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• Perspectives
  • Freedom at War with Fear - According to Whom?
  • An Open Letter to the Regents of the University of California by David Krieger
  • Ballistic Missile Defense = Space Weapons by Douglas Roche

• Take Action
  • Join the Turn the Tide Campaign Action Alert Network
  • Stop Plutonium Activities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California
  • Book Your Flight to Porto Alegre, Brazil for the 2005 World Social Forum

• Non Proliferation
  • US Congress Cuts Funding for New Nukes Designs
  • Iran Tango

• Proliferation
  • UN Issues Nuclear Weapons Proliferation Alert
  • China Launches New Class of Nuclear Submarine
  • South Korea Chided for Nuclear Experiments

• Foundation Activities
  • Add Your Voice for a More Secure World

• Resources
  • News Zero: The New York Times and the Bomb by Beverly Deepe Keever
  • What the DoE Knows it Doesn’t Know About Grout
  • United States Air Force: Counterspace Operations

• Quotable
  • Mohamed ElBaradei
  • Robert McNamara
  • Jack Laleigh
  • Alberto Gonzales
  • Dennis Kucinich
  • Jonathan Schell

• Editorial Team
  • Luke Brothers
  • David Krieger
  • Carah Ong

Freedom at War with Fear – According to Whom? | Top

Just nine days after the September 11 terrorist attacks President Bush addressed the grieving American people during a joint session of Congress. Around the world, hundreds of millions listened to the President with bated breaths. Everyone was asking themselves the same question: why was the US attacked? The President explained that the US was attacked by terrorists who “hate our freedoms -- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.”

Not so, says the Department of Defense (DoD). According to a September 2004 report from the DoD Defense Science Board Taskforce on Strategic Communication, “Muslims do not ‘hate our freedom,’ but rather, they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the longstanding, even increasing support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, and the Gulf states.”

The report not only debunks the Bush administration’s perception of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but discredits claims made by officials that current policies will lead to a more peaceful and just world order. On 26 October 2003, US Secretary of Defense Donald S. Rumsfeld stated, “To win the war on terror, we must also win the war of ideas — the battle for the minds of those who are being recruited by terrorist networks across the globe …That is why the president is using all elements of national power: military, financial, diplomatic, law enforcement, intelligence and public diplomacy.” US National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice similarly stated, “We are engaged primarily in a war of ideas, not of armies. It will be won by visionaries who can look past the moment…It is absolutely the case that the United States needs to put new energy into its public diplomacy.” In the judgment made by the Defense Science Board, US leadership did the exact opposite and misused most elements of national power.

This misuse of American power according to the report has “elevated the authority of the Jihadi insurgents and tended to ratify their legitimacy among Muslims.”

The report finds that US policies are making success impossible in the “war of ideas” and in the struggle for “hearts and minds”. The Defense Science Board taskforce consists of military, diplomatic, academic and business experts who were assigned to develop a strategy for communications in the "global war on terrorism".

To read the report as a PDF document click here.

An Open Letter to the Regents of the University of California | Top
by David Krieger

The decision that you make on whether or not to bid to continue managing and overseeing the nation's nuclear weapons laboratories transcends ordinary university business decisions; it is a decision of profound moral consequence. The question that must be confronted is whether or not an institution of higher education should be involved in the creation and maintenance of weapons of mass destruction.

While nuclear weapons are intended primarily for deterrence, the concept of deterrence itself is based on an implied assumption that the weapons might be used. Are the Regents of the University of California willing to continue to affiliate the University with laboratories that research and develop nuclear weapons, recognizing that the mass destruction of human beings could result? Although it may not be the intent, the potential use of nuclear weapons and larger implications of the university's involvement cannot be denied.

Ballistic Missile Defense = Space Weapons | Top
by Douglas Roche, Former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament
December 4, 2004

The Canadian government must not be fooled by US President Bush’s assurance that the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system does not imply the weaponization of space.

This assurance given to Prime Minister Martin during the President’s visit to Canada this week has as much credibility as President Bush’s previous assertion that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.

The website of the Missile Defense Agency contains a clear statement of the intention to eventually include space-based interceptors in its arsenal.  This program, currently called the Space-Based Interceptor Test Bed, was granted $10 million by Congress for 2005.  More money will be sought in 2006 for additional experiments.  By 2008, the US intends to deploy a test bed of space-based kinetic-energy kill vehicles to destroy high-speed collision test targets in space.

Despite the President’s verbal assurance, space-based missile defense is a real program with a real budget.  The plan is for the Missile Defense Agency to orbit three to six interceptors for testing in 2012.  Because kinetic-energy kill vehicles designed to intercept missiles could also function as anti-satellite weapons, other countries will feel compelled to develop means to counter these U.S. space weapons.

Prime Minister Martin has repeatedly said that Canada would not participate in the weaponization of space.

It is impossible for the Canadian government to join the BMD system and still proclaim that it opposes weapons in space.  BMD, though starting with ground-based interceptors in Alaska, will evolve into a multi-layered system in space.  The US government states:  “Over time, [the Missile Defense Agency’s] acquisition approach will yield a fully integrated and layered BMDS capable of defeating ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight.”

The Canadian government is playing with fire in trying to pretend that the US BMD program will not lead to weapons in space and will not start a new nuclear arms race.

The French, Russian and Chinese governments have all told Ottawa that the US program will re-start the nuclear arms race.  On November 17, 2004, President Putin, in a speech to top ranking commanders of the Russian armed forces, confirmed that Russia is “carrying out research and missile tests of state-of-the-art nuclear missile systems,” and that Russia would “continue to build up firmly and insistently our armed forces, including the nuclear component.”

The majority of Canadians oppose ballistic missile defense because they understand that it will lead to great insecurity, not more security.

It is time for Canada to say no to BMD and start working harder to protect the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which shows the way to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

Join the Turn the Tide Campaign Action Alert Network | Top

Join the Turn the Tide Campaign and take action to help chart a new course for US nuclear policy. When you join, you will receive periodic action alerts on US nuclear policy issues. Help us spread the word! Tell your friends about Turn the Tide and encourage them to join as well. For more information and to join, please visit: http://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/action/index.htm

Stop Expansion of Plutonium Activities | Top

The US Department of Energy (DoE) is considering major expansions of nuclear weapons programs and materials at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California. Among other dangerous plans, the DoE has proposed to more than double the plutonium limit at Livermore Lab to 3,300 pounds. THIS IS ENOUGH PLUTONIUM TO MAKE MORE THAN 300 NUCLEAR BOMBS. Having this large of an amount of plutonium in Livermore presents unstudied risks such as making the lab a terrorist target, leaving the San Francisco Bay area vulnerable to environmental releases from accidents or routine operations, and provoking other countries to follow suit and increase their stockpiles of nuclear materials.

