The Invisibles against US missile defense
Need to Halt Plans for Missile Defense System in Europe
16.1.2009 - by Arn Specter, Philadelphia
- prevent possible nuclear confrontation -
January 2, 2009
Call for Action to Stop Nuclear Arms Buildup.
This paper offers a general plan, a Campaign to Ban.
the U.S. Missile Defense system in Europe.
We are now faced with a situation we hoped would never occur, a potential threat and counter-threat by the two most dangerous nations on earth. Plans for a Missile Defense System in Europe, located in Poland and the Czech Republic, have become too dangerous to continue by the U.S. and it's European allies, because of possible Russian retaliation- including the threat of nuclear attack.
Russia now is threatening the U.S. and making plans for missile deployment in their territories while the U.S. is sitting back and refusing to change course on their plans to "defend" Europe against Iran.
Military aggression is on the march in Eastern Europe.
The Czech Activists Response:
http://europeforpeace.eu/
Video, The Invisables Against the Missile Defense System shows an absorbing and eerie demonstration by Czech protestors and their ongoing campaign for a missile free country.
Other videos on the website give evidence and explanations opposing the system.
Although the Bush Administration, the Military and the State Department know of these developments it is unlikely they will change course at this time.
In power only a few more weeks the administration will leave the scene in Washington and leave the new administration with a perilous dilemma. They will have a lot of homework to do just to fully understand the problems our overzealous military foreign policy has created in recent years.
We as the informed activist, anti-war, disarmament and peace community working with military and defense issues (including nuclear) need to inform and educate the new government of this dangerous situation in Eastern Europe and pursuade them to change these plans for missile defense and prevent a possible confrontation with Russia.
If we mobilize as a activist community and generate efforts that foster diplomatic actions by our government (as well as the United Nations, the European Community, and others of influence) for "diplomacy" in Eastern Europe and Russia - in order to suspend the development of the Missile Defense system - then we have a chance to curtail an increase in tensions between all countries and peoples involved, and avert any military action.
The whole MDS too may well not be an effective deterrent against an attack, as it has not been proven reliable at intercepting a incoming missile, decoy or more than one missile at a time. Some have called the system a money making sham or boondoggle for the military industrial complex to the tune of $100 billion over the last 10 years or so, a shameful waste of taxpayer money.
With the Bush administration having only a few weeks left in government, it will be up to the Obama administration to take up this issue of missile defense.
We, as the activist-disarmament-peace- anti-war community need to step up and convince the Obama team and Congress ( the committees and subcommittees who work with the MDS , the military and appropriations) the absolute necessity of fostering diplomacy with Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic and the EU (European Community) now - as soon as possible - in order to avert war, or possible a nuclear war, as these missiles have nuclear warhead capability.
Russia has threatened to send missiles to the northern border of Poland if the U.S. and Poland start to build an interceptor base there which would only be a few hundred miles away, well within range of Russia's missiles. Lately though Russia has made the offer to hold off doing so if the U.S. stops the plans for building the system.
Unfortunatly the U.S. keeps turning down their goodwill offers. Consequently our challenge is to convince our government to foster diplomacy, to talk with Russia and calm things down and withdraw our plans to defend Europe against an attack by Iran, which is highly unlikely in the first place. There is no evidence that Iran has ever threatened to attack Europe.
We need to make this effort and utilize the power as a community who has studied, written, protested and lobbied for disarmament and change to more peaceful ways of settling troubled problems in the world.
It may well be best that no one group or organization lead the way but more of a broad coalition of forces making efforts from resources- contacts and networks- and experience already gained from years of work and activism.
For groups to work on their own and/or with other groups to mobilize their memberships and the public, to work with the media and government, to press diplomacy efforts as prevention against more conflict and possible war.
To regain alliances within Eastern Europe where there is now mistrust after years of threats and intimidations.
The Czech activists, leading the European anti-missile defense movement,
are now being harrassed by the conservative-right Czech government.
Clearly we are now engaged in a new arms race although it has only been suggested up to this point. Both the U.S. and Russia, the two largest armed countries in the world, have invested billions of dollars in the building of their defenses, including missiles and missile defense systems, both on the earth and also in space.
This proliferation is out of hand already and needs to slow down and stop for the safety and well being of the planet's survival...since the nuclear threat and capability are increasing - more sales of nuclear technology and arms than ever before.
