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Oppose New Nuclear Weapons Today

Target: U.S. Senate
Sponsored by: Union Of Concerned Scientists

The Bush administration has asked for $8.5 million in the 2006 budget for research on a "Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator" (RNEP). This new nuclear weapon, also known as the nuclear "bunker buster," is being promoted as a useful tool in attacking deeply buried command centers or underground stores of chemical and biological weapons. But numerous scientific critiques, including one by the National Academy of Science, find that in many cases such a weapon would be ineffective. In addition, the nuclear blast and radioactive fall-out could kill millions of innocent people in surrounding areas. A single "bunker buster" would be nearly 100 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

In the coming weeks, the Senate will consider funding for this new nuclear weapon. Please tell your Senators to reject all funding for the dangerous nuclear "bunker buster."

deadline: 7-11-2005
goal: 10,000

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Dear Senator,

I am greatly opposed to the Administration's proposal to seek funding for research on a Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP). This nuclear weapon is not needed, sets the United States on a new course of developing nuclear war fighting weapons, and sends a counterproductive message to the international community at a time when we are trying to discourage other nations from developing nuclear weapons. I hope that you will support Senator Feinstein's amendment to eliminate funding for the RNEP program.

As you know, RNEP is intended to destroy deeply buried bunkers and/or underground stores of chemical or biological weapons. However, a recent National Academy of Sciences study (http://books.nap.edu/catalog/11282.html?onpi_newsdoc04272005) concludes that the weapon would have limited utility against such targets, and that its use could kill millions of people downwind from the explosion. Moreover, the United States already has precision conventional weapons that could collapse all entrances and exits to underground bunkers.

To illustrate the technical realities of the RNEP weapon, the Union of Concerned Scientists has produced a two-minute flash video that shows both the weapon's technical shortcomings and the consequences of its use. I strongly recommend that you and your staff consider and use this important resource--it can be found at: http://www.ucsusa.org/global_security/nuclear_weapons/page.cfm?pageID=1781

Finally, I believe that Congress needs to match their words with their actions when addressing the cause of nuclear proliferation. If we are calling on other nations to refrain from building nuclear weapons, we should refrain as well.

I look forward to hearing your position on this important issue and hope that you will support Senator Feinstein’s amendment to deny all funding for the RNEP program.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

We signed the “Oppose New Nuclear Weapons Today” petition!

# 50:

7:41 pm PDT, Jun 24, Margaret Roberts, California

# 49:

7:38 pm PDT, Jun 24, Philip Clarke, Canada

# 48:

7:37 pm PDT, Jun 24, Scott Chapman, Wisconsin
You can't tell the rest of the world to not develop them when we continue too and are the only nation to use them in anger.I have never been able to stomach that do as I say ,not as I do crap.

# 47:

7:35 pm PDT, Jun 24, Jess StChristopher, Ohio

# 46:

7:34 pm PDT, Jun 24, Lynn Rizzo, Kentucky

# 45:

7:32 pm PDT, Jun 24, Li Tay, Singapore

# 44:

7:32 pm PDT, Jun 24, Jonathan Ortiz, Mexico

# 43:

7:29 pm PDT, Jun 24, Maryanne Dieno, Canada
Because you bombed the hell out of Iraq looking for nuclear weapons, what gives you the right to create more?!!

# 42:

7:22 pm PDT, Jun 24, Barbara Tomlinson, Washington
Funding for destruction, radioactive fallout, terror, and a Fascistic attitude towards the world both at home and abroad: that is NOT what this nation was founded on. Take back our country from the maniacs!

# 41:

7:21 pm PDT, Jun 24, Brian Reynolds, New Jersey

# 40:

7:18 pm PDT, Jun 24, Sarah Barbour, North Carolina

# 39:

7:11 pm PDT, Jun 24, Erika Barrett, Maine

# 38:

7:00 pm PDT, Jun 24, Jennifer Adamski, New York

# 37:

6:59 pm PDT, Jun 24, Cora Lynn, Canada

# 36:

6:43 pm PDT, Jun 24, Rhonda Bear, Oregon
This is absolutely insane! How could you even consider it?! The only reason for a country to have such a horrendous weapon is if that country wants unchallenged world domination. That is what other nations are afraid that the US is pursuing. Is it? This is the Arms Race resurrected, after so much effort went into Nuclear Nonproliferation agreements. Will you put those good faith agreements on the bottom of the birdcage with the Constitution??? I hope not.

