Tag: sunflower

U.S. Nuclear Posturing Has Adversaries Gearing Up, Not Standing Down

by David Krieger

The biggest problem with a nuclear deterrent force arises from any attempt to determine its effectiveness. How can possessors of nuclear weapons assure that their nuclear weapons are effective in being a deterrent to another nuclear-armed country? The answer is that they cannot do so in any physical sense.

The nuclear deterrent force of a country relies instead on creating psychological barriers. If a nuclear deterrent force is effective in protecting a country and its allies, an adversary would refrain from attacking due to fear of retaliation. Since nuclear deterrence operates at the psychological level, one can never be sure it is effective. Or, it may only appear to be effective until it fails, and failure could be catastrophic.

There can be little doubt that the U.S. nuclear posture will spur other nuclear-armed countries to do the same, thus assuring new arms races and increased nuclear dangers ahead. One has to wonder if the expensive and provocative technological modernization of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and other nuclear policies set forth in the 2018 NPR will be what takes us from the Nuclear Age back to the dark ages.

To read David Krieger’s full article at The Hill, click here.

The Dirty Secret of American Nuclear Arms in Korea

by Walter Pincus

As President Trump prepares for a possible meeting with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, many Americans are raising warnings that North Korea has walked away from previous arms agreements. But those skeptics should remember that it was the United States, in 1958, that broke the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, when the Eisenhower administration sent the first atomic weapons into South Korea.

The presence of those American weapons probably motivated the North Koreans to accelerate development of their own nuclear weapons. Although all the tactical United States nuclear weapons were removed from South Korea in 1991, the Seoul government still remains under the American nuclear umbrella — and the impetus for Kim Jong-un to have his own remains, as it did for his father and grandfather.

To read more, click here.

Preventing War: Crisis and Opportunity with North Korea

by Christine Ahn

In this moment of the Me Too Movement and the women’s marches, we must push for women’s voices in shaping foreign policy. We know that women’s peace movements must be involved in any peace process. In 40 of the cases that were studied, 39 led to a peace agreement when women were involved. When women are involved in helping to draft a peace treaty, it’s more durable.

We have to lead this country away from the militarized national security towards genuine security, genuine human security, ecological security. We must dare to be bold and audacious to demand what might seem impossible. Women’s peace movements have the power to transform fear, vulnerability and cynicism, I believe, into bold visions that advance a just, sustainable and peaceful world.

To access Christine Ahn’s full speech, which was the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s 17th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future, click here.

The U.S. and Russia Must Stop Racing to Nuclear War

by Mikhail Gorbachev

There is no doubt in my mind that the vast majority of people both in Russia and in the United States will agree that war cannot be a solution to problems. Can weapons solve the problems of the environment, terrorism or poverty? Can they solve domestic economic problems?

However dismal the current situation, however depressing and hopeless the atmosphere may seem, we must act to prevent the ultimate catastrophe. What we need is not the race to the abyss but a common victory over the demons of war.

To read more, click here.

U.S. Officials Call for Production of New Plutonium Pits

Gen. John Hyten, head of U.S. Strategic Command, told a Senate committee that U.S. nuclear weapons will be useless unless new plutonium pits are produced. Plutonium pits were produced at Rocky Flats in Colorado until the FBI raided the plant in 1989, shutting it down because of widespread environmental pollution.

The Pentagon has said that it requires 80 new plutonium pits to be produced each year, but it has not produced any evidence that the thousands of plutonium pits currently stockpiled are degrading. Los Alamos National Laboratory would likely be the site for new plutonium pit production, but their ability to handle plutonium was cast in doubt after several high-profile mishaps.

David Brennan, “U.S. Nukes Will Be Useless Without More Plutonium, Military Warns,” Newsweek, March 22, 2018.

Palestine and Venezuela Ratify Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Palestine and Venezuela have become the sixth and seventh nations to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. So far, 57 countries have signed the treaty, and many more have indicated that they will do so soon.

The treaty requires 50 ratifications before it can enter into force. Tim Wright, Treaty Coordinator at the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, wrote, “With every new ratification of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, we move closer to the goal of total nuclear disarmament.”

“Ban Treaty Attracts New Adherents,” International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, March 26, 2018.

Maryland City Declares Compliance with Nuclear Ban Treaty

Takoma Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC, unanimously passed a resolution affirming the city’s support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The United States is not expected to sign the treaty in the near future. However, as with the Paris Climate Agreement, that does not stop cities, states, businesses, colleges and faith communities from complying with the treaty.

Tim Wallis, “Takoma Park Becomes First U.S. City to Declare Its Compliance with Nuclear Ban Treaty,” NuclearBan.US, March 15, 2018.