Click here to take action today to stop the US Department of Energy from expanding plutonium activities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Book Your Flight to Porto Alegre, Brazil for the 2005 World Social Forum | Top

The 2005 World Social Forum (WSF) is just around the corner and is being held in Porto Alegre, Brazil from 26-31 January 2005. The WSF is an open meeting place where groups and movements of civil society opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism, but engaged in building a planetary society centered on the human person, come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, for formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action. The WSF proposed to debate alternative means to building a globalization in solidarity, which respects universal human rights and those of all men and women of all nations and the environment, and is grounded in democratic international systems and institutions at the service of social justice, equality and the sovereignty of peoples.

For more information about the World Social Forum see www.forumsocialmundial.org.br.

Make sure you attend the all-day Anti-War Assemblies and Peace Strategy Sessions on 27 January. Click here to learn more. Click here to join a Reality Tour to Porto Alegre with Global Exchange.

US Congress Cuts Funding for New Nukes Designs | Top

In a stunning move, conferees to the Fiscal Year 2005 Omnibus appropriations cut or eliminated funding for a number of key nuclear weapons programs. "Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Hobson and the hard work of his like-minded colleagues, and a strong push this year from thousands of concerned citizens across the country, we have won a major victory against new nuclear weapons," said Susan Gordon, the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (ANA) Director.

"These budget cuts represent an important shift in the debate on U.S. nuclear weapons policy," noted Jim Bridgman, ANA's Program Director. "Chairman Hobson recognizes the provocative nature of new U.S. nuclear weapons programs at a time when we are trying to emphasize the importance of nonproliferation, and has wisely, and rather courageously, fought to curb the administration's nuclear appetite."

The final Energy & Water Development Appropriations, part of the FY2005 omnibus bill, zeroes out funding for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, a program to modify existing nuclear weapons for new bunker-busting missions, and the Advanced Concepts Initiative, an open-ended program that involved research into low-yield nuclear weapons, including so-called "mini-nukes." These programs are carried out at the Department of Energy's nuclear weapon design labs, Lawrence Livermore in California and Los Alamos in New Mexico.

"Congratulations also go to California Senator Dianne Feinstein for delivering on her promise to lead the fight to cut new nuclear weapons funding in the Senate," noted Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Communications Director, Carah Ong.

Senator Feinstein called the cuts "consequential," and said they "should send a very loud message to the Administration."

According to Committee Staff, the conferees split the difference on enhancing the readiness for conducting underground tests at the Nevada Test Site between the Administration's request of $30 million and the House-passed total of $15 million, for a final figure of $22.5 million. The conferees also restricted the test readiness level to 24 months, rather than 18 months as the administration has planned.

Funding for a new nuclear bomb plant, the Modern Pit Facility, was cut from a request of $29.8 million, to a final level of $7 million. However, work on the final Environmental Impact Statement will be allowed to continue without choosing a site.

Funding for the Life Extension and Stockpile System Programs, meant to upgrade aging nuclear weapons, was cut by $41 million. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and ANA have been critical of these programs as unnecessary in lieu of anticipated reductions under the Moscow Treaty and for crowding out needed warhead dismantlement, which are performed at the same facilities. The conferees effectively doubled funding for dismantlement, from the prior year's level of approximately $38 million to $75 million.

In environmental cleanup, the conferees provided $7.034 billion for Defense Environmental Management, including $6.096 billion for Defense Site Acceleration Completion and $937 million for Defense Environmental Services. This represents an increase above the administration's request, with almost all of the increase going to the 2006 closure sites, particularly in moving materials off of the Mound site in Ohio.

Cleanup funding for high level waste, $350 million in the request, was funded at $291.9 million by the conferees. ANA opposed the unofficial high level waste sub-account from the beginning as it was designed to blackmail states into agreeing to accept the Energy Department's plans for Waste Incidental to Reprocessing. This prediction appears to have become true as Washington opted out of the language providing DOE with an authority to reclassify high level waste in the Defense Authorization bill, and funding for cleaning up Hanford's high level waste tanks was cut in half in the conference bill.

In nuclear waste disposal, the conferees provided $577 million for Yucca Mountain, the same funding that was provided in Fiscal Year 2004. This still represents a reduction of over $300 million from the administration's request, due to the administration's gambling on Congress approving the use of the Nuclear Waste Fund for ongoing Yucca expenditures.

In fissile materials disposition, the conferees note the ongoing delays in the plutonium disposition program and adopt the cut of $25 million approved in the defense authorization. However, the Mixed Oxide fuel fabrication facility, cut significantly by the House earlier in the year, received full funding of $368 million, as did the Pit disassembly and conversion facility, at $32.3 million. Construction of facilities in either Russia or the United States has not started, leaving hundreds of millions of dollars in unused balances from prior years.

Conferees met new spending limits by enforcing an across-the-board cut of 0.8% to all non-defense and non-homeland security appropriations. All Energy & Water appropriations, including both Environmental Management and the National Nuclear Security Administration will share in this budget cut.

Source: Alliance for Nuclear Accountability Press Release, 22 November 2004.

You put your left foot in, you take your left foot out; you put an inspector in, you take an inspector out…oh wait, that is the hokey pokey, but it has been another month of diplomatic tango with Iran. For every two steps forward, there has been one step back.

In negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency and France, Germany and the UK, the Iranians have been sending mixed signals. In mid-November, Iran indicated that it would abide by international requests to curb their nuclear program, only later to renege and then to return again to the negotiating table.

At the end of November, Iran accepted the proposals of France, Germany and the UK to suspend enriching uranium and avoided being referred to UN Security Council for possible sanctions, an action that some hawks in the Bush administration are pressing. Being referred to the Security Council could pave way for possible military action against the country, which is unlikely, but a possibility nevertheless.

On 27 November, Hussein Moussavian, Secretary of the Foreign Department of Iran's Supreme Council for National Security, said on Iranian state-run television, "We have reached a final agreement with the three European powers.” The Iranian government termed "appropriate" a draft IAEA resolution regarding its nuclear program. Government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh said the resolution does not satisfy all of Iran's demands but is acceptable under the circumstances.

However, on 3 December, former Iranian President and senior Iranian cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told worshipers that Iran's suspension of its nuclear program is temporary and the country could resume uranium enrichment within six months. Mr. Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Council, Iran's final arbiter on legislation, said Iran has the right to enrich uranium at low levels to fuel nuclear power stations.

