[GANA] / Nuclear_Weapons_Politics

Documents an articles on Nuclear Weapons Posture, Nuclear Deterrence, First Strike, Launch on Warning (LoW), De-Alerting, NO LoW, Retaliatory Launch Only After Detonation (RLOAD)

Wed, 5 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Documents and articles

on Nuclear Weapons Posture, Nuclear Deterrence, First Strike, Launch on Warning (LoW), De-Alerting, NO LoW, Retaliatory Launch Only After Detonation (RLOAD)

More _Nuclear_Weapon_ and _Peace_Culture_ related news and documents selected by
The Global Anti-Nuclear Alliance, can be found at GANA's News-index:

http://www.cornnet.nl/~akmalten/news.html

The purpose of United States Nuclear Forces

Wed, 5 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Joint Chiefs of Staff

"The Joint Publication 3-12 - Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations - Final Coordination (2)15 March 2005"
Is a United States Nuclear Weapons Posture document, which covers the purpose of United States Nuclear Forces.

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Greenpeace's analysis of the much-debated US draft doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations

Sat, 8 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Greenpeace

"Understanding the Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations and the associated Editing Log" - (PDF-document)
The Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations is a United States Nuclear Weapons Posture document, which covers the purpose of United States Nuclear Forces. (see here: "The purpose of United States Nuclear Forces")....">

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The Role of U.S. Nuclear Weapons: New Doctrine Falls Short of Bush Pledge

Wed, 5 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Hans M. Kristensen

"The Role of U.S. Nuclear Weapons: New Doctrine Falls Short of Bush Pledge - A nuclear draft doctrine written by the Pentagon calls for maintaining an aggressive nuclear posture with weapons on high alert to strike adversaries armed with weapons of mass destruction (WMD), pre-emptively if necessary."

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Eliminate Launch On Warning of Nuclear Weapons

Wed, 5 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Alan Phillips and Steven Starr

"Eliminate Launch On Warning - We suggest a new approach to the problem of reducing the risk of accidental nuclear war, on which the military and governments of Russia and USA might be willing to take action now if they could be persuaded that it is "safe" in their terms. Our suggestion is to change the current policy of "Launch on Warning" (LoW) to one of "Retaliatory Launch Only After Detonation" (RLOAD). This would involve _no change in the "Alert Status_."

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U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe

8 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Natural Resources Defense Council

"U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe - A review of post-Cold War policy, force levels, and war planning."

This February 2005 NRDC paper pieces together evidence from an array of sources to show that the United States is still deploying 480 nuclear weapons in Europe. Until now, most observers believed there were no more than half that many still left on the continent. The continuing presence of these weapons irritates relations with Russia, undermines global efforts to dissuade other nations from developing nuclear weapons, and impedes NATO's post-Cold War evolution. The Bush administration and the NATO alliance should address this issue as a matter of global nuclear security and remove all U.S. nuclear weapons from Europe.

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The Legal Case For De-Alerting Nuclear Weapons

8 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

the Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy (LCNP)

"De-alerting in its own right and as a step towards abolition is necessary to reduce the risk of unintended use and to meet elementary requirements of humanity, law, and morality."

De-alerting would also provide a space free of the nuclear threat for the peaceful resolution of international disputes as required by the United Nations Charter and for the negotiated elimination of nuclear arsenals as required by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The International Court of Justice affirmed that there is a legal obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations on nuclear disarmament in all its aspects.

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Tony Blair is facing a political backlash over his decision to order a _New Generation_ of Nuclear Weapons

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Andy McSmith, The Independent,

"A senior defence department source told The Independent that there was "a serious debate" going on "at all levels" over the long-term role of the armed forces and whether a nuclear deterrent was still needed. The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, is believed to have privately queried the huge cost."
The cost of running the Atomic Weapons Establishment has averaged 300m Pounds a year, at current prices, since 2000. Next year's costs will jump to 507m Pounds, rising still higher to about 1.5bn Pounds over the next two years.

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Why Double Standards on Global Security and Disarmament

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Ashok Sharma

"Besides Europe and USA, do other nations have no right to safeguard their borders, adopt the similar posture as big nations are doing? Threatened by blasts and pre-emptive strikes what should smaller nation do today? They feared that Iraq possessed WMD and which were not there. They refuse to move out from Iraq and are eyeing on Iran-why? "

"It is clear that a few countries in the world with less than 15% of global population have assumed that they are the Lords of this earth and can do anything because they are rich and they are powerful and they can deny the rights of other nations who are threatened by the blasts and they can even make pre-emptive strikes if their ill intended resolution is not adopted by United Nations Security Council or vetoed by any power."

Ashok Sharma is Founder Member and President of World Peace and Nuclear Disarmament based in New Delhi, India

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Bush Admin. Drops 'Bunker Buster' Plan

Wed, 26 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

"AP - The Bush administration has abandoned research into a nuclear "bunker-buster" warhead, deciding instead to pursue a similar device using conventional weaponry, a key Republican senator said Tuesday."