North and South Korean Leaders Will Meet on April 27

Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in have set April 27 as the date for their first face-to-face meeting. It will take place in Peace House, a South Korean building inside Panmunjom, on the border of North and South Korea. This will be the third-ever meeting between leaders of the two countries.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said, “The South and North agreed on efforts to make the summit successful, sharing its historic significance in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, settling peace there and improving inter-Korean relations.”

Choe Sang-hun, “North and South Korea Set a Date for Summit Meeting at Border,” The New York Times, March 29, 2018.

Jimmy Carter Calls John Bolton “A Disaster for Our Country”

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter strongly criticized President Trump for naming John Bolton as National Security Advisor. Carter said, “Maybe one of the worst mistakes that President Trump has made since he’s been in office is his employment of John Bolton, who has been advocating a war with North Korea for a long time and even an attack on Iran, and who has been one of the leading figures on orchestrating the decision to invade Iraq.”

Susan Page, “Jimmy Carter: Trump’s Decision to Hire John Bolton Is ‘A Disaster for Our Country’,” USA Today, March 28, 2018.

U.S. to Begin Construction of New Nuclear Bomb Plant

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has authorized the start of construction of the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) in Tennessee. The UPF has been delayed for years because of budgetary concerns, contractor incompetence, and lack of clarity on why the facility is needed. While these issues have not been dealt with, NNSA has decided to proceed anyway.

Ralph Hutchison, coordinator of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, criticized the project for its implications for global nuclear proliferation. He said, “It undermines US efforts to discourage nuclear proliferation around the world. How can we oppose the nuclear ambitions of other countries when we are building a bomb plant here to manufacture 80 thermonuclear cores for warheads every year?”

“United States To Begin Construction Of New Nuclear Bomb Plant,” Nuclear Watch New Mexico, March 26, 2018.

Navy Secretary Calls Cost of New Nuclear Submarines “Eye Watering”

Richard Spencer, Secretary of the Navy, admitted that the cost for a new class of nuclear-armed submarines is extraordinary. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Spencer said, “All of sudden you’re talking about the submarines and there is a number that will make your eyes water. Columbia will be a $100 billion program for its lifetime. We have to do it. I think we have to have big discussions about it.”

Travis J. Tritten, “Cost of New Nuclear Subs Is ‘Eye Watering,’ Navy Secretary Says,” Washington Examiner, March 12, 2018.

Saudi Crown Prince Threatens to Develop Nuclear Weapons

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told a reporter from CBS News that Saudi Arabia would develop nuclear weapons if Iran does. Despite these remarks, the Trump administration is eagerly seeking to gain permission for U.S. companies to sell nuclear reactors to Saudi Arabia, bringing them a step closer to a bomb.

The Crown Prince has also played a major role in the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led war in Yemen that has killed thousands of civilians and led to a widespread cholera outbreak.

“Saudi Crown Prince Says Will Develop Nuclear Bomb if Iran Does: CBS TV,” Reuters, March 15, 2018.

Los Alamos Museum Refuses to Show Hiroshima Exhibit

The Los Alamos Historical Museum has refused to show an exhibit sponsored by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. Heather McClenahan, Executive Director of the Los Alamos Historical Museum said, “It is the exhibit’s call for the abolition of nuclear weapons that raised concerns.”

Los Alamos, New Mexico is the location of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where the first atomic bombs were developed, including those that devastated the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. LANL continues to this day to be deeply involved in the design, production, and maintenance of U.S. nuclear weapons.

“Los Alamos Museum Refuses to Host A-bomb Exhibit, Citing Stance on Nuclear Abolition,” Kyodo, March 31, 2018.

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 threats that have taken place in the month of April, including the April 30, 1998 vote in the U.S. Senate to approve the eastward expansion of NATO.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

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

U.S. Nuclear Forces in 2018

Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris have published a detailed report on the United States’ nuclear forces. The U.S. has approximately 6,550 nuclear warheads, of which over 2,500 are awaiting dismantlement.

The report examines implementation of the New START Treaty, the new Nuclear Posture Review, nuclear weapons exercises, and details of each leg of the U.S. nuclear triad.

To read the full report, click here.

Don’t Bank on the Bomb

PAX and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons have published an updated version of “Don’t Bank on the Bomb.” This report details the deep financial relationships that keep the nuclear weapons business alive. It also highlights financial institutions that have proactively divested from companies involved in nuclear weapons production.

Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of ICAN, said, “By divesting from nuclear weapon producers, we can make it harder for those that profit from weapons of mass destruction and encourage them to cut the production of nuclear weapons from their business strategies. Producing, possessing and modernizing nuclear weapons is not something to be proud of and ‘Don’t Bank on the Bomb’ names those that are still okay with trying to make a profit from producing nuclear weapons. Our job is to shame them.”