Regarding the US role in the Iranian tango, Shibley Telhami, University of Maryland professor of political science and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says, "The Bush administration is on a collision course with Iran.” Professor Telhami thinks the current US approach on Iran will not work. Telhami warns that the more Iran is pressured, the more the theocratic regime in Iran is strengthened.

Meanwhile, Iran believes nuclear weapons will improve its security. According to Professor Telhami, because of this, "I have no doubt in my mind Iran will continue to seek nuclear capability." Iran has already witnessed how easily the US invaded neighboring Iraq. Iran feels it needs nuclear weapons for its own security, unless it can be given concrete assurances that foregoing a nuclear weapons program will make it more secure.

UN Issues Nuclear Weapons Proliferation Alert | Top

On 2 December, a high level UN reform panel issued a report stating that the world system to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons is being rapidly eroded, threatening a “cascade of proliferation.”

The report recommended the UN Security Council slow the spread of weapons using an explicit pledge of “collective action” against any state or group that launches a nuclear attack or even threatens such an attack on a non-nuclear-weapon state.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan established the high level panel last year comprised of 16 veteran politicians and diplomats from around the world to identify the main threats facing mankind. It identifies nuclear proliferation as a particular danger and warns: “The nuclear proliferation regime is at risk because of lack of compliance with existing commitments, a changing international security environment, and radical advances in technology. We are approaching a point at which the erosion of the nuclear regime could become irreversible, and result in a cascade of proliferation.”

In 1963, only four states had nuclear arsenals. Today eight states are known to have nuclear weapons, and several others are suspected of developing them. Close to 60 states operate or are building nuclear power or research reactors, and at least 30 possess the infrastructure to build nuclear weapons at relatively short notice. Terrorists are also believed to be seeking them.

To help prevent secret weapons programs, the panel also urged all countries to stop building enrichment or reprocessing facilities, until a global scheme is designed to enable the International Atomic Energy Agency to guarantee the supply of fissile material to genuine “civil nuclear users.”

The panel examined a wide range of threats, including terrorism, disease, poverty and environmental degradation. However, the nuclear threat may be the most pressing of all, and has led to growing disagreement over how to tackle nuclear advances in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

It argues that nuclear weapons states “must honor their commitments to move towards disarmament,” and reaffirm promises not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states. The Security Council pledge for “collective action” could help ease non-nuclear states' concerns.

All de facto nuclear states, including Israel, Pakistan and India (which are not named in the report), should “pledge a commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament,” ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and support talks on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. In order to reduce supply, the panel says the IAEA's additional protocol should become the standard, and urges a new system whereby peaceful nuclear technology users could be guaranteed fissile material although the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes “must be preserved.”

In a bow to the US, the report also calls on “all states” to join the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative.

Source: Financial Times, 30 November 2004.

China Launches New Class of Nuclear Submarine | Top

US defense officials announced on 3 December that China has launched the first submarine in a new class of nuclear subs designed to fire intercontinental ballistic missiles. According to one official, the submarine is, at a minimum, months away from having missiles installed and being deployed. The US military views the move as evidence of China's intentions to expand both its nuclear weapons and submarine forces.

The launch was first reported in The Washington Times. The newspaper reported that U.S. intelligence spotted the sub at a shipyard 250 miles northwest of Beijing.

It was widely known that China was building the new class of nuclear-missile submarine, called the Type 094, but the launch is far ahead of what US intelligence expected. According to officials, it is China's first submarine capable of launching nuclear weapons that could reach the US from the country's home waters.

The Chinese military has also been developing a new class of submarine-launched ballistic missile, called the JL-2, which is expected to have a range in excess of 4,600 miles. The Type 094 submarine would carry these missiles, but it is not clear whether the missiles are ready for deployment.

Previously, China has had only one submarine capable of launching nuclear missiles, called the Type 092, or Xia, class. A 2001 Pentagon report said the Xia was not operational. Its missiles were of an older class that could fly only 600 miles.

Successful cruises by the Type 094 would give China a new strategic deterrent against the US and no longer limit the country to land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and weapons carried on aircraft. US defense officials do note that China is behind the US in its ability to hide submarines from sophisticated sonars and other sensors.

China is also modernizing its land-based nuclear missile force, replacing its estimated 20 ICBMs with more modern versions. In a report on China's military issued last May, the Pentagon said China's cache of ICBMs could increase to 30 by next year and 60 by 2010.

France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US all have submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.

Source: AP, 3 December 2004.

South Korea Chided for Nuclear Experiments | Top

On 26 November, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gave South Korea a slap on the wrist for making small amounts of weapons-grade nuclear material but opted not to refer the country to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. In a statement, the IAEA said "that the quantities of nuclear material have not been significant and that to date there is no indication that the undeclared experiments have continued.” The statement from the IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors echoed previous comments from Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, saying that "the failure of the ROK (Republic of Korea) to report these activities in accordance with its safeguards agreements is of serious concern." However, "the Board welcomed the corrective actions taken by the ROK and the active cooperation it has provided to the agency.”

ElBaradei stated that South Korea has set up a "new board for precise accounting of nuclear material" and that "some of the scientists who have been involved in this experiment have since left their positions." Cho Changbeom, South Korea’s ambassador to the IAEA, said, "We are happy about the results. It's very constructive.”

In August 2004, South Korea admitted to the IAEA that its scientists had conducted secret experiments to separate plutonium in the 1980s and produced 0.7 grams of weapon-grade, 98 percent pure plutonium-239 isotope. According to an IAEA report on 11 November, South Korea also reported laser enrichment of uranium "in 2000 by scientists at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) in Daejeon" that produced 200 milligrams of uranium enriched to an average level of 10.2 percent and up to the highly enriched level 77 percent, which is close to weapons-grade. However, South Korea said the tests were conducted without government authorization and had stopped.

The revelations about the nuclear experiments have embarrassed both South Korea and the US, which are trying to pressure North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program. After the IAEA released its 11 November report, North Korea's government said the South Korean experiments and a hostile US policy toward the communist nation are preventing the six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program from resuming. On 13 November, North Korea said that it was "quite possible" to settle the international standoff over its nuclear weapons program if the US drops its alleged policy of toppling the communist regime. "If the US drops its hostile policy aimed at 'bringing down the system' in the (North) and opts for coexisting with the latter in practice, it will be quite possible to settle the issue," a Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the North's official news agency, KCNA. Talks between the US, North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia have been stalled since North Korea failed to participate in a scheduled fourth round in September.

