WCPeace joins new anti-nuke state coalition
PeaceMeal, May June 2017

World Citizens for Peace has joined a new Washington state Coalition to Stop the New Nuclear Arms Race. The coalition, sponsored by the Seattle chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, aims to stop the United States 30-year, $1-trillion program to modernize all nuclear warheads and delivery systems — ballistic-missile submarines, land-based missiles and bombers. It represents leaders in peace organizations, environmental groups, faith groups, the labor movement, communities of color and health professionals.

The obscene cost of nuclear weapon modernization diverts money that could be used for badly needed civil infrastructure and social programs that would truly increase our nation’s well-being and security. Escalating our nuclear weapons program incites a new arms race reminiscent of the Cold War and perpetuates a threat to all life on Earth.

The new arms race is hidden from the public underground and undersea. There has been a notable and irresponsible absence of debate in Congress and the press about it. The coalition will work to bring attention to the astronomical cost of nuclear weapons and the associated dangers of committing ourselves for at least another generation to such genocidal weapons of mass destruction. Its goals include committing the United States to a policy of no-first-use of a nuclear weapon, removing all nuclear weapons from dangerous launch-on-warning status, ratifying the long-overdue Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to prevent renewed nuclear weapon testing, and formulating a plan for economic conversion of industries involved in nuclear weapons production to constructive civilian endeavors.

 Chairman Jim Stoffels participated in the May meeting of the coalition by conference call and gave a brief summary of our history of activism during the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign of the 1980s and our recent activities in the Tri-Cities.