To read the full report, click here.

Summer Program: Hiroshima and Peace

Hiroshima City University is offering an intensive summer program called “Hiroshima and Peace” for students from abroad and in Japan. The course aims to share the recent findings of peace studies and to underline the importance of world peace in our age. The program provides participants with an opportunity to think seriously about the importance of peacemaking in the world. It consists of a series of lectures by specialists in different fields related to peace studies, discussions, and several featured programs.

For more information, click here.

Women Waging Peace

On March 7, the eve of International Women’s Day, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation hosted a free webinar featuring our 2018 Kelly Lecturer, Christine Ahn, and NAPF Advisor Medea Benjamin. These outstanding peace leaders joined us live to talk about the indispensable role of women in building peace in Korea and around the world.

Moderated by NAPF Director of Development Sarah Witmer, the webinar explored the two panelists’ vast experiences in building peace, and took questions from our worldwide audience.

To watch a video recording of the webinar, click here.

Pax Christi and Peace Literacy

Paul K. Chappell, NAPF’s Peace Literacy Director, brought the Peace Literacy Initiative to an interfaith group of more than 70 committed activists at the Pax Christi Texas 2018 State Conference in Houston on March 24. Chappell was invited by long-time Pax Christi member Catherine Foley, who is also a lifetime “affiliate member” of Veterans for Peace. Foley heard Chappell speak at the 2017 Veterans for Peace conference and was struck by the intersection of Pax Christi’s active nonviolence initiative and Chappell’s positive focus on promoting nonviolent practices and strategies.

To read more about Paul’s visit with Pax Christi in Texas, click here.

April Is National Poetry Month

In the United States, April is recognized as National Poetry Month. This is the perfect time to enter NAPF’s annual Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry contest. The contest has three age groups, and encourages poets to explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit.

The deadline for entries is July 1, 2018. For more information on the contest and to read last year’s winning poems, click here.

Tell Your Senators to Oppose Trump’s War Cabinet

Two dangerous new appointments by President Trump have added even more urgency to the effort to take away the president’s ability to use nuclear weapons first.

John Bolton is an extreme hawk, and is set to become National Security Advisor on April 9. He has advocated military action against North Korea and Iran. Trump also nominated Mike Pompeo to become the new U.S. Secretary of State. Pompeo is a staunch opponent of the nuclear deal that was negotiated among the U.S., Iran, Russia, UK, France, China, and Germany. In July 2017, Pompeo spoke in favor of regime change in North Korea. He said, “I am hopeful we will find a way to separate the [North Korean] regime from this [nuclear weapons] system… The North Korean people, I’m sure, are lovely people and would love to see him go.” A regime change war in North Korea would put the lives of millions of people across Northeast Asia, including U.S. soldiers and civilians, at risk.

Please take a moment to contact your senators and urge them to vote “no” to Mike Pompeo as U.S. Secretary of State, and let them know that you support Sen. Ed Markey’s bill to restrict the president’s first use of nuclear weapons.

“Fear is not just unpleasant: It can be our greatest enemy; it is being deliberately used to keep us from our own common sense, our own deepest truths.”

— Frances Moore Lappé. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available to purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“That we were able to create this opportunity is not because of a coincidence but because this is the right path and the entire world wants peace, not war; a diplomatic solution, not a military one… I sincerely plead you to help unify the power of our nation by transcending ideologies and setting aside partisan differences..”

— Moon Jae-in, President of South Korea.

“Mr. Bolton’s position is dangerous nonsense. He would have us drive a final nail in the coffin of international law—and quite possibly in the coffin of civilization.”

— Andrew Lichterman and John Burroughs, in a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal. They were responding to an op-ed by John Bolton in which he attempted to make a legal case for attacking North Korea.

“The Trump administration’s Nuclear Posture Review ends decades of bipartisan consensus around nuclear arms reductions and reignites a global arms race. Instead of bringing us closer to peace, it funnels billions to build new, unnecessary nuclear weapons. Congress must step in to protect the global progress towards disarmament before it’s too late. American families shouldn’t have to live under the threat of nuclear war.”

— Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), commenting after signing an open letter critical of Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review.

David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

The Power of Imagination

by David Krieger

Albert Einstein, the great 20th century scientist and humanitarian, wrote, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”  Let us exercise our imaginations.

Change is coming, if we will use our imaginations, raise our voices, stand firm and persist in demanding it.

To read more, click here.

Nuclear Testing Is Not a Path to Security and Peace

by Bunny McDiarmid

August 29 marked the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Since 1945, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out at more than 60 locations around the globe. Nuclear weapons were designed and tested to be the ultimate doomsday weapon, setting a legacy of fear and destruction. No other human invention had as much impact on the story of humanity in recent decades.