The issue of South Korea’s nuclear experiments has also taken on special significance since the US wants Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council for what it says is a covert nuclear weapons program. Diplomats said the US had been willing to have South Korea referred to the Council as a matter of principle, in order to not set a precedent for Iran to avoid sanctions. However, one diplomat said the US had become aware that referral to the Security Council also risked inflaming a nationalist backlash from South Korea.

Source: AFP, 26 November 2004; AP, 13 November 2004; The Guardian, 12 November 2004.

DoE Releases Request for Lab Management Bids | Top

On 1 December, the US Department of Energy (DoE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) released the long-awaited draft Request for Proposals (RfP) that outlines the criteria government officials will use to decide who will be the next manager of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), famous as the birthplace of nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project of World War II.

The University of California has operated LANL since it was founded in 1943 with periodic contract extensions. This is the first time management has ever been put up for competitive bid. Outgoing Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced the decision to compete the Los Alamos contract in 2003 after repeated security and fiscal management scandals and calls for competition from Congress. UC's current contract expires on 31 September 2005, but UC is also expected to submit a bid for continued management of the Lab.

According to the RfP criteria, the ability to conduct major scientific research and technology programs will factor heavily into the decision. On a weighted scale, DoE and NNSA assigned science and technology 325 points out of a total of 1,000 points, compared to 175 points for laboratory operations and 75 points for business operations. Past performance, going back five years, will account for only 75 points on the scale.

Also among the criteria included in the draft is the requirement that potential operators maintain salaries and benefits comparable to what is provided now for the laboratory work force, which must be rehired by the next operator. Only the director and top managers can be replaced by the next operator.

The DoE and NNSA are accepting public comments on the draft request for proposals through 7 January, after which a final version will be released on an unspecified date, but likely sometime late in January or early February. Following the close of the public comment period, potential operators will have another 60 days to submit their proposals to run Los Alamos. DOE and NNSA officials will announce the new operator sometime in the summer with the contract taking effect 1 October 2005.

At least 15 companies have expressed interest in the LANL contract including UC, the University of Texas and Texas A&M, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will bid.

A copy of the draft Request for Proposals is available on the UC Nuclear Free website at http://www.ucnuclearfree.org

Nuclear Watchdog Group to Bid on Los Alamos Management Contract | Top

On the day the Department of Energy (DOE) posted a draft Request for Proposal (RfP) to manage the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Nuclear Watch New Mexico, a non-profit, non-partisan nuclear watchdog organization, announced its plans to bid to manage the lab.

Nuclear Watch New Mexico cited the lab’s Statement of Work, which declares that LANL’s primary mission is “strengthening the United States’ security through development and application of world-class science and technology to advance the nation’s defense and to reduce the global threat from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.” It also states that the future contractor must bring “the highest degree of vision” to the execution of LANL’s programs.

“Precisely because Nuclear Watch New Mexico believes higher vision is critically needed for the Lab’s and the nation’s future, we are throwing our hat into the ring,” said Scott Kovac, Nuclear Watch New Mexico Operations Director. “Our prospects are perhaps brightened in that we could win the contract partially by default, given that other potential competitors have apparently lost interest after the continuing scandals. Moreover, the University of California’s (UC) past management performance has been so poor that in comparison we could look good.”

“With respect to reducing the global threat from weapons of mass destruction, what a golden opportunity ‘higher vision’ could bring to Los Alamos”, observed Jay Coghlan, Nuclear Watch New Mexico Director. “Let’s start right here at home and get the Lab off of its continuing advancement of nuclear weapons, which only prompts other countries to follow.”

The Statement of Work explicitly states that the future contractor shall explore advanced nuclear weapons concepts and engineering development. “But it’s time for that to change, and Congress apparently agrees,” added Coghlan.

“In terms of strengthening the United States’ long-range security,” Coghlan continued, “under NukeWatch management the Lab’s strategic direction would radically shift from being over 70% funded for nuclear weapons to other more beneficial programs, such as energy independence and defending against the potentially devastating effects of global climate change. Current Lab funding for research in renewable energy technologies is zero and climate change research is miniscule as a percentage of the Lab’s $2 billion budget. With respect to reducing the global threat from terrorism NukeWatch would initiate vigorous investigation into preventing the conditions that breed terrorism to begin with.”

LANL nuclear nonproliferation programs currently receive only one dollar for every nine that goes into its core nuclear weapons research, testing and production programs. Nuclear Watch New Mexico says it would invert that ratio. The stalled dismantlement of nuclear weapons would be given the highest priority.

Top priority would be given to genuine cleanup at LANL in close cooperation with New Mexico. UC had repeatedly sued the State in order to obstruct mandated cleanup. Moreover, UC did such a poor job that the DoE plans to “de-scope” cleanup from the contract in FY 2007. Nuclear Watch New Mexico says that under its management, a strong preference would be given to New Mexican subcontractors. Besides prompting regional economic development, the pride that we New Mexicans would take in cleaning up our own land would likely motivate such stellar performance that DoE would be persuaded to keep cleanup under one contract.

Although it too is a nonprofit organization, Nuclear Watch New Mexico says it would voluntarily pay New Mexico gross receipts taxes on any compensation for its management services. This could ultimately provide up to $80 million annually to the State (nearly half of which would go to public education). LANL has never paid taxes to New Mexico because UC is a non-profit.

Source: Nuclear Watch New Mexico, 2 December 2004.

UC Regents Meet on LANL Bid and Release Student Survey Results | Top

The saga regarding the University of California's role in nuclear weapons development continued in November as UC Regents meet at UC Los Angeles from 17-18 November. UC Students were able to briefly express their thoughts on whether or not UC should manage Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories during a Public Comment Period.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson also attended the Regents meeting to persuade them to bid for the LANL management contract, despite his previous criticisms of UC. "I urge you to enter this competition," Richardson said at the UC Regents meeting. "You have my full support." He recommended that the UC bid include a partnership with a private company and the University of New Mexico. Richardson is a former US Secretary of Energy and has been involved with LANL since 1982, when he became a US representative for New Mexico.

On 18 November, the Regents and broader community also learned the results of the 2004 University of California Undergraduate Experience Study (UCUES), which included questions about UC-managed Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. Only 35 percent of the 17,296 respondents favored or strongly favored UC’s bidding to continue management of the labs, while 51 percent were undecided or did not have enough information.

The UC Office of the President announced that because 72 percent of respondents with a preference favored bidding, “these results parallel those of the faculty survey, where 67 percent of respondents favored bidding for renewal of the management contracts.” This flagrant misrepresentation of the results demonstrates UC has always had a clear intention to bid for continued management of the labs.