# 35:

6:38 pm PDT, Jun 24, Iris Stinson, Illinois

# 34:

6:37 pm PDT, Jun 24, Rev Skull Powell, South Carolina

# 33:

6:27 pm PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, Colorado

# 32:

6:19 pm PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, Illinois

# 31:

6:15 pm PDT, Jun 24, Andrea Posehn, Canada

# 30:

6:15 pm PDT, Jun 24, Gerald Fulham, Australia

# 29:

6:12 pm PDT, Jun 24, Craig Frey, California
Enough is Enough! How can we be seen as anything other than the world's biggest hypocrits if we continue to develop and build nukes while telling other countries they CAN'T? (Especially since we are the ONLY country to have EVER used them!)

# 28:

6:10 pm PDT, Jun 24, Adam Chase, California

# 27:

6:04 pm PDT, Jun 24, Lauri Peacock, New Mexico

# 26:

5:53 pm PDT, Jun 24, Lawrence Smith, Georgia
DUH?! Get a clue!

# 25:

5:51 pm PDT, Jun 24, Chris Lien, California

# 24:

5:50 pm PDT, Jun 24, LisAnne Becotte, California
THIS IS SO OLD NEWS! we went this in the 70's! HAVEN'T WE LEARNED?

# 23:

5:47 pm PDT, Jun 24, Donald Crispino, New York

# 22:

5:38 pm PDT, Jun 24, Rosetta Garrison, Kansas

# 21:

5:37 pm PDT, Jun 24, Stephanie Bradley, United Kingdom

# 20:

5:27 pm PDT, Jun 24, Tammie Dahl, Washington

# 19:

5:18 pm PDT, Jun 24, Dreama Runyon, Florida
Nuclear weapons should be funded and all of them should be destroyed. And yet President Bush is against other nations developing nuclear weapons. What a contradiction?

# 18:

5:14 pm PDT, Jun 24, Heather Helard, Georgia

# 17:

5:08 pm PDT, Jun 24, Alfonso Lopez, Mexico

# 16:

4:45 pm PDT, Jun 24, Peter Bulmer, Australia

# 15:

4:44 pm PDT, Jun 24, MORGAN OLSSON, Sweden

# 14:

4:24 pm PDT, Jun 24, Rozlen Willoughby, Australia

# 13:

4:22 pm PDT, Jun 24, Leah Powers, Canada

# 12:

4:19 pm PDT, Jun 24, Catherine William, France

# 11:

4:19 pm PDT, Jun 24, Eric Straatsma BA MS ND, California

# 10:

4:17 pm PDT, Jun 24, Aisha Matthai, Mexico
Weapons of Mass Destruction have no place among humanity, instead of promoting them we should promote peace and understanding and relieve suffering.

# 9:

4:08 pm PDT, Jun 24, Carol Bischoff, Kansas
BECAUSE I FIND THE FUNDING OF ANY WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION MORE THAN OUTRAGEOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# 8:

4:02 pm PDT, Jun 24, Katrya P, Texas

# 7:

4:00 pm PDT, Jun 24, Barry Berger, Florida

# 6:

3:58 pm PDT, Jun 24, Mark Winegar, South Dakota

# 5:

3:48 pm PDT, Jun 24, John Al, Finland

# 4:

12:09 pm PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, Massachusetts

# 3:

8:32 am PDT, Jun 24, Lisbeth Gronlund, Massachusetts
This weapon is wrong-headed for so many reasons: it won't be effective; if used, it could kill millions of people; it sends the wrong message to the world and potential nuclear proliferators; and the US has more effective conventional alternatives.

# 2:

6:53 am PDT, Jun 24, Karla Capers, Massachusetts

# 1:

11:02 pm PDT, Jun 23, Rebecca Young, California
I am opposed to all new nuclear weapons. The world has seen the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons, and we should know by now that these weapons make us less, not more, secure. If we want nations to disarm and agree to non-proliferation treaties, then we need to lead by example.

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