I am inspired by the stories of those whose lives have been irreversibly impacted and have turned their tragedy into a struggle, for the sake of the greater good. The Republic of the Marshall Islands, where Rongelap is, has now taken legal action against the nine nuclear states for their failure to disarm. In Japan, the Hibakusha, surviving victims of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, lead a campaign against nuclear weapons. We must not let them stand alone.

To read more, click here.

2016 Nagasaki Peace Declaration

by Tomihisa Taue

I appeal to the leaders of states which possess nuclear weapons and other countries, and to the people of the world: please come and visit Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Find out for yourselves what happened to human beings beneath the mushroom cloud. Knowing the facts becomes the starting point for thinking about a future free of nuclear weapons.

Now is the time for all of you to bring together as much of your collective wisdom as you possibly can, and act so that we do not destroy the future of mankind.

To read more, click here.

From Hope to Action

by Setsuko Thurlow

In the many years of my work for nuclear disarmament I have never felt as hopeful and as encouraged as I do now. I have witnessed how the Humanitarian Initiative movement has mobilized people around the world to overcome the resistance by the nuclear weapon states and to move towards prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons. We are on the verge of a breakthrough for a path for this most significant chance in our lifetime for nuclear disarmament. We must seize this opportunity.

To read more, click here.

Open Ended Working Group Calls for Negotiations on Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons

A clear majority of countries participating in the Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) in Geneva adopted a report recommending negotiations in 2017 on a legally-binding instrument to ban nuclear weapons. In its closing statement to the OEWG, Mexico called this development the “most significant contribution to nuclear disarmament in two decades.”

All African, Latin American, Caribbean, Southeast Asian, and Pacific states, along with some European countries, have united behind this proposal for the UN General Assembly to convene a negotiating conference in 2017. Numerous countries – most notably Australia – attempted to play a spoiler role at the OEWG, attempting in vain to prevent the ban treaty recommendation from being adopted. All nine nuclear-armed nations boycotted the OEWG.

Ray Acheson, “OEWG Recommends the General Assembly Ban Nuclear Weapons in 2017,” Reaching Critical Will, August 19, 2016.

People’s Tribunal Rules on Illegality of Nuclear Weapons

The International People’s Tribunal on Nuclear Weapons and the Destruction of Human Civilization took place in Sydney, Australia in July 2016. The Tribunal determined that any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is illegal and found the leaders of the nine nuclear-armed states guilty of crimes against humanity. The guilty verdict also included Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for complicity. Australia holds an extended nuclear deterrence relationship with the U.S., and the Tribunal found that Turnbull has contributed to the planning for use of nuclear weapons.

The judges, Hon. Matt Robson of New Zealand and Dr. Keith Suter of Australia, condemned any use of nuclear weapons as a violation of international humanitarian law since the weapons’ impact cannot be contained in either time or space. Furthermore, citing previous trials such as Nuremberg and Tokyo, this tribunal affirmed that leaders of the nuclear-armed states and allied states have personal responsibility for the illegal practices of the government.

“People’s Tribunal on Nuclear Weapons Convicts Leaders – Tribute to Tribunal Visionary,” UNFOLD ZERO, August 17, 2016.

Nuclear Accident Among the Costliest in History

The United States is currently dealing with challenges associated with a nuclear waste accident at New Mexico’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The accident occurred more than two years ago when a radioactive waste drum exploded, contaminating 35 percent of the underground site. Although early federal statements gave no mention that the site’s operational capacity would be diminished in the long term, current government projections are less optimistic. As of now officials are pushing to reopen the site by the end of 2016 with limited capacity, and to resume full operations by 2021. This significant delay has caused nuclear waste to be backed up in several states, creating a myriad of challenges and costs.

Some sources estimate that the costs associated with the cleanup could reach $2 billion, which would make it one of the most expensive nuclear accidents in history.

Ralph Vartabedian, “Nuclear Accident in New Mexico Ranks Among the Costliest in U.S. History,” Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2016.

U.S. Sued Over Aid to Nuclear-Armed Israel

A lawsuit filed in U.S. district court claims that U.S. aid to Israel is illegal under U.S. law, which prohibits aid to nuclear-armed nations that have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Since Congress passed the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act in 1976, the U.S. has given Israel about $234 billion in aid. Israel is one of four countries that has not signed the NPT. While Israel has an official policy of neither confirming nor denying its possession of nuclear weapons, it is well known that it has had nuclear weapons for decades.

“Lawsuit Claims U.S. Aid to Israel Violates Nuclear Pact,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, August 12, 2016.

North Korea Test Fires Missile from Submarine

North Korea test fired a submarine-based ballistic missile from Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province on August 24. The missile landed in the Sea of Japan, about 300 miles off the North Korean coast.

