From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #193 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Friday, October 8 1999 Volume 01 : Number 193 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 01:27:02 -0700 From: "David Crockett Williams" Subject: (abolition-usa) Abolition 2000 Outreach From: Threelite@aol.com To: prop1@prop1.org ; GPZONE2000@aol.com ; gear2000@lightspeed.net Subject: RE: Abolition 2000 Outreach Date: Thursday, October 07, 1999 5:55 PM Fellow Abolition 2000 networkers, Global Peace Walk 2000 will be carrying the Abolition 2000 message across the country with them. We are asking Abolition 2000 groups from around the country to network with us, and help us get the Abolition 2000 message o= ut. We will give Abolition 2000 press releases & info material to whomever we meet =96 the media, politicians & the general public =96 please send us m= aterial to distribute. We would like to coordinate with local Aboliton 2000 group= s in order to include them in our walk through town, as well as in any planned events & parades. We will participate in any events that Abolition 2000 groups are involved in as well. We will also be promoting & distributing = the "End the Nuclear Threat Now!" letter writing campaign. The Global Peace Walk would appreciate any help in obtaining food, supplies & assistance in your local areas. Places for Global Peace Walker= s to camp or sleep need to be worked out before Global Peace Walk's arrival. Let's work together to "End the Nuclear Threat Now!" Check out the Global Peace Walk 2000 Schedule, and contact us. We are looking forward to worki= ng with you. Living On the Globe with All Our Friends, Global Peace Walkers - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Global Peace Walk 2000 will take its first step from the War Memorial Building in San Francisco on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.=92s Birthday on January 15, 2000 bringing out the prayer of =93Global Peace Now!=94 as a universa= l human resolve to spread across the United States. Along the way, the Peace Walkers will be carrying petitions, messages & information to educate & network with people & groups on the following issues: Abolition 2000 - A Call to Ban Nuclear Weapons Worldwide; Protecting our Land & Life & other Environmental & Social issues; Native American issues (i.e., Leonard Peltier, Big Mountain, AZ, Ward Valley, CA); Sustainable Global Economy (i.e., Permaculture, Hemp); Alternative Healing/Medicine; Medical Marijuana; Creating a Culture of Peace and a Spiritual United Nations; the World Thirteen Moon Calendar Change Peace Movement; as well = as other issues that people bring to us along the way. On October 9, 2000 (Columbus Day), the Global Peace Walk will arrive in Washington DC and bring the petitions & a =93Message of Peace=94 to our governmental leaders. The walk will arrive in New York City at the United Nations on October 24th, 2000 (United Nations Day) bringing the petitions= & a =93Message of Peace=94 to our world government leaders, and reaffirm the original principle of the United Nations Charter, to =93save succeeding generation= s from the scourge of war=94 and to =93reaffirm faith in the dignity of human ri= ghts=94 and to =93live together in peace.=94 Since the Global Peace Walk project was initiated in 1995 walking from Ne= w York City to San Francisco for the United Nations 50th anniversary, the Global Peace Walk has received hundreds of letters and proclamations of support from religious, political, community and cultural leaders towards the creation of a worldwide Global Peace Zone. Global Peace NOW! GLOBAL PEACE WALK c/o Yucca Foundation [501(c)3] Phone: 415-863-2084 Voicemail & Updates: 415-267-1877 e-Fax: 413-895-8588 e-mail: web: P.O. Box 170245 San Francisco, CA 94117-0245 Global Peace Walk 2000 Schedule San Francisco =96 Washington DC =96 New York / U.N. 1/15/2000 =96 10/9/2000 =96 10/24/2000 - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 01:48:06 -0700 From: "David Crockett Williams" Subject: (abolition-usa) Proposal to Abolition 2000 Please study this proposal from Thomas who has been maintaining the antinuclear vigil across from the White House since 1981 and whose dedication to this cause warrants careful consideration of his proposal below. From: Peace through Reason To: gear2000@lightspeed.net Subject: Proposal to Abolition 2000 Date: Friday, October 08, 1999 1:06 AM David- Last night I went on the congressional website and checked out Markey's and Woolsey's anti-nuclear measures presently pending in the House. I discovered that they are both resolutions =-= not bills. This is very disappointing, because, unlike a bill, which causes change by creating law, a resolution has no binding effect on anything ... a resolution is little more than a feel good measure. So I sent the following to Ellen to take to the conference. Not sure, but I think you may have read this before, in one of its earlier incarnations. Thomas PROPOSAL TO BUILD A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT TO PRESSURE THE U.S. POLITICAL SYSTEM FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS ABOLITION October, 1999 In order to abolish nuclear weapons before the end of the century, or, for that matter, at any time in the future, it is essential to build a strong U.S. abolition campaign. We hope this proposal will be considered during evaluation and development of specific strategies and activities to create a broadly inclusive campaign that will inject denuclearization and the elimination of nuclear weapons into the political mainstream. BACKGROUND FACTS: The United States (1) was first to research, produce, test, and deploy nuclear weapons, and first to use them against human targets, (2) has led the world in the development and production of innovative nuclear weapons and delivery systems throughout the nuclear age, and (3) notwithstanding the NPT and CTBT, continues to test, develop, and produce new weapons systems. No wonder the U.N. resolutions for a nuclear weapons abolition convention are getting nowhere fast. We believe that as long as the nuclear weapons policy of the United States remains unchanged, it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to take