Former Bulletin of Atomic Scientists editor Mike Moore delivered a keynote address at the 2010 Annual Peace Conference in Omaha this past October. Author of the award-winning book, Twilight War: The Folly of U.S. Space Dominance, the Missouri native is one of the premier analysts on the dangerous militarization of space.
The Cold War was a nasty, frightful business. By the 1980s, the Soviet Union and the United States had some 85,000 nuclear weapons between them. Most of those bombs and missiles were far more powerful than the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 men, women and children.
Further, these bombs and missiles were ready to go at any moment. If one side attacked the other, the other side would retaliate. The time to make that ‘go-no go’ decision on retaliation, to ‘launch on warning,’ was, at best, 10 or 15 minutes. If one side waited a few minutes too long, its retaliatory force might be destroyed. ‘Use ’em or lose ’em’ was the order of the day.
Read morePosted In: StratCom & Nuclear Weapons
Despite the public support of every single one of StratCom’s ten past commanders (who have commanded America’s nuclear arsenal under both Republican and Democratic administrations), Senate Republicans are threatening to prevent ratification of the “New START” nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia.
Before the lame duck Senate adjourns next month, the Obama Administration needs eight Republican senators to vote with their 59 Democratic and Independent colleagues to get the two-thirds majority necessary for ratification. But several Republican Senate leaders are stonewalling on a ratification vote until next year—all but guaranteeing that the treaty will be voted down.
The New START Treaty is far from controversial. Negotiated with bi-partisan support, the treaty
Read morePosted In: StratCom & Nuclear Weapons
Below is the statement that Japanese citizen Nobuko Tsukui delivered at the Lincoln NFP Chapter Annual Lantern Float August 7. Nobuko is a major scholar in the literature written by survivors of the atomic blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki — people who often died after a few years from radiation sickness. Her most recent book, The Atomic Bomb Literature of Japan: an Introduction and Translations, make clear why it is so important for NFP to work for nuclear arms reductions and for stringent congressional controls on StratCom. The English translations in the volume are painful and powerful, but they are also a tribute to humankind's search for meaning. The Atomic Bomb Literature of Japan is available from Nebraskans for Peace for $25.
--Paul Olson
, NFP President
Dear Friends,
I’m honored to be here to greet you tonight.
Read morePosted In: StratCom & Nuclear Weapons
After months of delay, the U.S. Senate will vote on ratifying the “New START” Treaty on nuclear weapons in September—just before the fall general election.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Obama Administration are still searching for the 67 votes necessary for ratification, despite the bipartisan backing of virtually every Democratic and Republican foreign policy luminary... the support of all three heads of the nation’s nuclear laboratories... and the endorsement of every former and current StratCom commander.
The votes of both Democratic Senator Ben Nelson and Republican Senator Mike Johanns are crucial for final adoption.
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Paul Olson, President
Nebraskans for Peace
With the anniversary of the first atomic bombings approaching, Nebraskans for Peace believes it is important we remember what happened 65 years ago if we are to keep from repeating history. On August 2, 1945, just as the victorious Allies were concluding their conference in Potsdam, Germany on the post-war division of Europe and readying for the final assault on Japan, Harry Truman reputedly gave the order to drop the atomic bomb. The city of Hiroshima became the first victim of this never-before-used weapon on August 6, and Nagasaki the second, on August 9, three days later. As we commemorate the momentous events at Potsdam, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we take heart from the declarations of our world leaders seeking the total abolition of these Weapons of Mass Destruction and look forward to the prospect of significant reductions in nuclear armaments. Senate ratification of the “New START Treaty” with Russia is an essential next step in ultimately ridding our world of these doomsday weapons.
There are several events taking place in Lincoln and in Omaha for you to choose from. The full description and information can be found on the events page of our website.
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