The launch came as the U.S. and South Korea began their annual joint military exercise, which includes 25,000 U.S. troops stationed mostly in Korea. In response to this two-week drill, a North Korean military representative was quoted as threatening to retaliate with nuclear arms if the exercise “shows the slightest sign of aggression.”

Azadeh Ansari and K.J. Kwon, “North Korea Test Fires Ballistic Missile from Submarine,” CNN, August 24, 2016.

Fukushima Ice Wall Coming Online

Officials working to try to contain the ongoing environmental catastrophe at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Japan will soon begin operating a $320 million “ice wall” intended to stop the relentless flow of groundwater into the damaged reactor buildings. Nearly 40,000 gallons of water flood into the highly radioactive buildings daily, as the power plant was built in the path of groundwater flowing to the Pacific Ocean.

While some highly radioactive water has inevitably flowed into the Pacific, Tepco has built over 1,000 tanks that now hold over 800,000 tons of radioactive water. Critics argue that the ice wall is unlikely to work, and even proponents admit that it is only intended to work for a maximum of five years.

Martin Fackler, “Japan’s $320 Million Gamble at Fukushima: An Underground Ice Wall,” The New York Times, August 29, 2016.

Solar Flare Almost Led to 1967 Nuclear War

A new military history paper highlights just how close the U.S. came to instigating a nuclear catastrophe. On May 23, 1967, a series of abnormally powerful solar flares caused U.S. military radar systems to malfunction. As these particular systems were created to detect Soviet missiles, U.S. officials interpreted the technological fluke as an intentional act of war. Consequently, members of the U.S. Air Force hurriedly prepared for the deployment of a nuclear missile-laden aircraft. Military officials eventually attributed the cause of the radar malfunction to solar flares with just moments to spare, and the deployment was called off.

Maddie Stone, “A Solar Flare Almost Sparked a Nuclear War in 1967,” Gizmodo, August 9, 2016.

New U.S. Ballistic Missile Stalled Over High Cost

The U.S. Air Force’s proposal for the development of a new generation of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) has stalled over questions surrounding the program’s cost estimates. The Air Force has estimated that research, development and production of 400 new missiles would cost $62.3 billion. However, because ICBMs have not been produced by the U.S. for many years, some believe the cost would end up being much higher.

The Pentagon has mandated a separate cost assessment with the hopes that it can avoid a situation in which the project is started with insufficient funds, which then would require an additional appropriation later.

Anthony Capaccio, “Air Force Ballistic Missile Upgrade Said to Be Stalled Over Cost,” Bloomberg, August 16, 2016.

September’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is Nuclear Reaction by Greenpeace International. In addition to Greenpeace International Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid’s recent piece on nuclear testing (see Perspectives, above), titles include “Survivors of Nuclear Warfare in Japan Are Calling for an End to Nuclear Weapons” and “Chernobyl’s Children of Hope.”

To read the blog, click here.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of September, including a September 25, 1959 incident in which a U.S. Navy P-5M antisubmarine aircraft crashed in Puget Sound. Its nuclear depth charge was lost and has never been recovered.

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 Human Cost of Nuclear Weapons

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has published a new periodical entitled “The Human Cost of Nuclear Weapons.” Issue No. 899 of the International Review of the Red Cross looks at nuclear weapons from the perspective of survivors, journalists, writers, lawyers, humanitarian practitioners and other experts to examine the human cost.

To read more and download the full issue, click here.

New YouGov Poll Examines U.S. Opinions on Nuclear Weapons

A new poll conducted by HuffPost and YouGov looks at the opinions of 1,000 people in the U.S. regarding nuclear weapons. The survey found that 45% support the U.S. cutting the number of nuclear weapons it has, while 40% oppose such cuts. The poll also shows that 67% believe that the U.S. should adopt a “No First Use” policy for its nuclear arsenal.

Respondents also stated whether they would trust Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump “to make the right decisions about nuclear weapons.” 38% of respondents said that they would trust Hillary Clinton, and 27% of respondents said that they would trust Donald Trump.

To see the full poll results, click here.

At Chautauqua: Hope and Peace Literacy

“Unexpected and so fundamentally hopeful.”

This is how Tom Casey of Pax Christi described NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell’s lecture on August 19, 2016 at the Chautauqua Institution. It was the final lecture of the week-long summer series on “The Ethical Realities of War.” Casey joined about 1,200 other attendees in the open-air Hall of Philosophy, built to resemble the Parthenon.

To read more about Paul’s visit to Chautauqua, click here.

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.

