Get the most up-to-date information!!
- New York Times Editorial on the Nuclear Posture Review - February 28, 2010
- Disarm Now! For Peace and Human Needs - A website updated regularly with the most current organizing material on the events in New York City April 30-May 2 and beyond.
Is your city or town a member of Mayors for Peace? Join our effort today!
On April 5, 2009 in Prague President Obama said "I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."
Over the next several months there is a sequence of crucial events that will determine whether this commitment will produce genuine progress toward nuclear disarmament, enabled not only by Pres. Obama but by consent of Congress, and after vigorous debate by the Pentagon and the American public. The first of these events has already happened.
September 22 - 24, 2009 - Pres. Obama's Address to the United Nations General Assembly and the actions of the UN Security Council under his Chairmanship.
The result of these events was a unanimous resolution by the Security Council affirming the long term goal of abolition of all nuclear weapons and providing political support for remaking the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty more effective in fulfilling that goal. This unprecedented action would not have happened if Obama had not acknowledged that the United States was part of the nuclear problem and, as a signer of the Treaty, would have to move toward elimination of its nuclear weapons. Further, he shared his commitment to win the Senate's ratification of the Treaty (which did not happen during Clinton's presidency).
December, 2009 - The START Treaty with Russia
Negotiations begun by the presidents of Russia and the United States to reduce the number of their nuclear weapons and delivery systems have progressed. Both countries are expected to reach agreement in reducing their nuclear arsenals and to sign an extension of the START Treaty that will expire in early December. Early 2010 - The Nuclear Posture Review.
This major study, required by Congress and prepared by the Dept. of Defense "will establish U.S. nuclear deterrence policy, strategy and force posture for the next 5 to 10 years and will provide a basis for START, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty" and other negotiations. (DoD document). It is scheduled to be presented to Congress in late December but is expected to be delayed. There is serious debate in the Pentagon, in the Congress (particularly the Senate), in the Administration and between them over many issues.
March, 2010 - The Global Nuclear Summit in Washington
President Obama will host in Washington a Global Nuclear Summit with an expected 30 nations that will cooperate in combating nuclear terrorism. It will include an attempt to secure all vulnerable nuclear weapons material within four years.
May, 2010 - The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York
The NPT is the only treaty in which the signers make a legally binding commitment to nuclear disarmament. Nations without nuclear weapons will not develop them and, in return, nuclear armed nations will proceed with disarming their nuclear weapons and all nations will share the right to use nuclear power for non-military purposes. Every nation except North Korea, India, Pakistan and Israel has signed. Every five years they meet to renew their commitments, to evaluate their progress and to have the opportunity to negotiate better ways to achieve their goals.
Today the nuclear armed nations are focusing on Iran as the one nation violating their commitment to the treaty. But over the years the nuclear armed nations have abrogated to themselves the right to build, deploy and threaten the use of nuclear weapons. In 2005 the United States made clear it was not necessarily bound by the actions of the treaty. In 2010 both of these realities must be faced if the treaty is to fulfill its desperately needed mission.
What NSPI can do over the next nine months
As these events unfold NSPI and other non-governmental organizations from around the world will be taking action in many forms to demand that the signers of the NPT fully live up fully to their commitments.The following are some of the objectives we hope all of us in NSPI can help to achieve:
- To participate in nationally coordinated efforts of hundreds of thousands petition signers, showing to Pres. Obama, to Congress, to the Pentagon and to our neighbors that there is strong support for nuclear abolition. NSPI has a goal of 4,000 signatures and already has gathered 1,300 of them. Petition forms are available at the NSPI office. Or at www.nspipeace.org you can print out the petition, double sided and gather signatures among your personal groups or take to public gatherings like farmer's markets (stay along the outer edges) or outside theaters.
- To educate ourselves and our communities about the crucial importance of reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons. Attending NSPI public events and forums and inviting others; keeping in touch with the NSPI website; holding a house party, organizing a forum in one's church or school are some of the possibilities.
- To make public witness in marches locally or in New York in May, to write to political leaders or meet them during their December break, to write letters to the editors of local or larger daily papers. In an effort to increase membership involvement, we are seeking members who will write letters to the editor on this issue to send themselves and also to share with other NSPI members so they may sign on to them or send themselves. Any member interested, please contact the NSPI office at (847) 475-3692 or marcia@nspipeace.org
- To be ready to provide an immediate challenge to right wing ideologues who are already planning to attack any initiatives to reduce nuclear weapons by using lies and distortions similar to the attacks we have seen on health care reform.
Links
- New York Times Editorial on the Nuclear Posture Review
- Disarm Now! For Peace and Human Needs - A website updated regularly with the most current organizing material on the events in New York City April 30-May 2 and beyond.