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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
 
10,767
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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!
# 10,500:
10:44 pm PDT, Jun 30, Elisa Buenaventura, Iowa
How much insanity are we going to tolerate?
# 10,499:
10:40 pm PDT, Jun 30, Nancy Bilsborrow, Illinois
# 10,498:
10:39 pm PDT, Jun 30, Sue Daniels, Pennsylvania
# 10,497:
10:39 pm PDT, Jun 30, Kim Bowling, Ohio
# 10,496:
10:36 pm PDT, Jun 30, Mercedes Santacroce, South Carolina
# 10,495:
10:33 pm PDT, Jun 30, Dave Gliva, Illinois
# 10,494:
10:30 pm PDT, Jun 30, Christo Hatfield, Arizona
EXCUSE ME, WHAT IS LEFT AFTER YOU BLOW EVERYTHING UP?
# 10,493:
10:28 pm PDT, Jun 30, Alex Stavis, New York
# 10,492:
10:28 pm PDT, Jun 30, Lisa Francia, Utah
# 10,491:
10:26 pm PDT, Jun 30, Clifford , Sr. Click, Arizona
Nuclear weapons are horrific in both their intended and unintended consequences. I'm opposed to our research for new nuclear capabilities.
# 10,490:
10:23 pm PDT, Jun 30, Margaret Bilsborrow, Michigan
# 10,489:
10:21 pm PDT, Jun 30, Ruth Bender, Pennsylvania
We can have weapons of mass destruction, but 'they' can't. Right?
# 10,488:
10:21 pm PDT, Jun 30, Dawn-Marie Turner, New York
Researching and developing new ways to kill our fellow human beings will not make the world a safer or happier place for anyone. Let's invest in learning how to solve problems constructively.
# 10,487:
10:18 pm PDT, Jun 30, Ryan Price, California
# 10,486:
10:18 pm PDT, Jun 30, Linda Jaster, California
# 10,485:
10:13 pm PDT, Jun 30, Gregory Edward Koch, California
There is no compelling reason why nuclear weapons cannot be banned worldwide. An evil not maintained is an evil eliminated.
# 10,484:
10:11 pm PDT, Jun 30, Stephen J. Mazurek, California
# 10,483:
10:09 pm PDT, Jun 30, Amy Turnbull, Texas
# 10,482:
10:09 pm PDT, Jun 30, Ann-marie Bell, Georgia
# 10,481:
10:07 pm PDT, Jun 30, Diane G, Florida
So... are we going to continue blowing away a ton of money on something that could blow us all away, which no one wants to see happen anyway?? STOP already with this nonsense, and spend the money on helping the earth instead of eliminating it! It's our home!!!!
# 10,480:
10:05 pm PDT, Jun 30, Angela Smith, Washington
# 10,479:
10:03 pm PDT, Jun 30, Elmer Lincoln Steinbock, California
Wasn't "Little Boy" horrendous enough.
# 10,478:
10:03 pm PDT, Jun 30, Derek Jones, Arizona
An eye for an eye makes the whole World go blind, please say no to this insanity!
# 10,477:
10:03 pm PDT, Jun 30, Colleen Carr, California
stop this insanity before we are all incinerated!
# 10,476:
10:02 pm PDT, Jun 30, Pam Connerton, Wisconsin
# 10,475:
9:56 pm PDT, Jun 30, Gloria Martin, Michigan
We go to war because someone else may have a weapon of mass destruction, then we want to build more. Do what I say and not what I do. That is just plain wrong!!!
# 10,474:
9:56 pm PDT, Jun 30, Rae Bauman, Idaho
# 10,473:
9:55 pm PDT, Jun 30, Lisa Iannucci, Washington D.C.
# 10,472:
9:55 pm PDT, Jun 30, David Stupin, New Mexico
During World War II, in the initial design and construction of the first nuclear bombs, scientists absolutely refused to build an earth-penetrating nuclear bomb because of the enormous spread of radioactive debris World wide. An earth-penetrating nuclear bomb spreads about 100 time more radioactive debris into the atmosphere than one detonated at 10,000 ft. The fallout is enormous and is spread world wide.
# 10,471:
9:54 pm PDT, Jun 30, Timothy Sprengeler, Iowa
# 10,470:
9:50 pm PDT, Jun 30, Dale Pease, New Mexico
# 10,469:
9:49 pm PDT, Jun 30, Rosalie Malter, Arizona
# 10,468:
9:48 pm PDT, Jun 30, Todd Everett, Illinois
# 10,467:
9:44 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Oregon
# 10,466:
9:43 pm PDT, Jun 30, Allyn Meyer, California
If we drop them on Saudia Arabia and the white house, OK!!!!
# 10,465:
9:43 pm PDT, Jun 30, Bertrand Aubrey, Ph.D., New York
# 10,463:
9:39 pm PDT, Jun 30, Ellicia Richart, Indiana
Please think about the consequences this nuclear weapon could present the entire earth.
# 10,462:
9:37 pm PDT, Jun 30, Patrick Miller, New Jersey
Enough is enough. From what I've been reading and what I know of the damage that is done by nuclear weapons, we have enough to destroy the world several times over. It seems like a wast of money to me. How many do we need?
# 10,461:
9:35 pm PDT, Jun 30, Miriam Monfredo, New York
Spending millions on a study for a device already discredited by the Nat'l Academy of Scientists is more than absurd. It is criminal to even consider a bomb with 70 times the power of Hiroshima's. And does anyone believe this is ONLY a study?
# 10,460:
9:31 pm PDT, Jun 30, Mary Ryan, Michigan
# 10,459:
9:30 pm PDT, Jun 30, Nancy Paddock, New York
# 10,458:
9:29 pm PDT, Jun 30, John F Robideau, New York
# 10,457:
9:28 pm PDT, Jun 30, Howard Moore, California
# 10,456:
9:28 pm PDT, Jun 30, Weldon H Jackson, California
We need to eliminate nukes, not develop new ones.
# 10,455:
9:27 pm PDT, Jun 30, Rebecca Diver, Ohio
We need to concentrate on saving our environment, not destroying it! We need Peace in the world for our children!
# 10,454:
9:25 pm PDT, Jun 30, Hyrum Salmond, Pennsylvania
# 10,453:
9:24 pm PDT, Jun 30, Heather McCarley, Oregon
# 10,452:
9:23 pm PDT, Jun 30, Bill Forbes, Texas
# 10,451:
9:22 pm PDT, Jun 30, Karen Quinn, Massachusetts
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