Students also criticized the survey conducted last spring. "The UC Regents need to be more accountable to students. A student survey is not helpful when only 11 percent of the undergraduate population responds and not when controversial questions about nuclear weapons labs are introduced without education and outreach on the issue,” said Gloria Ross, an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara. “The Regents should shift their focus from making nuclear weapons to making education accessible for all and contributing toward a safe and peaceful future for generations to come."

UC Berkeley undergraduate, Chelsea Collonge stated, "I applaud all efforts to give students more voice as stakeholders in the UC community. However, the UCUES introduction to the questions regarding the nuclear weapons laboratories was misleading. It said that the labs' research was for 'maintaining the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile,' but in reality lab scientists are designing new, more powerful, and more usable nuclear weapons. These activities are out of compliance with international law, and students need to know this to make an educated decision."

oth students are a part of the Coalition to Demilitarize the University of California, which is made up of student groups on UC Campuses at Berkeley, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles working in collaboration with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation in Santa Barbara, Tri-Valley CAREs in Livermore, the Western States Legal Foundation in Oakland, and the Nevada Desert Experience in Berkeley. For more information about the Coalition, visit: http://www.ucnuclearfree.org.

Plutonium Space Project Moves to Idaho | Top

A US government project to produce a plutonium isotope used to power deep-space probes once destined for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is now being sent to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). INEEL will process plutonium-238 for space power sources and other defense purposes.

According to the Department of Energy (DoE), the move will “significantly increase security, reduce risks associated with transporting nuclear materials across the country and reduce costs.”

The US stopped making plutonium-238 in the 1980s and the stockpile is expected to run out in 2010. For more than a decade, the US has been buying the material from Russia but those sources have been deemed too unreliable for NASA's long-term needs.

The nuclear industry considers Plutonium-238, a sister to plutonium-239 that is used in nuclear weapons, an ideal power source for spacecraft too far from the sun to use solar panels.

Source: AP, 3 December 2004.

US Installs Sixth Interceptor at Ft. Greely | Top

On 12 November, The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced that the first phase of the national defense system was completed with installation of the initial round of ballistic missile interceptors at Fort Greely, Alaska. The sixth 55-foot interceptor was placed inside a silo at the Interior Alaska post on 11 November, after days of delays because of strong wind.

The multibillion-dollar system is still being tested, with activation expected by year's end.

Critics say the system is flawed, noting the interceptors failed three of eight highly controlled tests. At least 10 more interceptors are planned for Fort Greely, about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Four others will be placed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The US also has proposed a third interceptor site somewhere in Europe that, according to the MDA, will “expand coverage against missiles fired from the Middle East.” However, no decision has been made on where to locate it.

By the end of 2007, the numbers of ground-based missile interceptors are scheduled to grow to 28 at both the Ft. Greely and Vandenberg launch sites. By 2007, the MDA also plans to have 18 Navy Aegis warships armed with new and faster missiles capable of intercepting and destroying medium-range missiles. Already two Aegis warships have been deployed in the waters off the coast of North Korea to serve as platforms for forward radars for the missile defense system.

Opponents have charged that the US is deploying the system without adequate testing. The MDA is planning to conduct its first attempted intercept in more than two years sometime next month, resuming flight tests that were cancelled or delayed six times since December 2002. In earlier tests, target missiles have been successfully intercepted in five of eight attempts, but those have been under artificial conditions using tracking and homing devices in addition to some surrogate components.

The system uses a network of early warning satellites and high powered radars to detect and track and target long range missiles, feeding data to command centers that then fire interceptor missiles into a collision in space with the incoming missile.

Sources: AP, 17 November 2004; AP, 12 November 2004.

Missile Defense Agency Tests Airborne Laser | Top

On 10 November, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) test-fired the first megawatt-class laser for the Airborne Laser (ABL) system. The test marks the first time a directed energy weapon suitable for use in an airborne environment has been demonstrated. The laser was built by Northrop Grumman Corporation.

The ground-based test, referred to as "First Light," took place on ABL's laser testbed at the Systems Integration Laboratory, a special building at Edwards Air Force Base, in California, which houses a modified Boeing 747 freighter fuselage where all elements of the laser system are being assembled and tested. The purpose of the ABL is to “detect, track and destroy hostile ballistic missiles during the boost phase.”

The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are working closely with the Air Force and the MDA to develop the ABL.

Source: Northrop Grumman Press Release, 12 November 2004.

US Bolsters Missile Defenses in South Korea | Top

On 30 November, the US military announced that it has deployed new missile defense batteries as part of an $11 billion upgrade on the Korean peninsula. The US 8th Army's 35th Air Defense Brigade, which recently relocated to South Korea from Fort Bliss , Texas , completed its deployment of Patriot PAC-3 missile systems to Gwangju Air Base.

The Patriot missile systems are designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and enemy aircraft. Several batteries are already based in South Korea . Despite the new missile deployments and upgrades that will take place over the next three years, the US military plans to withdraw a third of its troops now based in South Korea by 2008, leaving a total 24,500 soldiers.

The US insists that the upgrades, including the new PAC-3 missiles, will make its forces more effective despite the decreased troops. The overhaul includes swift-action units, high-tech air surveillance and high-speed transport for troops based in Japan .

In the past, North Korea has strongly denounced the deployments of Patriot missiles in South Korea , accusing the US of bolstering its forces as a prelude to an invasion. However, there was no immediate response to the new deployment.

Source: AP, 30 November 2004.

Russia Tests Modernized Missile Defense System | Top

On 29 November, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that the military successfully tested a modernized missile defense system, but he gave no details of the missile involved. According to news reports, Ivanov told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the defense ministry would also "further perfect and modernize the anti-ballistic missile system."

According to Ivanov, the missile had passed its test on 29 November at the Sary-Shagaz testing range in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan . The test came less than two weeks after President Putin announced that Russia was carrying out tests on "the latest nuclear rocket systems" unlike any weapon held by other nuclear powers. Putin also stated, "International terrorism is one of the major threats for Russia . We understand as soon as we ignore such components of our defense as a nuclear and missile shield, other threats may occur."

Russia has been cryptic about missile defense and other system it is working on, amid efforts to counter the proposed US missile defense system and US plans to research and develop new nuclear weapons.

Ivanov said earlier that Russia would test-fire a mobile version of the new Topol-M missile before the year's end and would commission it next year. Topol-Ms have a range of about 6,000 miles (9,650 kilometers) and reportedly can maneuver in ways that are difficult to detect. The missile, which can intercept and destroy other missiles, has been deployed in silos since 1998.