Remembering Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and All Innocent Victims of War

On August 9, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation hosted its 22nd Annual Sadako Peace Day commemoration at the Sadako Peace Garden on the grounds of La Casa de Maria in Montecito, California. Over 100 community members gathered for the event, which featured music, poetry and a keynote address by Bishop Edward Crowther.

Photos and audio of the event are available here.

Report of the UN Secretary-General on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon submitted a biennial report to the UN General Assembly on global disarmament and non-proliferation educational initiatives. A copy of the report is here, which includes a summary of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s activities on page 23.

To read NAPF’s full report on its disarmament and non-proliferation education activities over the last two years, click here.

“We all have a stake in the security of the 21st century, and we must all work together to eliminate the dangers posed by weapons of mass destruction as we strive to free our world from the fear of the catastrophe of war.”

— Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and candidate to be the next UN Secretary-General. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“Mr. Dion openly admits that Canada won’t support new [nuclear disarmament] efforts because of ‘obligations’ to NATO. Well, what about our obligations to the United Nations, to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to safeguard humanity from a nuclear catastrophe?”

— Douglas Roche, a member of the Order of Canada and the NAPF Advisory Council, in an op-ed in The Hill Times.

“Instead of arguing which country’s politicians can be trusted to have their finger on the nuclear button, the people of the world should be demanding total nuclear abolition. No one should have the means or the power to unleash a destructive force which could end all life.”

— Former U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

“I call on all States to focus on one overriding truth: the only sure way to prevent the human, environmental and existential destruction these weapons can cause, is by eradicating them once and for all.”

— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaking at the UN Security Council on August 23, 2016.

Erika Ito
David Krieger
Kristian Rolland
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman

We Are Living at the Edge of a Nuclear Precipice

by David Krieger

With nuclear weapons, what could possibly go wrong? The short answer is: Everything.

We must recognize that we are living at the edge of a nuclear precipice with the ever-present dangers of nuclear proliferation, nuclear accidents and miscalculations, nuclear terrorism and nuclear war. Instead of relying on nuclear deterrence and pursuing the modernization of nuclear arsenals, we need to press our political leaders to fulfill our moral and legal obligations to negotiate in good faith for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons. That is, we need to break free of our acidic complacency and commit ourselves to achieving a nuclear zero world.

To read more, click here.

Date from Hell: Can Nuclear War Be Fun and Games?

by Robert Kazel

A scenario: You’re nearing the end of a blind date, waiting for the waiter to bring out the ice cream. Both of you are still trying to come up with fodder for conversation.

Just then, your date declares with a smile, “So how about nuclear weapons? Wouldn’t using them be…well, sort of fun?  The collapse of modern society, or at least the end of the comforts we know? Imagine the thousands of immediate deaths, the damage to the Earth’s atmosphere and ecosystem. The famines. Oh, and I forgot the years of skyrocketing cancer cases!”

After you’ve finished staring, and blinking, after you’ve caught the waiter’s eye for the check, you might still be waiting for the punchline. No one could actually be so flip, so grotesquely cavalier about a grave danger to civilization — indeed, the gravest possible danger. Could they? Particularly with a new acquaintance they’re purportedly trying to woo? But I recently discovered this very discussion happening in reality, in the singularly strange world of “cyberdating.”

To read more, click here.

The New Nuclear Arms Race

by Katrina van den Heuvel

The United States and Russia are acting with increasing belligerence toward each other while actively pursuing monstrous weapons. As Joe Cirincione described in the Huffington Post, the Pentagon plans to spend $1 trillion over 30 years on “an entire new generation of nuclear bombs, bombers, missiles and submarines,” including a dozen submarines carrying more than 1,000 warheads, capable of decimating any country anywhere. In the meantime, President Obama has ordered 200 new nuclear bombs deployed in Europe.

Russia has been at least as aggressive. As Cirincione described, Russian state media recently revealed plans for a new kind of a weapon — a hydrogen bomb torpedo — that can traverse 6,000 miles of ocean just as a missile would in the sky. On impact, the bomb would create a “radioactive tsunami,” designed to kill millions along a country’s coast.

This escalation has been a long time coming, and the U.S. owns much of the blame for the way it has accelerated.

To read this full op-ed in the Washington Post, click here.

How Our Naive Understanding of Violence Helps ISIS

by Paul K. Chappell

At West Point I learned that technology forces warfare to evolve. The reason soldiers today no longer ride horses into battle, use bows and arrows, and wield spears, is because of the gun. The reason people no longer fight in trenches, as they did during World War I, is because the tank and airplane were greatly improved and mass-produced. But there is a technological innovation that has changed warfare more than the gun, tank, or airplane. That technological innovation is mass media.

Today most people’s understanding of violence is naive, because they do not realize how much the Internet and social media, the newest incarnations of mass media, have changed warfare. The most powerful weapon that ISIS has is the Internet with social media, which has allowed ISIS to recruit people from all over the world.