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European Green Party/EFGPaisbl - Adopted resolution on the Pentagon's draft revised doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons, including their pre-emptive use

Thu, 03 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

European Green Party/EFGPaisbl

"European Green Party/EFGPaisbl
3rd COUNCIL MEETING
Kyiv, 21-23 October 2005

Adopted resolution on the Pentagon's draft revised doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons, including their pre-emptive use"

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Awakening America -- Before it is too Late

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:00:00 GMT

David Krieger:

"The shaft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's own plumes. We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction.", Aesop's Fables

America has been warned in every conceivable fashion that its nuclear weapons will bring it to a bad end."

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U.S. Command Declares Global Strike Capability

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 10:00:00 GMT

David Ruppe, Global Security Newswire:

"WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Strategic Command announced yesterday it had achieved an operational capability for rapidly striking targets around the globe using nuclear or conventional weapons, after last month testing its capacity for nuclear war against a fictional country believed to represent North Korea (see GSN, Oct. 21)...."

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The Criminality of Nuclear Deterrence

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 22:00:00 GMT

Francis A. Boyle, Professor of International Law:

"Nuclear Deterrence and International Humanitarian Law.

Paragraph 78 of the Advisory Opinion is directly on point with respect to maintaining the illegality of the threat and use of nuclear weapons, including therein nuclear deterrence:

78. The cardinal principles contained in the texts constituting the fabric of humanitarian law are the following. The first is aimed at the protection of the civilian population and civilian objects and establishes the distinction between combatants and non-combatants; States must never make civilians the object of attack and must consequently never use weapons that are incapable of distinguishing between civilian and military targets. According to the second principle, it is prohibited to cause unnecessary suffering to combatants: it is accordingly prohibited to use weapons causing them such harm or uselessly agravating their suffering. In application of that second principle, States do not have unlimited freedom of choice of means in the weapons they use."

The Court concludes Paragraph 78 by stating: "If an envisaged use of weapons would not meet the requirements of humanitarian law, a threat to engage in such use would also be contrary to that law." In other words, nuclear deterrence itself is illegal. For example, a nuclear weapons state such as the United States cannot lawfully threaten mass extermination when mass extermination itself would be clearly illegal and criminal. Here once again, the World Court implicitly condemns the whole doctrine of nuclear deterrence as being illegal and, I might add, criminal.

On 8 July 1996, the International Court of Justice issued its Advisory Opinion entitled Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons. It can be found on GANA's Website. The URL is: ADVISORY OPINION 1996 July 8; General List No.95
on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons
by International Court of Justice. http://www.cornnet.nl/~akmalten/ndocs.html#unga1

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The case against Agent Orange and all Mutagenic Weapons:

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 14:00:00 GMT

Willem Malten:

"The last time I thought about Agent Orange was more or less 33 years ago--until recently. I met with a group of Vietnamese citizens, led by Dr Nhan bearing witness to the plight of millions of Vietnamese people affected by Agent Orange. Professor Nhan is sadly disappointed by the US response to calls to help Vietnamese sufferers and the outcome of a lawsuit against the chemical companies who produced Agent Orange --some 9 of them."

"Agent Orange in that sense is an illustration of the horror of any kind of warfare but chemical, biological and nuclear warfare in particular. Because of the genetic 'component' of their use, these are the weapons that keep on inflicting through the generations. Thus these weapons should be re-classified under one banner as so-called 'Mutagenic Weapons', and be subject to similar laws. How can it be that the unborn and thus innocent are targeted? Any person of conscience and good will immediately see that is illegal and a crime against humanity."

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Chirac threatens nuclear weapons against 'terrorist' states

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:00:00 GMT

AFP:

"ILE LONGUE MILITARY BASE, France (AFP) - President Jacques Chirac for the first time raised the threat of a nuclear strike on any state that launches "terrorist" attacks against France.

He also said France's doctrine of nuclear deterrence has been extended to protect the country's "strategic supplies", taken to mean oil."

"Leaders of any state that uses terrorist means against us, as well as any that may be envisaging -- in one way or another -- using weapons of mass destruction, must understand that they would be exposing themselves to a firm and appropriate response on our behalf," he said.

"That response could be conventional, it could also be of another nature," Chirac said in a clear reference to nuclear weapons during a visit to a French nuclear base in the northwestern region of Brittany.

The president said he was extending the definition of "vital interests" protected by France's nuclear umbrella to include allies and "strategic supplies"...."

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Speech by Jacques CHIRAC, President of the French Republic, during his visit to The Stategic Forces.