suggestions for international abolition seriously. Before most of the world was snickering at the blatant NTP/CTBT/Subcritical hypocrisy of the United States. Of course, this has always been a major obstacle to using the NPT or CTBT as tools for securing an international convention on nuclear weapons. Today international credibility of these treaties is even more suspect. At the very moment that this proposal is being written, the US Senate is debating ratification of the CTBT. Opponents of the treaty, confident that they can kill the measure, are pressing for a ratification vote. In the meantime the US is conducting tests of anti-ballistic missle systems, imperiling both the ABM and SALT treaties. If we are to be practical, we must accept the fact that neither treaties nor mere resolutions alone will not necesarily turn this problem around. Zia Mian alluded to this fact in his address to the NPT Preparatory Committee at the U.N.: "We believe it is time for these opinions to be acted upon. Words are cheap. It is the responsibility of all the states who have supported these resolutions in the General Assembly and the Conference on Disarmament to force negotiations upon those who will not negotiate. Otherwise they are doing no more than standing on the sidelines wringing their hands, they are providing cover for those countries who have no intention of negotiating." We must question the direction of those dedicated to interjecting the elimination of nuclear weapons into the political mainstream. Presently the entire political movement within the United States can be summed up in two proposed House Resolutions, H. Res. 74, proposed by Congressman Markey, and H. Res. 82, proposed by Congresswoman Woolsey. Although both H. Res. 74 and 82 are positive expressions. As resolutions, however, even if passed by Congress, they would have very little effect toward denuclearization. PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR MAJOR POLITICAL CHANGE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES Any meaningful strategy must necessarily go beyond educating, outreaching, conferencing and mere talk in general. A successful strategy must be based on promoting some tangible, workable vehicle that is actually capable of carrying an abolition movement to its desired culmination. A strong foundation for exerting decisive political pressure on the United States to abolish nuclear weapons was laid by U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton in 1994, when she introduced the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act (H.R. 2545) to the U.S. House of Representatives. In essence, the bill would mandate that the U.S. government to eliminate its' nuclear weapons if all other countries do, and to redirect the nuclear weapons budget towards converting the nuclear weapons industries and restoring the environment. The text of H.R. 2545 appears at the end of this proposal. The official government version of the bill can be accessed online at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/ -- type "H.R. 2545" into the box, and click "Search." The text and a great deal more information is also available online at http://prop1.org/prop1/ehn99716.htm. Obviously, if Mrs. Norton's bill were to become law it would send an unmistakably clear message to the world that the United States is actually sincere about trying to reverse the nuclear weapons program it's been pursuing, and the strategic objective for achieving major political change within the United States would be accomplished. Unfortunately, although Mrs. Norton has introduced the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act four separate times (H.R. 3750 in 1994, HR. 1647 in 1995, and H.R. 827 in 1997), thus far it has failed to gain enough political support to make its way out of committee. However, as the focus of a broad based grassroots movement H.R. 2545 could easily gain the widespread political support. PROPOSED TACTICS TO ACHIEVE THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE The following are suggestions for possible joint activities by grassroots groups around the country. The listing is not exhaustive. 1. Due to the existence of Mrs. Norton's Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion bill, the most obvious opportunity for grassroots joint activity is banding together in support of this existing legislation. The only thing standing between Norton's bill becoming "the law of the land" is lack of legislative support. They only thing lacking for legislative support is U.S. voter pressure upon congressional representatives. 2. Building voter initiative movements, similar to the Freeze initiatives of the early 80's, in states where Representatives won't support the bill would impress upon the politicians that there is popular support for the idea. 3. The inclusion of abolition initiatives on ballots around the country would guarantee that the subject would be center stage in the electoral debates. 4. Petition drives. Although simple petitions do not usually carry great weight with politicians in office, petitions that qualify voter initiatives for the ballot have significant weight unto themselves. 5. Producing educational materials and designated website would be essential to any political movement. Of course, we already have a website (http://prop1.org/prop1), and we've produced a couple of video tapes. 6. Public television documentary could feature commentary from experts like General Lee Butler and Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, as well as economic authorities, who would explain how much the United States has spent on its nuclear arsenal, and offer alternatives as to how that money could have been spent. A documentary of this nature could be a significant moment of public engagement with the nuclear issue and would serve as method of mobilizing public support for lobby and/or voter initiative participation. 