Source: Interfax, 29 November 2004; AP, 29 November 2004; AP, 17 November 2004.

Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile | Top

On 29 November, the Pakistani military announced that it test-fired the "Ghaznavi" or Hatf-III, a short-range, surface-to-surface, nuclear-capable missile with a range of 180 miles (290 kilometers). The missile test was the fifth this year and Pakistan notified neighboring countries, including India , ahead of time.

Many analysts believe that most of the missile tests conducted this year have been meant to ease domestic fears that Pakistan may be pressured to dismantle its nuclear program. Pakistan has been the center of international attention since A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear program, confessed in February to being involved in a clandestine nuclear network and selling nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. According to military analyst General Talat Masood (Retired), the most recent test was "aimed at reassuring hawks in Pakistan that the Musharraf government has no plan to freeze the country's nuclear program."

The test came one week after the prime ministers of India and Pakistan met for the first time, in the middle of a step-by-step peace process some two years after the countries nearly went to war. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said that the best guarantee of peace in the region was to improve the country's defense capability.

Masood noted that India and Pakistan were trying peace moves alongside a military buildup. He added, "This parallel and contradictory development will continue for sometime until the peace process comes to a satisfactory conclusion. The significance of the latest test is that it signals (to India ) that we are not lagging behind as far as the country's defense is concerned."

Pakistan will host a meeting with India on nuclear issues from 14-15 December to discuss a possible agreement on advance information about nuclear tests.

Source: AFP 29 November 2004.

India Conducts Two Tests of its Akash Anti-Aircraft Missile | Top

On 26 and 30 November, India test-fired a short-range anti-aircraft missile, named Akash, which means Sky in Hindi. Both tests were conducted from the Chandipur-on-Sea testing site in the eastern state of Orissa. The 700-kilogram Akash can carry a 60-kilogram warhead, is designed to travel 27 kilometers and can strike several targets simultaneously. Akash is one of five missiles being developed by India 's state-run Defense Research and Development Organization.

Sources: AFX, 30 November 2004; AFX, 26 November 2004.

KEDO Suspends North Korean Reactor Project for Another Year | Top

On 26 November, the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) announced that the project to build two nuclear power plants for North Korea would be suspended for a second year, beginning 1 December. According to a KEDO statement, "The future of the project will be assessed and decided ... before the expiration of the suspension period." However, it added, "The preservation and maintenance work both on site and off site will continue."

The multibillion-dollar plan to build two 1,000-megawatt light water nuclear reactors, deemed less suitable for weapons-grade plutonium production, was a result of the 1994 Agreed Framework between the US and North Korea. However, the deal has been ruptured since 2002 when the Bush administration accused North Korea of launching a prohibited program to enrich uranium for weapons production. Since then, North Korea has thrown out international inspectors, unfrozen its Yongbyon nuclear plant and pulled out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

KEDO groups together the United States , the European Union, South Korea and Japan . The KEDO board first announced the suspension of its project - effective 1 December 2003 - in November of last year, citing tensions over North Korea 's nuclear ambitions. Construction was about 34 percent complete at the time. The two light-water nuclear reactors had originally been scheduled for completion this year. Experts say it would take at least five more years to finish the complex.

Source: AFP, 26 November 2004.

Deals Cut on Yucca Mountain | Top

November 2004 proved an important 30 days for Yucca Mountain . The energy and water bill that was part of the 2005 omnibus appropriations package that was passed provides Yucca Mountain with $577 million, the same amount of funding it received last year, yet down from the $880 million requested by the Bush administration.

Incoming Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) led the funding battle against Yucca Mountain and opposed the Bush administration's $880 million request. Reid says the administration's funding plan, which draws from a trust fund whose coffers depend upon utility industry fees, would reduce congressional oversight on spending at Yucca Mountain . Support for the administration's trust fund plan didn't materialize which forced cuts in water projects in order to fund Yucca Mountain.

During discussions on President Bush's nominations for office Reid managed to negotiate a seat on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for Gregory Jaczko, Reid's advisor on nuclear issues. It's likely that Jaczko will oppose the Department of Energy's plan to turn Yucca Mountain in to the US ' nuclear waste repository. As such, Jaczko's appointment to the NRC corresponds with Navy Vice Admiral Albert H. Konetzni's nomination. Konetzni will likely become the chairman of the NRC within a year. Under the agreement, Jaczko and Konetzni would be appointed to the NRC for a two-year term, but Jaczko will recuse himself from matters concerning Yucca Mountain for the first 12 months of his appointment to the NRC.

In other Yucca Mountain news, on 30 November, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) dropped its fight against a 9 July 2004 federal court ruling that has stalled plans for the waste repository. (See " Yucca Mountain : 10,000 Years Not Enough" to learn more about the 9 July 2004 ruling. [http://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/resources/sunflower/2004/09_sunflower.htm#9b]) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will likely develop new radiation safety standards, a process that may take years to complete. The decision by the NEI will force the Department of Energy to postpone the repository license application for Yucca Mountain .

Groups Tell Homeland Security Not to Weaken Radioactive Clean-up Plans | Top

On 3 December, more than 50 public policy organizations called on the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to halt plans to dramatically weaken requirements for cleaning up radioactive contamination from a terrorist radiological or nuclear explosive.  The groups disclosed that DHS is about to release new guidance that could permit ongoing contamination at levels equivalent to a person receiving tens of thousands of chest X-rays over thirty years.  Official government risk figures estimate that as many as a quarter of the people exposed to such doses would develop cancer.

In a letter to outgoing DHS Secretary Tom Ridge , the groups said, "An attack by a terrorist group using a 'dirty bomb' or improvised nuclear device would be a terrible tragedy. . . .But should such a radiological weapon go off in the US , our government should not compound the situation by employment of standards for cleaning up the radioactive contamination that are inadequately protective of the public."

"Benchmark" cleanup standards contemplated in the DHS guidance are up to 2500 times less protective than the risk levels considered by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as barely acceptable for cleanup of Superfund toxic and radioactive sites.

In a parallel letter to EPA, the groups urged Administrator Michael Leavitt to resist any effort to establish cleanup standards that permit public risks significantly outside EPA's longstanding legally allowable risk range.

The full letters to Ridge and Leavitt and supporting attachments are available on the website of the Nuclear Information Resource Service at http://www.nirs.org.