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 14:00:00 GMT

Speech by Jacques CHIRAC, President of the French Republic:

This is the English version of the full text of the Speech by Jacques CHIRAC, President of the French Republic, during his visit to The Stategic Air and Maritime Forces at Landivisiau / L'Ile Longue on Thursday 19 January 2006

"The New French Nuclear Weapons Posture laid out in this speech makes every Non-Proliferation effort almost meaningless, because it echo's the New US Nuclear Weapons Posture in its threat toward the rest of the World:
_Be sure we would use Nuclear Weapons, if we think it is necessary._

This policy is not only dangerous to the extreme, but also can be regarded as vertical Proliferation - I will not only stick to my Nuclear Weapons, but I will give them a new task and if necessary I will develop a new Nuclear Weapons Arsenal to be able to fulfill that new task.

This is a Proliferation Policy which calls for an answer. The answer might well be:
_If those Nuclear Weapons are _so_ important to you, why should they not be important for me? Is it necessary for me to develop Nuclear Weapons too?? It is almost impossible to ignore!!!_"

Ak Malten, Global Anti-Nuclear Alliance

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Pakistan: Ten reasons to doubt nuclear deterrence

Sun, 29 Jan 2006 10:00:00 GMT

Ahmad Faruqui:

"It is often said that poor countries have a right to nuclear weapons since the rich countries have them; not letting the former have them is reprehensible and reeks of double standards, a kind of nuclear apartheid. Such an argument is putting forward the specious proposition that rich countries should not be allowed to have a monopoly on making monstrously big mistakes"

The link to this article was, (if it is still there in the on-line version of The Daily Times (Pakistan)): http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C29%5Cstory_29-1-2006_pg3_6

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The Global Free Fire Zone: -- "Prompt Global Strike" and the Next Generation of U.S. Strategic Weapons

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 06:00:00 GMT

Andrew Lichterman, DisarmamentActivist.org:

"Global is defined as the capability to strike any target set in the world." Prompt Global Strike (PGS) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) Study Plan Draft 28 Oct 2005, p.10

The Air Force has put out a "Prompt Global Strike Request for Information," beginning the process of examining alternatives for new weapons capable of hitting targets anywhere on earth. Supporting materials state that the Prompt Global Strike Analysis of Alternatives will examine "a range of system concepts to deliver precision weapons with global reach, in minutes to hours." Prompt Global Strike (PGS) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) Study Plan Draft 28 Oct 2005, p.9 The PGS AoA Study Plan Draft provides a laundry list of the kinds of concepts under consideration:....."

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Pentagon Review: America's Long War

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 20:00:00 GMT

Simon Tisdall and Ewen MacAskill, The Guardian:

"Last week US defence chiefs unveiled their plan for battling global Islamist extremism. They envisage a conflict fought in dozens of countries and for decades to come. Today we look in detail at this seismic shift in strategic thinking, and what it will mean for Britain ....."

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Criminality of Minuteman 3

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 13:00:00 GMT

FRANCIS A. BOYLE, professor of law:

"DECLARATION OF FRANCIS A. BOYLE

....5. In the implementation of foreign policy, the current Administration has threatened to use nuclear weapons and was on October 6, 2002, actively threatening to use the Minuteman III, N-8 at issue in this case. Because this threat or use of 300 kilotons of heat, blast and radiation are uncontrollable and because the threat or use of this weapon is for a "first-strike," the Minuteman III, N-8, on October 6, 2002 was not merely unlawful, but actually criminal. This conclusion is elaborated in paragraphs 6-15 below....."

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The Quadrennial Defense Review, the State of the Union, and the "Long War" (2)

Sun, 19 Feb 2006 10:00:00 GMT

Andrew Lichterman, DisarmamentActivist.org:

" "Our own generation is in a long war against a determined enemy - a war that will be fought by Presidents of both parties, who will need steady bipartisan support from the Congress." George W. Bush, State of the Union Address, January 31, 2006.

Every four years, the U.S. Department of Defense issues its Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), a broad outline of U.S. military policy and the types of programs that the Department wants to implement it. The next (2005) version is due out in February, but InsideDefense.com has published 42 pages of the draft QDR (subscription required). Resources and commentary on current and past QDR's can be found at the Project for Defense Alternatives.

"Orwellian" is a term that is overused, but both the language and the content of the 2005 QDR, echoed by George Bush in his State of the Union speech, evoke resonances of "1984," Orwell's tale of dictatorship sustained by eternal war. Several locutions that recur throughout the QDR manifest a vision of war without end, fought increasingly by forces that are both less visible and less accountable. Over and over the QDR authors tell us that we are fighting what they now call "the long war"- an even more open-ended term than the "war on terror," since it can be fought against anyone, anywhere, anytime. Bush used the same phrase in his State of the Union Address to underscore his favorite theme: he is a War President, and must be allowed to do whatever he alone deems necessary. The draft QDR puts a bit more meat on the State of the Union's rhetorical bones, giving us some idea of how those in power plan to use this "long war" as a justification for more war and less democracy......"

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