7. Speaking tours by people like General Lee Butler, Admiral Stansfield Turner, other former government officials, and nuclear, religious, or economic authorities, building public exposure on issues of Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion. 8. Outreach to colleges and universities. A special effort could be made to encourage debates, teach-ins, and conferences on college and university campuses, as a way of engaging students and faculty in the challenge of eliminating nuclear weapons, and enlisting them into practical lobbying and electoral projects. See, for example, the "Campus Outreach Project" and questionnaire at http://prop1.org/prop1/outreach.htm. 9. Outreach to the religious community would be a natural. After all, even most fundamentalist Christians agree Jesus wouldn't build a nuclear weapon, and most fundamentalist Moslems agree that nukes aren't acceptable for use in a jihad. 10. Introducing the idea of abolishing nuclear weapons by outlawing them in town meetings, is another way of stimulating participation in the movement. Abolition proposals have already been adopted by a number of city councils, providing a legislative vehicle to transform these proposals into law would enlarge these efforts to have a practical effect. 11. Abolition walks. Long distance walks offer an activity that brings people together, and almost assure media exposure. Whether this is an activity that can or should be repeated as a political tactic might be considered in light of past successes and failures. Sincerely, Proposition One Committee PO Box 27217, Washington DC 20038 USA 202-462-0757 (fax 202-265-5389) prop1@prop1.org -- http://prop1.org House Bill HR-2545 [Presented July 16, 1997, by Congresswoman Norton] 105th CONGRESS 1st Session H.R. 827 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A BILL To provide for nuclear disarmament and economic conversion in accordance with District of Columbia Initiative Measure Number 37 of 1993. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE This Act may be cited as the "Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act". SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND ECONOMIC CONVERSION. The United States Government-- 1. shall disable and dismantle all its nuclear weapons and refrain from replacing them at any time with any weapons of mass destruction; 2.shall undertake vigorous good faith efforts to eliminate war, armed conflict, and all military operations; 3. shall actively promote policies to induce all other countries to join in these commitments for peace on earth; and 4. shall redirect resources that are currently being used for nuclear weapons programs to use-- (A) in converting all nuclear weapons industry employees, processes, plants, and programs smoothly to constructive, ecologically beneficial peacetime activities during the 3 years following the effective date of this Act, and (B) in addressing human needs such as housing, health care, education, agriculture, and environmental restoration. SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act shall take effect when the President certifies to the Congress that all foreign countries possessing nuclear weapons have established legal requirements comparable to those set forth in section 2 and those requirements have taken effect. ____________________________________________________________ * Peace Through Reason - http://prop1.org -Convert the War Machines! * ____________________________________________________________ - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 09:36:58 -0700 (PDT) From: marylia@earthlink.net (marylia) Subject: (abolition-usa) 4 time-critical alerts Action Alerts Dear Tri-Valley CAREs members and friends: Here are four extremely important and time-critical issues. Your action today can make a difference. If each of you reading this takes a few minutes to complete one or more of the actions below -- collectively we will create a huge chorus of voices that will be heard. Please do your part. And, if you want further information on any issue, just call our office at (925) 443-7148. 1. TELL THE SENATE: RATIFY THE COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY AND CUT NEXT YEAR'S FUNDING FOR "STOCKPILE STEWARDSHIP" The full U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the CTBT on Tuesday, Oct. 12. President Clinton signed the CTBT on Sept. 24, 1996 but it has yet to be ratified by the Senate. That ratification vote will take place Oct. 12. Forty four nations with nuclear capability must sign and ratify the treaty before it can fully enter into force globally. The U.S. is one of those 44 countries. What message does it send the world if we fail to ratify the treaty? Tri-Valley CAREs has worked to end nuclear weapons testing since the group was founded in 1983. Numerous national polls show overwhelming public support for ending nuclear testing. Most recently, polls conducted by the Mellman Group and Wirthlin Worldwide showed that 82% of the American people want the CTBT ratified. Ratifying the CTBT and stopping so-called "Stockpile Stewardship" are two key parts of truly ending all nuclear testing. Moreover, these two parts are related in many ways. For example, other nations have complained that the "Stockpile Stewardship" program allows the U.S. to continue designing nuclear weapons, and that it impairs global acceptance of the test ban. ACTION: One phone call to each of your U.S. Senators today can help ratify the CTBT and cut next year's funding for "Stockpile Stewardship." Call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Our California Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, are on record supporting the CTBT. Ask them to work hard on the floor of the Senate to ensure its ratification. Neither Senator has yet been willing to cut funding for "Stockpile Stewardship." Tell them you are disappointed, and that you expect them to cut its budget in the future. 