As a reaction to this development I do see the increase of efforts by groups for nuclear dis-armament and peacemaking in the U.S. and Europe, as in 2008 - the Year of the Protest - thousands of people participated at rallies against the war(s), for disarmament and for various causes. If we mobilize now we have a chance for success.
Let's think and talk/discuss this effort and cross over our separate areas of expertise in order to join together in support of a mutual effort to challange and pursuade our new government for re-establishing peace in Eastern Europe, and with Iran as well.
As the U.S. and Russia increase military buildup the people in the world are facing more danger. No matter how we look at it diplomacy is our only reasonable response to these war-threatening situations giving us a chance to hold meetings, carry on negotiations, make agreements and settle these conflicts in good faith and trust in a chance for a peaceful future for mankind.
We need to identify the people in government, the United Nations, the EU, our own informed activist, anti-war, disarmament and peace community working with military and defense issues , and plan an action campaign for diplomacy and the pull-back of the Missile Defense System in Europe and plans for any other missile defense and/or nuclear weapons development.
One idea is to call for a conference with representatives of the U.S. government and the Coalition to discuss the situation, perhaps in the late Spring of this year. During this conference we can present "our case" including ample evidence that the system itself has been proven unreliable, the peoples of Poland and the Czech Republic don't want it there, the cost is very high straining our budget during a time of monetary restraint, the EU is against it, and it is provoking such a strong reaction from Russia with possible military consequences, including nuclear attack and counterattack.
Too, just to put this out to all of you - that although these are my thoughts and ideas I am not looking to lead this effort, rather to be a supportive part of it from my location in Phila. Too if there is another effort in process now or other efforts to "stop the madness" as Amy Goodman, DemocracyNow puts it in her book, please notify me about it.
Much has been written about stopping the wars and passing laws for disarmament although only I'm only aware of some of the plans of activist groups ongoing now. Too, let's monitor the Obama Team's foreign affairs policies and interject our positions desiring disarmament. Let's step up our activist efforts as we conclude this holiday season and move into a new year - 2009 - with new resolve and determination to help create progress in our country and in the world.
Arn Specter, Philadelphia.
http://www.opednews.com/populum/diarypage.php?did=11615
January 2, 2009
Call for Action to Stop Nuclear Arms Buildup.
This paper offers a general plan, a Campaign to Ban.
the U.S. Missile Defense system in Europe.
We are now faced with a situation we hoped would never occur, a potential threat and counter-threat by the two most dangerous nations on earth. Plans for a Missile Defense System in Europe, located in Poland and the Czech Republic, have become too dangerous to continue by the U.S. and it's European allies, because of possible Russian retaliation- including the threat of nuclear attack.
Russia now is threatening the U.S. and making plans for missile deployment in their territories while the U.S. is sitting back and refusing to change course on their plans to "defend" Europe against Iran.
Military aggression is on the march in Eastern Europe.
The Czech Activists Response:
http://europeforpeace.eu/
Video, The Invisables Against the Missile Defense System shows an absorbing and eerie demonstration by Czech protestors and their ongoing campaign for a missile free country.
Other videos on the website give evidence and explanations opposing the system.
Although the Bush Administration, the Military and the State Department know of these developments it is unlikely they will change course at this time.
In power only a few more weeks the administration will leave the scene in Washington and leave the new administration with a perilous dilemma. They will have a lot of homework to do just to fully understand the problems our overzealous military foreign policy has created in recent years.
We as the informed activist, anti-war, disarmament and peace community working with military and defense issues (including nuclear) need to inform and educate the new government of this dangerous situation in Eastern Europe and pursuade them to change these plans for missile defense and prevent a possible confrontation with Russia.
If we mobilize as a activist community and generate efforts that foster diplomatic actions by our government (as well as the United Nations, the European Community, and others of influence) for "diplomacy" in Eastern Europe and Russia - in order to suspend the development of the Missile Defense system - then we have a chance to curtail an increase in tensions between all countries and peoples involved, and avert any military action.
The whole MDS too may well not be an effective deterrent against an attack, as it has not been proven reliable at intercepting a incoming missile, decoy or more than one missile at a time. Some have called the system a money making sham or boondoggle for the military industrial complex to the tune of $100 billion over the last 10 years or so, a shameful waste of taxpayer money.