To read more, click here.

IAEA Closes Iran Nuclear Bomb Probe

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has ended its decade-long investigation of allegations that Iran worked to develop nuclear weapons. The IAEA resolution stated that the investigation was “implemented in accordance with the agreed schedule” and that this “closes the board’s consideration of the matter.”

The IAEA investigation concluded that although Iran conducted “a range of activities relevant to the development” of nuclear weapons before the end of 2003, the activities “did not advance beyond feasibility and scientific studies.”

This move by the IAEA clears the way for the deal reached in July between Iran and the P5+1 (United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China and Germany) to move forward toward full implementation.

“IAEA ‘Closes’ Iran Nuclear Bomb Probe,” Agence France-Presse, December 15, 2015.

Experts Say India Is Building a New City to Produce Thermonuclear Weapons

Local farmers and council members in the southern Indian state of Karnataka were alarmed in 2012 when changes began happening to limit their access to land, roads and trails. The secretive project began construction later that year. It now seems clear to some experts that India is building a massive military-run complex of nuclear centrifuges, nuclear research laboratories and weapons testing facilities. As a military facility, it would not be open to international inspection.

Such a development would likely spur proliferation among India’s chief nuclear-armed rivals, Pakistan and China.

Adrian Levy, “India Is Building a Top-Secret Nuclear City to Produce Thermonuclear Weapons, Experts Say,” Foreign Policy, December 16, 2015.

U.S. Declassifies Nuclear Target List from 1950s

The National Security Archive, a research group at George Washington University, has obtained a list of U.S. nuclear targets through the Mandatory Declassification Review process.

The list makes clear that Soviet airfields were the highest-priority target, followed by Soviet industrial infrastructure. However, many airfields and industrial areas were located around population centers, which would have led to massive civilian casualties. In addition, one entry in the target list is called “Population.”

Scott Shane, “1950s U.S. Nuclear Target List Offers Chilling Insight,” The New York Times, December 22, 2015.

India and Pakistan Restart Peace Talks

In December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Pakistan to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. This was the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian Prime Minister since 2004. The two leaders pledged to accelerate peace talks and decided to have their foreign secretaries meet soon in Islamabad.

Tensions between India and Pakistan, both of which are nuclear-armed countries, remain high over issues including the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Anindya Upadhyay and Faseeh Mangi, “India, Pakistan to Speed Up Talks After Modi’s Surprise Visit,” Bloomberg, December 25, 2015.

U.S. Senators Urge President Obama to Cancel New Nuclear Cruise Missile

Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) led a group of eight Senators in a letter urging President Obama to cancel the new nuclear air-launched cruise missile. Recent reports indicate that the administration plans to develop 1,000 to 1,100 new nuclear cruise missiles, which are projected to cost between $20 to $30 billion to build. In the letter, the Senators noted that this new nuclear weapon does not reflect our current national security needs, is redundant with existing nuclear and conventional options, and could lead to dramatic escalation and potential devastating miscalculations with other nuclear-armed states.

“Outdated and unnecessary nuclear weapons are relics of the past,” wrote the Senators in the letter to President Obama. “Your administration should instead focus on capabilities that keep our economy and defense strong while reducing the role of nuclear weapons.”

The other Senators who signed the letter are Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Al Franken (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

“Sen. Markey Leads Call to Cut Wasteful Nuclear Expenditures, Cancel New Nuclear Air-Launched Missile,” Office of Senator Edward Markey, December 15, 2015.

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Production Has Sickened and Killed Thousands

Over the past year, journalists from McClatchy conducted over 100 interviews and examined 70 million records in a federal database relating to American workers who were exposed to radiation and other toxic substances while producing nuclear weapons. At least 107,394 Americans have been diagnosed with cancers and other diseases after building the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile over the last 70 years.

The massive number of illnesses and deaths revealed in this study has increased concerns that the United States’ current plan to spend $1 trillion over the next 30 years to modernize its nuclear arsenal will lead to yet another generation of workers being exposed.

Rob Hotakainen, Lindsay Wise, Frank Matt and Samantha Ehlinger, “Irradiated: The Hidden Legacy of 70 Years of Atomic Weaponry,” McClatchy DC, December 11, 2015.

Marshall Islands Fights Back in Nuclear Lawsuit

On December 15, 2015, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) filed a Reply Brief in the Nuclear Zero Lawsuit now pending before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. In the Brief, the RMI says that U.S. government lawyers have broadly misstated the law surrounding treaty disputes. The RMI argues that U.S. courts do have the power to oversee disputes over international treaties, and that no law elevates the President’s authority above the judiciary’s power to decide disputes.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to appoint a three-judge panel to consider the briefs. All court documents are available at www.nuclearzero.org/in-the-courts.