Cracks Discovered at California Nuclear Reactor | Top

Early morning on 19 November 2004 Unit 2 at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station unexpectedly went off-line. Officials quickly urged the public to limit electricity usage as Unit 3 at the Generating Station was also offline. Inspectors determined ground wires shorted out in the Unit 2 electrical generator causing the unexpected shutdown.

Unit 3 at San Onofre was taken offline on 26 September 2004 for a scheduled 55-day refueling service. During inspections of the reactor engineers discovered cracks in the water heaters and were forced to postpone the reactors return to service. Clyde Osterholtz, senior San Onofre plant inspector for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said the cracks don't pose an immediate safety risk. Apparently the cracks can't be seen with the naked human eye. Nevertheless the heaters will be replaced at a cost of $7 million. Unit 3 will likely remain offline until January 2005.

Sources: San Diego Union Tribune, 19, 23 November 2004; Associated Press, 1 December 2004; North County Times, 1 December 2004.

Lithuania to Shut Down Nuclear Reactor | Top

The Lithuanian Government announced at the end of November that the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in eastern Lithuania will be closed by 31 December 2004. The Ignalina plant operates the two largest operational nuclear reactors in the world. Together both reactors can produce approximately 2,760 megawatts of electricity and account for about 80% of Lithuania 's electricity.

Untold numbers of people are thrilled to learn the plant will be shut down as both reactors are a Chernobyl-style, Soviet-era design. The reactors are actually rated to operate at much higher levels, but officials have limited operation to relatively low levels for fear of a catastrophe. The European Union has promised $2.5 billion to help Lithuania close the reactor and find alternative energy sources.

Sources: BBC News, 24 November 2004; International Nuclear Safety Center.

France to Privatize Fraction of Nuclear Power Group | Top

On 24 November the French cabinet authorized the sale of 35-40% of the State-owned nuclear engineering company Areva. The sale is scheduled for the second half of 2005. French officials will use funds raised to pay back debts and to fund reactor dismantlement operations.

On 10 November, Nicolas Sarkozy, outgoing French Minister of Finance, announced the sale. Sarkozy said "The state will continue to hold, directly or indirectly, more than half of Areva's capital, given the strategic nature of atomic energy for France ." The privatization scheme is viewed as a means to strengthen Areva's fragile situation.

Sources: Associated Press, 10 November 2004; New York Times, 11 November 2004; Financial Times, 30 November 2004; Nuclear Engineering International, 30 November 2004.

INEEL Partnership Announced to Develop Hydrogen Fuel from Nuclear Reactor | Top

On 29 November, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and Ceramatec Inc. announced a partnership on a $2.6 million project to develop commercially viable hydrogen from nuclear reactors. The project will develop hydrogen by high temperature electrolysis. During the process, oxygen and hydrogen within steam heated by a nuclear reactor is separated by an electrical current. The Department of Energy is hoping for a demonstration of commercial-scale hydrogen production using the process by 2017.

There are other methods that could be used to produce the high temperatures needed for the separation process, like harnessing wind power with solar concentrators, but using a nuclear reactor is the only one being considered by this team.

Sources: Associated Press, 29 November 2004; Department of Energy Research News.

Extreme Microbes May Aid Nuclear Waste Disposal | Top

Researchers with the US Department of Energy (DoE) have developed genetically manipulated "extreme microbes." Able to survive in earth's most inhospitable environments - some thrive at above-boiling temperatures, enjoy the company of toxic chemicals, and can endure large doses of radiation - these "extremophiles" may become a valuable tool for eliminating nuclear waste. Lab-enhanced versions could be drafted to begin ingesting and breaking down toxins "in the not-too-distant future," outgoing Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said earlier this year. In addition to saving money - the DoE estimates conventional clean-up methods for nuclear waste could cost up to $260 billion - the microbes break down radioactive elements into insoluble forms, making them less likely to leak into aquifers and streams.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, 16 November 2004.

Salem Nuclear Power Plant Shut Down Because of Oil Spill | Top

On 2 December, the operator of the Salem nuclear power plant announced that the plant would shut down beginning 3 December because oil spilled from a damaged tanker has spread dangerously close to its water intake valves. The closure, which is unusual for the second-largest nuclear power complex in the US, grew out of fears that booms set up to contain the oil would fail, as they have in other parts of the Delaware River.

According to A. Christopher Bakken, president of PSEG Nuclear L.L.C. utility company that runs the Salem plant, "Rather than wait, we are taking the right actions to have the plant in a safe, cooled condition. We will stay shut down as long as necessary."

Source: Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer, 3 December 2004.

Oh, the Verifiable Hypocrisy! | Top

The Bush administration believes Iran is attempting to build a nuclear weapon, and while it welcomed the country's most recent commitment to suspend uranium enrichment, it has said it needs "proof" of Iran 's intentions. On 26 November, President George W. Bush said the only solid deal is "one that's verifiable."

"I appreciate the nations of Great Britain , Germany and France , who are working to try to convince Iran to honor their international treaty obligations," Bush said. "I look forward to talking to the leaders of those countries, if they can get Iran to agree to a deal, to make sure it's verifiable. I know the prime minister of Great Britain wants a verifiable deal, because I've talked to him personally about it."

However, when it comes to US treaty commitments, the Bush administration is opposed to verifiability. In July 2004, the Bush administration changed its position in support of a treaty to end the production of fissile materials - plutonium and highly enriched uranium - that are fundamental ingredients for all nuclear weapons, but stated that it will not support a verifiable Fissile Materials Cutoff Treaty (FMCT).

Perhaps Iran would be more willing to cooperate if the US led by example rather than demanding of others what it itself will not do.

Source: CNN, 26 November 2004.

Nuclear Warning in Iraq | Top

An unclassified warning to all US mission employees in Iraq urges cooperation in efforts to deny terrorists access to nuclear materials. The warning begins by pointing out "illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials is a global problem." The warning continues, "Posts' participation in investigating and reporting all alleged nuclear smuggling and illicit trafficking incidents is imperative as we seek to deny terrorist access to dangerous materials. The USG places a high priority on posts reporting all activities that could relate to a terrorist incident and documenting all smuggling incidents as fully as possible."

One intelligence source found it strange the memo was distributed and even stranger that it called for reports about nuclear smuggling to be emailed to proper authorities. According to the intelligence source, "Imagine someone just discovered evidence of nuclear smuggling in Iraq or elsewhere in the world. Does the US government really want that person emailing the information? Isn't that what you would call a high-priority communication that should be dealt with immediately by the highest authorities?"

The warning continued: "The Iraq Survey Group (ISG) currently maintains the mandate to investigate and report on nuclear and other radioactive smuggling incidents. The ISG is in contact with the Interim Iraqi Government (IIG) in order to coordinate on any alleged smuggling incidents. Given the current security environment in Iraq , all incidents should be reported to the ISG."

