Volume 15 - 1 edits.qxd - Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

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PERSPECTIVENuclear Dangers HaveIt has been 60 years since the world was awakened to the NuclearAge by the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Formany Americans, the threat of nuclear weapons unfortunately hasfaded into the distant past. Few Americans realize that even today,fifteen years after the end of the Cold War, the US and Russia,though largely friendly in their relations, each still maintain morethan 2,000 nuclear weapons on hair trigger alert, ready to be firedin moments. And, there are still more than 20,000 (some say even30,000) nuclear weapons in the world.The opportunity presented by the end of the Cold War to disarmand dismantle nuclear weapons has been largely squandered. Thenuclear weapons states continue to uphold nuclear double standards,suggesting that nuclear weapons are reasonable for some, butunreasonable for others. As a result of this nuclear disparity, somecountries are seeking to obtain nuclear know-how, materials andweapons to even the score card. The problem is further compoundedby serious shortfalls in strict international controls, resultingin a constant danger of these weapons and materials falling intothe hands of extremist groups that would not hesitate to use them.There is a clear and urgent need to respond to the many proliferationchallenges the world faces today. The best defense against thespread and use of nuclear weapons is moving rapidly to bring allnuclear weapons and the materials to make them under strict internationalcontrols and to expedite their phased elimination.Anything less continues to hold open the door to these weaponsbeing used, by accident or design, by those who possess them ormay in the future come to possess them. The reality is that humanbeings and nuclear weapons are an incendiary mix, and the worldremains challenged to eliminate these weapons before they eliminateus.The Essential Bargain: Non-Proliferation & DisarmamentThe Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is at the center of theworld's efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons, containsan essential bargain. Under the treaty, the countries withoutnuclear weapons — the vast majority of the world's states — agreenot to develop or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons and, inexchange, the small number of countries possessing nuclearweapons agree to stop the nuclear arms race and engage in goodfaith negotiations for nuclear disarmament. This bargain has existedsince the treaty entered into force in 1970.With a few notable exceptions, the non-nuclear weapons states havekept their end of the bargain. On the other hand, the nuclearweapons states, and most notably the United States, have shownscant inclination to fulfill their disarmament commitments. Bothsides of the bargain are equally important and mutually reinforcing.In other words, preventing proliferation cannot be guaranteed withoutnuclear disarmament, and nuclear disarmament cannot succeedwithout preventing nuclear proliferation. Unless both sidesadhere to the pact, the world will be thrown into nuclear chaos.Proliferation Concerns TodayThe five nuclear weapons states recognized under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom andUnited States) have long tried to maintain exclusivity in their possessionof nuclear weapons, which over time has only enhanced theperception that nuclear weapons are a source of power and prestige.In addition, their continued possession of nuclear weapons demonstratesto the world that even the most economically and militarilypowerful nations rely upon nuclear weapons for security.Furthermore, the possession of nuclear weapons provides thenuclear weapons states with a psychological advantage through thetacit threat to use these weapons in a worst case conflict scenario.All of these factors provide incentives for proliferation.In order to counter the perceived power of nuclear weapons states,acquiring nuclear weapons has become the goal of some countriesand extremist groups. The rapid spread of and increased ability toaccess information, along with scientific expertise and technicalcapacity, has also made it easier than ever before to build a nuclearweapon. Furthermore, it has also become easier to obtain fissilematerial from hundreds of poorly guarded nuclear sites throughoutthe world. With all of these developments, the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the non-proliferation and disarmamentregimes in general are under severe threat of unraveling altogether.Failing PoliciesThe nuclear weapons states have raised proliferation concerns onlyfor select violators and only when it is in their interest to do so. Inaddition, the news media has been very selective in its reporting onissues of nuclear proliferation. For the most part, Iraq, Iran, Libyaand North Korea have been singled out, while proliferation concernsfrom the existing nuclear weapons states, in particular theUnited States, Israel and NATO, have been ignored or treated astaboo subjects. While India and Pakistan received attention in thepast regarding their nuclear programs, they are now largely acceptedas part of the "nuclear club" and rarely scrutinized. US intelligenceagencies, for example, have never even interrogated A.Q.Khan, the Pakistani scientist engaged in the largest nuclear proliferationscheme ever uncovered.Nuclear proliferation can be prevented, but only if the nuclear2 Waging Peace Report