“Marshall Islands Fights Back in Nuclear Lawsuit,” Radio New Zealand, December 21, 2015.

January’s Featured Blog

This month’s featured blog is Nukes of Hazard, a project of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. Recent titles on the blog include “The 2016 Presidential Candidates on Nuclear Issues,” “Pentagon Profligacy: Five Egregious Examples of Wasteful Pentagon Programs,” and “GOP Candidates on the Pentagon Budget.”

To read these, and many other, articles, click here.

This Month in Nuclear Threat History

History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of January, including the January 17, 1966, incident in Palomares, Spain, in which a U.S. B-52 strategic bomber carrying four Mark-28 hydrogen bombs collided in mid-air with a KC-135 tanker aircraft. Plutonium was spread over a large area.

To read Mason’s full article, click here.

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

Vote for the Arms Control Person of the Year

The Arms Control Association is holding an online voting process for the Arms Control Person of the Year. Voting closes on January 5, 2016, at 11:59 pm. One nominee is Setsuko Thurlow and the Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nominated “for their unyielding dedication to sharing first hand accounts of the catastrophic and inhumane effects of nuclear weapons, which serves to reinforce the taboo against the further use of nuclear weapons and spur action toward a world without nuclear weapons.”

Setsuko Thurlow recently received the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award, and is a committed and effective campaigner for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

To vote for the Arms Control Person of the Year, click here. When you vote, please enter the password ACPOY2015.

World Nuclear Victims Forum

The World Nuclear Victims Forum was held in Hiroshima on November 21-23, 2015, along with several related events in Osaka and Tokyo.

Participants from around the world gathered to understand the reality of the damages caused in all stages of the nuclear chain, the situations of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Fukushima, and the lessons to be learned from such situations. It was also an opportunity for people from affected communities in various countries to strengthen their cooperation and network, to work together to prevent such suffering from happening again.

The final declaration maps out draft elements for a charter of world nuclear victims’ rights and calls for the abolition of the entire nuclear chain and the urgent conclusion of a legally binding international instrument which prohibits and provides for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Robert Scheer to Deliver the 15th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is pleased to welcome Robert Scheer, one of the nation’s most outspoken and progressive journalists, Professor of Communications at the University of Southern California, and Editor-In-Chief of Truthdig.com, to deliver the 15th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future.

Scheer’s lecture, entitled “War, Peace, Truth and the Media,” will take place on Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Faulkner Gallery, 40 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, California. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, click here.

NAPF is Hiring a Director of Development

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is hiring a Director of Development at its Santa Barbara, California, headquarters. As a non-profit organization, successful fundraising is vital to the ability of NAPF to plan and implement its programs to abolish nuclear weapons and empower peace leaders.

Click here to view the job description. Please share with your networks.

Join Us in Working for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons

2015 has been a strong and eventful year for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. We have:

• Supported the Marshall Islands (and their legal team) in their courageous lawsuits against the nine nuclear-armed countries;
• Supported the nuclear agreement with Iran;
• Encouraged President Obama to fulfill the Prague Promise for a world free of nuclear weapons that he initiated in 2009;
• Opposed the planned $1 trillion expenditure on the “modernization” of the U.S. nuclear arsenal;
• Reached more than 5,000 people through our Peace Leadership Program;
• Expanded our membership to 75,000 people;
• Reached more than 1,000,000 people through our social media outreach (find us on Facebook and Twitter);
• And much more (read the whole list here).

With your help we can make 2016 an even stronger and more eventful year. We have a great team in place for 2016. Please be a part of that team, working for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons. Stand up! Speak out! Join in!

Together we can build a more peaceful world and end the nuclear weapons threat to all humanity.

Peace Leadership: A Year in Review

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Peace Leadership Program had a very successful year in 2015. Led by Paul K. Chappell, the program reached nearly 6,000 people in 11 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Mexico, Germany and the Netherlands. Over the year, Paul delivered 53 lectures and 13 workshops, introducing people to the concept of peace leadership and giving them the skills to implement these ideas in their daily lives.

To read more about the NAPF Peace Leadership Program’s accomplishments in 2015 and a preview of 2016 activities, click here.

Paul’s fifth book, The Cosmic Ocean, was also published in 2015. Click here to read more about the book and purchase a copy.

“We must encourage all people of good will to join the work of abolishing war and weapons — not out of fear of dying, but out of the joy of living.”

— Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate and member of the NAPF Advisory Council. This quote is featured in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

— Nelson Mandela

“I want to believe that there is no madman on Earth who would decide to use nuclear weapons.”

— Russian President Vladimir Putin.

David Krieger
Carol Warner
Rick Wayman