Opinion Editorials, August 2009

 
Nuclear Weapons:

Remembering is not enough - Abolish them

 a statement By TFF

ccun.org, August 12, 2009

 
Today, August 6th 2009, represents the 64th Anniversary of the horrific nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. On that fateful day in 1945, some 70,000 people perished instantly, with thousands more injured. Nagasaki was destroyed on August 9.

While taking time today to remember those affected, it is important to ask ourselves how we can make sure it doesn't happen again. How can we prevent the mass destruction of innocent lives and make this a safer world? And how can we shape security policies so these weapons which actually create insecurity for all can be recognized as harmful and unnecessary?

The concept of balance of terror says what nuclear weapons are, namely weapons of terrorism. A clear and well-defined global commitment to nuclear-abolition is needed.

International law, as defined by the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is on the side of nuclear-abolitionists like TFF. Although the 5 acknowledged nuclear states (the US, Russia, China, France and the UK) are signatories of the treaty, and are thus, obliged to move toward nuclear disarmament, they have many more and more sophisticated nukes.

Not only has the treaty been ignored by the nuclear states, 3 known nuclear powers (India, Israel and Pakistan) have never been signatories of the treaty and North Korea left NPT in 2005. However, most of the global focus is on states suspected of developing nuclear weapons capabilities such as Iraq before and Iran today.

Yet we cannot condemn potential nuclear states without condemning current nuclear states that have made little efforts to get rid of them as they should according to the NPT as a quid pro quo for others not seeking to obtain them.

Thus, the issue is not proliferation of nuclear weapons but their very existence. A  global commitment to nuclear abolition must be made in order to eliminate the appeal of nuclear capabilities.

Provided below is a selection of videos and articles by TFF Associates as well as TFF-approved videos and articles on nuclearism.
 
Additionally, please visit TFF's YouTube Video Channel to find an array of informative videos on nuclear issues, listed under the playlist "Nuclearism."
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0908C80120553563
 
Video from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uQGv8tdwqw&feature=PlayList&p=0908C80120553563&index=0
 
Video interview of Jan Oberg on the basics of nuclear weapons on the the illogic of the Balistic Missile Defense system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evxMSNJ6uiI&feature=email
 
ACA - Fact sheet on countries and their nuclear status
http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/nptfacthttp://hnn.us/articles/93694.html
 

David Krieger's article "A Middle East Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone"
http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/2009/06/11_krieger_mideast_nwfz.php
 
Gunnar Westberg's article on North Korea and the nuclear threats of the US and Russia
http://www.transnational.org/Resources_Treasures/2009/Westberg_NorthKorea_US&RussiaThreat.html
 
Obama's early position on nuclearism from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/world/05nuclear.html?_r=1&hp
 
 
NAPF Video on the US role in establishing a nuclear-free-world
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT_9KS07njQ
 

Lawrence S. Wittner's article on why we need a world free of nuclear weapons
http://hnn.us/articles/93694.html
 
Video with Farhang Jahanpour speaking on the need for global disarmament
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClfzaFkowSA&feature=PlayList&p=0908C80120553563&index=11
Join TFF in supporting a nuclear-free world. Get 2 of your closest friends to become a fan of TFF's new Facebook page so they can actively support nuclear-abolition as well:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/TFF-Transnational-Foundation-for-Peace-and-Future-Research/103935069385

This issue is far too big to ignore..or be left to politicians and generals...

Peacefully yours,
Sarah Molaiepour
TFF Communications Coordinator
 
 
 
 
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