Not Gone AwayBy David Krieger & Carah Ongweapons states fulfill their end of the bargain. Negotiated and verifiablesolutions to the proliferation issues in Iran and North Koreacan be achieved, but not without the US and other nuclearweapons states demonstrating the political will to meet their ownnuclear disarmament obligations.As demonstrated by its policies and backed by its budget, the UShas become the most egregious offender of NPT disarmament andnon-proliferation obligations. Nuclear weapons remain as central toUS security policy today as they were during the Cold War. And,increasingly aggressive US military policies, combined with a rejectionof international law and norms, are negatively impacting relationswith other countries around the world, as well as global nonproliferationand disarmament efforts. A thumbnail sketch of theseissues follows.The US is not only pursuing development of new nuclear weapons,it is also seeking new capabilities for existing weapons. WhileCongressional funding for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetratorwas zeroed out of the 2005 budget, the Bush administration is againseeking funding for the "bunker buster" in the 2006 budget.Additionally, the funding in the 2005 budget for the AdvancedConcepts Initiative that was cancelled by Congress in 2004 wasredirected into a program called the Reliable Replacement Warhead(RRW). This is a concept that dates back a couple of decades todevelop a robust, reliable warhead that could be kept in the arsenalwith minimal maintenance for many decades to come. In the 2006budget, the administration is once again seeking funding for theRRW that will focus on adapting an existing warhead. This adds tothe strong impression that the US intends to maintain its nucleararsenal indefinitely.Further, the US has refused to ratify the Comprehensive Test BanTreaty and is seeking to reduce the amount of time it would take toconduct a full nuclear weapons test. In 2004, Congress authorized$25 million in order to decrease the preparation time to resumenuclear testing from 36 to 24 months. For 2005, Congress hasauthorized $26.8 million for enhanced test site readiness to ensurethat the Nevada Test Site could execute an underground nuclearweapons test within 18 months of receiving orders by the President.For 2006, the administration is requesting $25 million to completeTest Site preparedness. Should the US choose to resume testing, itwould open a Pandora's Box of nuclear testing throughout theworld.In 2002, the US withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty inorder to develop and deploy a missile defense program that is actuallyoffensive in nature since it enhances a US first-strike capability.By the end of 2004, six "interceptors" were emplaced at Ft. Greely,Alaska and two at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Therehave been major technical difficulties in deploying a national missiledefense system, and the last two tests of the system have beendramatic failures. As many military and scientific experts haveexpressed, the program, which has already cost over $100 billionand will cost at least another $50 billion over the next five years, willonly provide an illusion of security and could lead to an arms raceon Earth and in Outer Space.More than a decade after the end of the Cold War, the US continuesto deploy some 480 nuclear weapons in Europe and the targetsfor these weapons are most likely in Iran, Russia and Syria.Although 480 is less than the number of nuclear weapons the USdeployed in NATO countries during the Cold War, prior to aFebruary 2005 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council,most observers believed there were no more than half that manystill left in Europe. US nuclear weapons currently are located ateight air force bases in six European countries — Belgium,Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey and the United Kingdom.The continuing presence of these weapons undermines relationswith Iran and Russia, as well as global efforts to dissuade othernations from developing nuclear weapons.Charting a New CourseIn order to address the wide-spread proliferation challenges theworld faces today, simultaneous measures to both halt proliferationand to pursue complete and verifiable nuclear disarmament mustbe pursued. This means that nuclear weapons states must taketheir nuclear disarmament commitments seriously and engage withdetermination in fulfilling their long-overdue obligations to achievenuclear disarmament. The United States, for its part, should leadthe other nuclear weapons states in this effort.It is in the best interests of the United States to change the courseof its nuclear policy in order to protect US citizens, as well as peopleall around the world, from the serious nuclear dangers we continueto face today. This critical issue for US and global security cannotbe left solely in the hands of governments. Ultimately, it is upto US citizens to hold their government accountable and urge electedofficials to establish policies that will reduce and eliminate thenuclear threat.If you are interested in taking action to chart a new course inUS nuclear policy and help create a far safer and more secureworld, please visit the Foundation's Turn the Tide Campaignwebsite at www.chartinganewcourse.org.Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 3
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