after Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, went to Pyongyang to continue negotiations after the June summit, North Korea criticized the U.S. for having a stance that was “… regrettable, gangster-like and cancerous.”

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, commented, “With its continuing missile tests, the U.S. is itself doing what it seeks to stop other countries from doing. If the U.S. were serious about achieving global denuclearization, it would be showing leadership toward that end. Instead, it continues to test its nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles. Hypocrisy will never achieve the desired goal of a nuclear weapons-free world.”                                           

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    If you would like to interview David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation or Rick Wayman, Deputy Director, 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.

  • Press Release: Minuteman III Missile Test Launched from Vandenberg

    Press Release: Minuteman III Missile Test Launched from Vandenberg

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    For Immediate Release

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

    Minuteman III Missile Test Launched from Vandenberg Early Monday Morning

    U.S., North Korea summit just one month away – what message does missile test send?

    Kwajalein Atoll
    The U.S. fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

    Vandenberg–The U.S. tested a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a mock nuclear warhead early Monday morning at 1:23 AM (PDT). from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The U.S. typically conducts three to four ICBM tests each year. Monday’s test comes less than a month prior to the high-stakes summit between the U.S. and North Korea that is aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

    What kind of message is the U.S. sending to North Korea with this latest launch when these are the same class of missiles for which the U.S. has been highly critical of the North Koreans for developing and testing?

    David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, commented, ”When it comes to ballistic missile tests, the U.S. continues to operate on a hypocritical double standard. Its own missile tests and those of its allies are treated as necessary and business-as-usual, while the missile tests of non-allied countries are treated as provocative and dangerous. What the world needs is a single standard aimed at ending the nuclear arms race and achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.  It also needs U.S. leadership rather than U.S. hypocrisy.”

    One month ago, Kim Jong-un suspended nuclear and missile tests in North Korea and stated that he will shut down the site where the previous six nuclear tests had been conducted. One cannot help but view this as a sign of good faith on the part of North Korea heading into the negotiations with the United States. As its own sign of good faith, the U.S. should also cancel all its planned ballistic missile tests prior to its summit meeting with North Korea.

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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 and Operations, 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.

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  • 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.