The report then provided a number of email addresses to be used to report nuclear smuggling incidents. No other forms of communication were offered.

Source: WorldNet Daily, 29 November 2004.

Drunken Pilot Convicted of Risking Catastrophe | Top

On 1 December, a drunken pilot who flew his plane near a nuclear power plant and came near six commercial airliners was sentenced to six to 23 months in prison. According to authorities, John V. Salamone had a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent when he landed his plane after an erratic, four-hour flight on 15 January 2004 over the Philadelphia region. The legal blood alcohol level limit for pilots, set by the Federal Aviation Administration, is 0.04 percent, half the amount for drivers in Pennsylvania .

Salamone, 44, was convicted of risking a catastrophe and reckless endangerment after prosecutors learned the initial state charge of driving under the influence does not apply to pilots. Because of the case, lawmakers have tried to rectify the legal loophole by passing a bill - now awaiting the governor's signature - that makes flying drunk a crime.

Salamone, flying a single-engine Piper Cherokee, meandered into New Jersey and flew into forbidden airspace. He flew as low as 100 feet and within a quarter mile of the Limerick nuclear power plant.

A Philadelphia police helicopter helped force the plane down. Officials said there was little they could do, physically, to bring the plane down after the North American Aerospace Defense Command concluded it was not a terrorist threat.

Source: AP, 1 December 2004.

Add Your Voice for a More Secure World | Top

During the recent presidential campaign, both candidates agreed that nuclear proliferation poses the greatest threat to the US and the world.

The recognition of this threat confirms what we have long-known and tried to prevent. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation provides a voice of reason in a troubled world faced with ongoing proliferation, terrorism and policies that make the use of nuclear weapons more likely.

The urgency of this period calls for a bold response and the participation of all those concerned with creating a more secure future. Against this backdrop, the Foundation has launched its 20 th Anniversary Campaign to provide innovative thinking, broad public education and committed action to the challenges confronting our world.

We urge you to participate in our 20th Anniversary Campaign and allow us to magnify your voice in the creation of a world at peace, safe from nuclear threats. Together we can make a difference.

This is the Foundation's first major fundraising campaign, and we are seeking to raise $2 million. We are aiming to complete the campaign by February 2005 and hope that you will consider making a gift to help us meet our goal.

The success of the campaign will allow the Foundation to:

• Solidify its ongoing programs;
• Initiate new projects seeking policy changes at the national and international levels; and
• Ensure the continuity of its programs through income generated from endowment.

YOU can help make the world more secure by adding your voice to a rising chorus of concerned individuals who are investing in the human race, not the arms race.

We appreciate your support and believe that together we can make a difference concerning the greatest threat facing us today. At the end of this campaign, we will know that we have done all we can to pass on a more secure world to our children and grandchildren.

For more information, please visit: http://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/about/anniversary/index.htm

Make a gift to support the campaign using our secure online server at: https://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/about/anniversary/support/

News Zero: The New York Times and the Bomb by Beverly Deepe Keever | Top

How did a world class newspaper become little more than a propaganda outlet for the US government in its drive to cover up the dangers of radioactivity emanating from the testing of nuclear weapons? And why is it still offering warped coverage of the issues 40 years after the end of nuclear tests above ground? Hiding nearly half of the tests from public view, The New York Times' stories predated by more than 40 years its recent crisis of made-up stories by reporter Jayson Blair. And the people of Enewetak, removed from their Pacific Islands and still exiled, have much to tell the Iraqis about the sad history of US governance abroad. In this compelling case study, author Beverly Deepe Keever takes you inside our most prestigious newspaper to show just how the New York Times covered up the reality from half lives with half truths.

Order a copy online from Common Courage Press at: http://www.commoncouragepress.com/index.cfm?action=book&bookid=282

What the DOE Knows it Doesn't Know About Grout | Top

Brice Smith, with the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, has released a new study of high-level waste immobilization at South Carolina's Savannah River entitled, "What the DoE Knows it Doesn't Know About Grout." The report finds that serious doubts remain about the durability of proposed waste containment solutions and recommends the Department of Energy develop more realistic testing procedures before moving forward with inadequate standards. Click here to read the complete report.

"In my view, we have come to a fork in the road: either there must be a demonstrated commitment to move toward nuclear disarmament, or we should resign ourselves to the fact that other countries will pursue a more dangerous parity through proliferation. The difficulty of achieving our ultimate objective - the elimination of all nuclear weapons - should by no means be underestimated. But at the same time, it should not be used as a pretext for failing to start the process of drastic reductions in existing nuclear arsenals, and simultaneously to explore the development of collective response mechanisms that will be needed against any future clandestine nuclear proliferation efforts."

-IAEA Director General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei
Statements made at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)
4 November 2004

"Nuclear war serves no military purpose whatsoever. It's totally useless."

-Former US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
Statements made at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University
11 November 2004

"The instant you see the strip - the one they pin to your coverall to measure your exposure to radiation - you understand how high the stakes are. Yucca Mountain isn't for the faint of heart."

-Jack Laleigh
From his article, "What Happens at Yucca Mountain Stays at Yucca Mountain "
17 November 2004

"On January 18, I advised you that the Department of Justice had issued a formal legal opinion concluding that the Geneva Convention III on the Treatment of Prisoners of War (GPW) does not apply to the conflict with al Qaeda. I also advised you that DOJ's opinion concludes that there are reasonable grounds for you to conclude that GPW does not apply with respect to the conflict with the Taliban. I understand that you decided that GPW does not apply and; accordingly, that al Qaeda and Taliban detainees are not prisoners of war under the GPW.The war against terrorism is a new kind of war.In my judgment, this new paradigm renders obsolete Geneva's strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners and renders quaint some of its provisions."

Alberto Gonzales, President Bush's nominee for Attorney General
Excerpts from Gonzales' memo to President Bush on the application of Geneva Conventions on Prisoners of War
25 January 2002

"We need to rededicate ourselves to working for peace. Not just further empowering the anti-war movement, but to look at peace as a creative endeavor."

-Dennis Kucinich
Taken from his post-election statement
5 November 2004

"They made a wasteland and called it peace,' Tacitus famously said. It was left to the United States , champion of freedom, to update the formula: They made a wasteland and called it democracy."

Jonathan Schell
From his article "What Happened to Hearts?" on the War in Iraq
6 December 2004

Editorial Team | Top

• Luke Brothers
• David Krieger
• Carah Ong