2. TELL THE SENATE: STOP BAD NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY The U.S. Senate is poised to vote on bill (S1287) called the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1999. This bill takes the nation's already shortsighted approach to nuclear waste and makes it worse. S1287 would allow the nuclear industry to ship "high-level" nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain in Nevada or to another, unnamed "temporary" site before any final decision is made regarding the permanent storage of radioactive waste. S1287 could mean that waste from 77 sites would move through 43 states, and then, at least potentially, move again when a final determination about a waste site is made. S1287 would also prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from setting "radiation safety standards"-- specifying that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) would set the standards. Then, S1287 disallows even the NRC from setting any standards (even weak ones) regarding release limits for the nuclear waste or to specifically protect groundwater resources around the dump site. S1287 also sets up a special "Office of Spent Nuclear Fuel Research" to conduct R&D on plutonium reprocessing technologies. This flies in the face of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation goals. ACTION: One phone call to your Senator can help stop this waste bill. Call (202) 224-3121. Tell your Senator S1287 has too many bad ideas. Tell him/her that we need a nuclear waste policy that is scientifically sound and has public input and credibility. Tell your Sen. to vote against this bail out for the nuclear industry. 3. TELL THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: SAVE THE SUPERFUND CLEANUP LAW Superfund is a federal law mandating cleanup of many heavily contaminated toxic and radioactive waste sites; there are over 1,200 Superfund cleanup sites in the nation, including the Livermore Lab's main site and site 300 high explosives testing range. The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill (HR1300) that will weaken the Superfund law. The vote on HR 1300 may come as early as mid-October. HR1300 would change the liability provision in the current Superfund law (called "joint and several liability") in such a way it could let polluters off the hook. Further, HR1300 relaxes the standard for what is deemed clean. This could result in federal Superfund cleanup sites being called "finished," even though hazardous pollutants remain in the soil and water in violation of state standards. ACTION: One phone call to your Congressional Representative can help save Superfund. Call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask your Rep. to oppose HR1300 and any other future bill that could weaken the Superfund law. 4. TELL GE VALLECITOS: WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BRING MORE NUCLEAR WASTE TO THE TRI-VALLEY Tri-Valley CAREs has obtained a report from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) showing all shipments of irradiated nuclear fuel rods around the country during the years 1993-1996. Would it surprise you to learn that more than half of all shipments in the U.S. during that time have involved the General Electric Vallecitos nuclear center, located in the Tri-Valley along highway 84 at the edges of Livermore, Pleasanton and Sunol? During the 4 year period covered in the report, there were a total of 137 cross-country shipments -- and 70 have been to or from the GE Vallecitos nuclear center. Sixty (60) shipments of irradiated -- also called "spent" - -- nuclear fuel rods came into the GE plant and 10 shipments left the plant. Just what is going on at GE Vallecitos? Following the January 1980 5.5 magnitude earthquake in Livermore, the second of three reactors was shut down at GE Vallecitos. The main reactor had been shut down in 1997 amid controversy because it sat atop the Verona fault. Folks thought GE had closed, except for a much smaller reactor that produces medical isotopes. Not quite. Now we learn that GE has some 56 nuclear fuel rods on site that have been secretly shipped and stored. This Nov., at a date that remains secret, ten more irradiated nuclear fuel rods are scheduled to arrive via truck from the Limerick nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. This is the same shipment that got delayed last year due to problems that occurred when the Limerick facility tried to load the rods into their shipping casks. An NRC internal report said that there were "irregularities, so the operation was halted." Now they will try again. ACTION: Participate in an important public meeting, to be held at 7 PM on Wed., Oct. 20 at the Shrine Event Center, 170 Lindbergh Ave., near the Livermore airport. We will have an information table and fact sheets, e.g. on spent nuclear fuel (which is high level nuclear waste containing plutonium and other deadly fission products) along with "talking points" and questions for GE Vallecitos and the NRC. If you live in the Tri-Valley area or along the transportation route, this meeting's for you! Tri-Valley CAREs, 2582 Old First Street, Livermore, CA 94550 Note: Thanks to Citizen's Mass Energy Project for information on S 1287 and Desert Citizens Against Pollution for information on HR 1300. end Marylia Kelley Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment) 2582 Old First Street Livermore, CA USA 94550 - is our web site, please visit us there! (925) 443-7148 - is our phone (925) 443-0177 - is our fax Working for peace, justice and a healthy environment since 1983, Tri-Valley CAREs has been a member of the nation-wide Alliance for Nuclear Accountability in the U.S. since 1989, and is a co-founding member of the international Abolition 2000 network for the elimination of nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 12:12:54 -0400 From: "Joan Wade" Subject: [none] This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0056_01BF1186.73C76340 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings Disarmament Activists, The fate of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is still waiting in the = wings and it looks like a vote is likely late Tuesday or early = Wednesday. The extraordinary work of activists around the country has = brought this issue to the frontlines of American politics. We must make = sure to see it through. Over the next few days, the most important = action you can take is to call your Repulican Senators and urge them to = vote for ratification. =20 Below you will find a list of events planned by organizations in key = states along with contact numbers for more information, followed by a = New York Times Op-Ed from Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, and Gerhard = Schroeder on the need for CTBT. More activism is needed particularly in = Rhode Island (Senator