With the Bush administration having only a few weeks left in government, it will be up to the Obama administration to take up this issue of missile defense.
We, as the activist-disarmament-peace- anti-war community need to step up and convince the Obama team and Congress ( the committees and subcommittees who work with the MDS , the military and appropriations) the absolute necessity of fostering diplomacy with Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic and the EU (European Community) now - as soon as possible - in order to avert war, or possible a nuclear war, as these missiles have nuclear warhead capability.
Russia has threatened to send missiles to the northern border of Poland if the U.S. and Poland start to build an interceptor base there which would only be a few hundred miles away, well within range of Russia's missiles. Lately though Russia has made the offer to hold off doing so if the U.S. stops the plans for building the system.
Unfortunatly the U.S. keeps turning down their goodwill offers. Consequently our challenge is to convince our government to foster diplomacy, to talk with Russia and calm things down and withdraw our plans to defend Europe against an attack by Iran, which is highly unlikely in the first place. There is no evidence that Iran has ever threatened to attack Europe.
We need to make this effort and utilize the power as a community who has studied, written, protested and lobbied for disarmament and change to more peaceful ways of settling troubled problems in the world.
It may well be best that no one group or organization lead the way but more of a broad coalition of forces making efforts from resources- contacts and networks- and experience already gained from years of work and activism.
For groups to work on their own and/or with other groups to mobilize their memberships and the public, to work with the media and government, to press diplomacy efforts as prevention against more conflict and possible war.
To regain alliances within Eastern Europe where there is now mistrust after years of threats and intimidations.
The Czech activists, leading the European anti-missile defense movement,
are now being harrassed by the conservative-right Czech government.
Clearly we are now engaged in a new arms race although it has only been suggested up to this point. Both the U.S. and Russia, the two largest armed countries in the world, have invested billions of dollars in the building of their defenses, including missiles and missile defense systems, both on the earth and also in space.
This proliferation is out of hand already and needs to slow down and stop for the safety and well being of the planet's survival...since the nuclear threat and capability are increasing - more sales of nuclear technology and arms than ever before.
As a reaction to this development I do see the increase of efforts by groups for nuclear dis-armament and peacemaking in the U.S. and Europe, as in 2008 - the Year of the Protest - thousands of people participated at rallies against the war(s), for disarmament and for various causes. If we mobilize now we have a chance for success.
Let's think and talk/discuss this effort and cross over our separate areas of expertise in order to join together in support of a mutual effort to challange and pursuade our new government for re-establishing peace in Eastern Europe, and with Iran as well.
As the U.S. and Russia increase military buildup the people in the world are facing more danger. No matter how we look at it diplomacy is our only reasonable response to these war-threatening situations giving us a chance to hold meetings, carry on negotiations, make agreements and settle these conflicts in good faith and trust in a chance for a peaceful future for mankind.
We need to identify the people in government, the United Nations, the EU, our own informed activist, anti-war, disarmament and peace community working with military and defense issues , and plan an action campaign for diplomacy and the pull-back of the Missile Defense System in Europe and plans for any other missile defense and/or nuclear weapons development.
One idea is to call for a conference with representatives of the U.S. government and the Coalition to discuss the situation, perhaps in the late Spring of this year. During this conference we can present "our case" including ample evidence that the system itself has been proven unreliable, the peoples of Poland and the Czech Republic don't want it there, the cost is very high straining our budget during a time of monetary restraint, the EU is against it, and it is provoking such a strong reaction from Russia with possible military consequences, including nuclear attack and counterattack.
Too, just to put this out to all of you - that although these are my thoughts and ideas I am not looking to lead this effort, rather to be a supportive part of it from my location in Phila. Too if there is another effort in process now or other efforts to "stop the madness" as Amy Goodman, DemocracyNow puts it in her book, please notify me about it.
Much has been written about stopping the wars and passing laws for disarmament although only I'm only aware of some of the plans of activist groups ongoing now. Too, let's monitor the Obama Team's foreign affairs policies and interject our positions desiring disarmament. Let's step up our activist efforts as we conclude this holiday season and move into a new year - 2009 - with new resolve and determination to help create progress in our country and in the world.
Arn Specter, Philadelphia.
http://www.opednews.com/populum/diarypage.php?did=11615
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