Chafee), Nebraska (Senator Hagel), Colorado = (Senator Campbell), Ohio (Senator DeWine), Wyoming (Senators Enzi and = Thomas), Washington (Senator Gorton), Minnesota (Senator Grams), Arizona = (Senator McCain), Delaware (Senator Roth), Pennsylvania ( Senator = Santorum) and Alaska (Senator Stevens). Opion editorials, letters to = the editor, visits to Senate offices, and press conferences are just = some ideas for actions. Please also activate your phone trees and = e-mail lists. Thank you for all your help. Please feel free to contact the Disarmament = Clearinghouse for more information at (202) 898-0150 x232 or = disarmament@igc.org. 20/20 Vision (202) 833-2020 Submitted Op-Eds in TN,, OR, KS = DC lobby visit = by Dr. Michael Hamburger from IN = District meeting in WY with Enzi by = a former state historian during a homecoming football game Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (202) 833-4668 LTE printed in ID newspaper = LTE = submitted in WA, OH, CO, TN, SC = Phone trees in WA, OH, CO, = TN, SC, ID, KY = ANA members joining some Peace Action in-district = activities FCNL (202) 547-6000 LTE submitted to Washington Post = Press conference held = yesterday at White House = DC lobby visits by Development Committee to = IL, OR, MI, IA Peace Action (202) 862-9740 Rallies at the offices of both ME Senators = Press conference in = NH today and newspaper ad scheduled for Monday = In-district lobby visits to both OH Senators today = and press conference in OH on Monday In-district = lobby visit in IL today = In-district lobby = visit in MO and in KS today = Rally at district office in NM = today = Rally at district office in OR today = = Activity planned in TX PSR (202) 898-0150 Full press coverage including Op-Eds in ME = Press work also being = done in NM = In-district lobby visits with both GA = Senators = 150 e-mail letters sent through PSR website WAND (202) 543-8505 Press conference by state legislators in NH today = Press conference = scheduled by activists in MI for Monday = OH press statements issued by legislators = = Editorial printed yesterday in the Detroit Free Press = AK prime time = radio conservation show interview by Kimberly Robson New York Times, October 8, 1999 A Treaty We All Need By JACQUES CHIRAC, TONY BLAIR, and GERHARD SCHROEDER uring the 1990's, the United States has made a vital contribution to arms control and nonproliferation. Thanks to the common resolve of the world's powers, we have achieved a substantial reduction in nuclear arsenals, the banning of chemical weapons, the indefinite and unconditional extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and, in 1996, the conclusion of negotiations on the=20 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. South Africa, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus have renounced nuclear weapons in the same spirit.=20 The decisions we take now will help determine, for generations to come, the safety of the world we bequeath to our children. As we look to the next century, our greatest concern is proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and chiefly nuclear proliferation. We have to face the stark truth that nuclear proliferation remains the major threat to world safety.=20 Failure to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty will be a failure in our struggle against proliferation. The stabilizing effect of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, extended in 1995, would be undermined. Disarmament negotiations would suffer.=20 Over half the countries that must ratify the new treaty to bring it into force have now done so. Britain, France and Germany ratified last year. All the political parties in our countries recognize that the treaty is strongly in our interests, whether we are nuclear powers or not. It enhances our security and is verifiable.=20 The treaty is an additional barrier against proliferation of nuclear weapons. Unless proliferators are able to test their devices, they can never be sure that any new weapon they design or build is safe and will work.=20 Congress realized this in 1992 when it compelled the United States Presidential Administration to seek the conclusion of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty by 1996. It was a welcome move for the world's strongest power to show the way.=20 The treaty is effectively verifiable. We need have no fear of the risk of cheating. We will not be relying on the good will of a rogue state to allow inspectors onto its territory. Under the treaty, a global network of stations is being set up, using four different technologies to identify nuclear tests. The system is already being put in place. We know it will work.=20 Opponents of the treaty claim that, without testing, it will not be possible to guarantee the continuing safety and reliability of nuclear weapons. All nuclear powers, including the United States, Britain and France, examined this issue carefully. All reached the same conclusion. With the right investment and modern technology, the necessary assurance of safety and reliability can be maintained without further nuclear tests.=20 Rejection of the treaty in the Senate would remove the pressure from other states still hesitating about whether to ratify it. Rejection would give great encouragement to proliferators. Rejection would also expose a fundamental divergence within NATO.=20 The United States and its allies have worked side by side for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty since the days of President Eisenhower. This goal is now within our grasp. Our security is involved, as well as America's. For the security of the world we will leave to our children, we urge the United States Senate to ratify the treaty. Jacques Chirac is the President of France. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister of Britain. Gerhard Schroder is the Chancellor of Germany.=20 - -- Joan L. Wade Disarmament Clearinghouse Coordinator 1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC, 20010 Ph: (202) 898-0150 x232 Fax: (202) 898-0172 E-mail: disarmament@igc.org Web: http://www.disarmament.org - ------=_NextPart_000_0056_01BF1186.73C76340 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Greetings Disarmament = Activists,
 
The fate of the Comprehensive Test Ban = Treaty is=20 still waiting in the wings and it looks like a vote is likely late = Tuesday or=20 early Wednesday.  The extraordinary work of activists around the = country=20 has brought this issue to the frontlines of American politics.  We = must=20 make sure to see it through.  Over the next few days, the most = important=20 action you can take is to call your Repulican Senators and urge them to = vote for=20 ratification. 
 
Below you will find a list of events = planned by=20 organizations in key states along with contact numbers for more = information,=20 followed by a New York Times Op-Ed from Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, and = Gerhard=20 Schroeder on the need for CTBT.  More activism is needed = particularly in=20 Rhode Island (Senator Chafee), Nebraska (Senator Hagel), Colorado = (Senator=20 Campbell), Ohio (Senator DeWine), Wyoming (Senators Enzi and Thomas), = Washington=20 (Senator Gorton), Minnesota (Senator Grams), Arizona (Senator McCain), = Delaware=20 (Senator Roth), Pennsylvania ( Senator Santorum) and Alaska (Senator=20 Stevens).  Opion editorials, letters to the editor, visits to = Senate=20 offices, and press conferences are just some ideas for=20 actions.  Please also activate your phone trees and e-mail=20 lists.
 
 
Thank you for all your help. Please = feel free to=20 contact the Disarmament Clearinghouse for more information at (202) = 898-0150=20 x232 or disarmament@igc.org.
=
 

20/20 Vision (202) 833-2020

Submitted Op-Eds in TN,, OR,=20 KS            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            = =20 DC lobby visit by Dr. Michael Hamburger from=20 IN            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;    =20 District meeting in WY with Enzi by a former state historian during a = homecoming=20 football game

Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (202) 833-4668

LTE printed in ID=20 newspaper          &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;          =20 LTE submitted in WA, OH, CO, TN,=20 SC            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;           =20 Phone trees in WA, OH, CO, TN, SC, ID,=20 KY            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;      =20 ANA members joining some Peace Action in-district activities

FCNL (202) 547-6000

LTE submitted to Washington=20 Post           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;      =20 Press conference held yesterday at White=20 House           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 DC lobby visits by Development Committee to IL, OR, MI, IA

Peace Action (202) 862-9740

Rallies at the offices of both ME=20 Senators           = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;         =20 Press conference in NH today and newspaper ad scheduled for=20 Monday           &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;         =20 In-district lobby visits to both OH Senators today and press conference = in OH on=20 Monday           &= nbsp;       =20 In-district lobby visit in IL=20 today           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;     =20 In-district lobby visit in MO and in KS=20 today           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;         =20 Rally at district office in NM=20 today           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;         =20 Rally at district office in OR=20 today           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;       =20 Activity planned in TX

PSR (202) 898-0150

Full press coverage including Op-Eds in=20 ME            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;     =20 Press work also being done in=20 NM            = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            = =20 In-district lobby visits with both GA=20 Senators           = ;            =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;        =20 150 e-mail letters sent through PSR website

WAND (202) 543-8505

Press conference by state legislators in NH=20 today           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =           =20 Press conference scheduled by activists in MI for=20 Monday           &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;  =20 OH press statements issued by=20 legislators          &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;         =20 Editorial printed yesterday in the Detroit Free=20 Press           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =              = AK prime time radio conservation show interview by Kimberly=20 Robson

New York Times, October 8, = 1999
A Treaty We All Need

By JACQUES = CHIRAC, TONY=20 BLAIR, and GERHARD SCHROEDER


uring the 1990's, the United = States has=20 made a vital contribution to
arms control and nonproliferation. = Thanks to the=20 common resolve of the
world's powers, we have achieved a substantial=20 reduction in nuclear
arsenals, the banning of chemical weapons, the=20 indefinite and
unconditional extension of the Nuclear = Non-Proliferation=20 Treaty and, in
1996, the conclusion of negotiations on the =
Comprehensive=20 Test Ban Treaty. South Africa, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and
Belarus have = renounced=20 nuclear weapons in the same spirit.
The decisions we take now will = help=20 determine, for generations to come,
the safety of the world we = bequeath to=20 our children. As we look to the
next century, our greatest concern is = proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, and chiefly nuclear=20 proliferation. We have to face the
stark truth that nuclear = proliferation=20 remains the major threat to world
safety.
Failure to ratify the=20 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty will be a failure in
our struggle = against=20 proliferation. The stabilizing effect of the
Non-Proliferation = Treaty,=20 extended in 1995, would be undermined.
Disarmament negotiations would = suffer.=20
Over half the countries that must ratify the new treaty to bring it=20 into
force have now done so. Britain, France and Germany ratified = last=20 year.
All the political parties in our countries recognize that the = treaty=20 is
strongly in our interests, whether we are nuclear powers or not.=20 It
enhances our security and is verifiable.
The treaty is an = additional=20 barrier against proliferation of nuclear
weapons. Unless = proliferators are=20 able to test their devices, they can
never be sure that any new = weapon they=20 design or build is safe and will
work.
Congress realized this in = 1992=20 when it compelled the United States
Presidential Administration to = seek the=20 conclusion of a Comprehensive
Test Ban Treaty by 1996. It was a = welcome move=20 for the world's strongest
power to show the way.
The treaty is=20 effectively verifiable. We need have no fear of the risk
of cheating. = We will=20 not be relying on the good will of a rogue state to
allow inspectors = onto its=20 territory. Under the treaty, a global network
of stations is being = set up,=20 using four different technologies to
identify nuclear tests. The = system is=20 already being put in place. We
know it will work.
Opponents of = the treaty=20 claim that, without testing, it will not be
possible to guarantee the = continuing safety and reliability of nuclear
weapons. All nuclear = powers,=20 including the United States, Britain and
France, examined this issue=20 carefully. All reached the same conclusion.
With the right investment = and=20 modern technology, the necessary assurance
of safety and reliability = can be=20 maintained without further nuclear
tests.
Rejection of the treaty = in the=20 Senate would remove the pressure from
other states still hesitating = about=20 whether to ratify it. Rejection
would give great encouragement to=20 proliferators. Rejection would also
expose a fundamental divergence = within=20 NATO.
The United States and its allies have worked side by side for=20 a
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty since the days of President=20 Eisenhower.
This goal is now within our grasp. Our security is = involved, as=20 well as
America's. For the security of the world we will leave to our = children,
we urge the United States Senate to ratify the=20 treaty.

Jacques Chirac is the President of France. Tony Blair is = the=20 Prime
Minister of Britain. Gerhard Schroder is the Chancellor of = Germany.=20



--
Joan L. Wade
Disarmament = Clearinghouse=20 Coordinator
1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC, = 20010
Ph:=20 (202) 898-0150 x232
Fax: (202) 898-0172
E-mail: disarmament@igc.org
Web: http://www.disarmament.org=
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