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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!

# 300:

7:01 pm PDT, Jun 25, Shelly Wilson, Tennessee
The devastation faced by Japan when the A-bombs were dropped are still being felt today. To manufacturer bombs that are twice as strong is barbaric. We are not using the gifts God and our founding fathers gave us; intelligence. We should be trying to build peace and a better world. I want something to leave behind which is better than the world we currently live.

# 299:

6:47 pm PDT, Jun 25, Damian Canny, California

# 298:

6:45 pm PDT, Jun 25, Cherie Thomas-Wood, Tennessee
I am opposed to all nuclear weapons regardless of which country has them. The world has seen the devastating consequences 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 isn't it time to lead by example.

# 297:

6:25 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jennifer Thompson, Pennsylvania
It is bad enuph that we have nuclear power along with the reast of the world but it is leading us to sewarside.

# 296:

6:19 pm PDT, Jun 25, Eden Moss, New Zealand
I live in New Zealand, which is nuclear free, and I thank my government for this, these weapons of mass destruction will be used again one day if we keep building and storing them, and then we will pay the price. I ask you to think of your family, your loved ones, your friends, your pets, and all that you love in this life, and stop any kind of nuclear weapons research, storing, and use for the sake of us all.

# 295:

6:06 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jose Malheiro da Silva, France
Dans quel but tout ça! Dans les sciences humaines, il reste tellement de choses à faire. Pourquoi tout n'est que quête de pouvoir? Il serait tellement plus simple d'apprendre à vivre ensemble sur cette terre qu'il faudrait épargner et protéger.

# 294:

6:03 pm PDT, Jun 25, David Fahey, Virginia

# 293:

6:01 pm PDT, Jun 25, David Dunkleberger, Pennsylvania

# 292:

5:53 pm PDT, Jun 25, Cristy Karner, Massachusetts

# 291:

5:44 pm PDT, Jun 25, Niurka Suarez, Florida

# 290:

5:41 pm PDT, Jun 25, Beth Harper, Colorado
It is a waste of money, considering how many weapons we have now.

# 289:

5:38 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jacqueline Vars, Texas

# 288:

5:16 pm PDT, Jun 25, Darren Kirby, United Kingdom

# 287:

5:06 pm PDT, Jun 25, Ilonka Newton, Texas
yet another stupid,money wasting idea. we are our own enemy

# 286:

5:06 pm PDT, Jun 25, Lynn Blaylock, California
Nuclear. Nuke. Nukes go bang, we all die! DUH! >:|

# 285:

4:53 pm PDT, Jun 25, Deborah Barham, Texas
It is a waste of money considering how many Americans do not have health insurance. The money should be spent on health care and social security. When will Bush realize that size doesn't matter?

# 284:

4:43 pm PDT, Jun 25, Erin Hill, Ohio

# 283:

4:39 pm PDT, Jun 25, David Nielsen, Florida

# 282:

4:33 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Hong Kong

# 281:

4:30 pm PDT, Jun 25, Maria Marquez, Venezuela
...oh, well...I don't know..let's see...I'm against nuclear weapons because they can finish with all of us in just one click...are dangerous, can devastate kilometers in seconds...totally missused, not to mention EXPENSIVE..so many people die because the have no food...and you invest in more massive desctruction weapons...to protect your borders? rrrrright...It's just for the power and you know it...soooo selfish and selfcentered...makes me sick

# 280:

4:28 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, California

# 279:

4:25 pm PDT, Jun 25, Courtney Johnson, Oregon
This is an utter outrage! In a world were not everyone has enough food or has access to clean water, you want to spend money to cause more devastation then you already have? Put the money to helping people not killing them.

# 278:

4:20 pm PDT, Jun 25, Desba Silvers, Massachusetts

# 277:

4:03 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, California
ridiculous.

# 276:

3:54 pm PDT, Jun 25, Elisha Beale, Canada
When will it end? After we have destroyed the earth and all life? This postering and show of bigger better wepons is childish.

# 275:

3:50 pm PDT, Jun 25, Mike Moore, West Virginia
To proliferate nuclear weapons is just madness. Where will it stop? If we use them then perhaps a whole new can of worms will be opened up with all these nations we stick our noses into thinking perhaps they have the go ahead to use them as well.

# 274:

3:50 pm PDT, Jun 25, Peggy Holt, Texas

# 273:

3:47 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jani Kaaresalo, Finland
There are no winners in nuclear war. Sure, a country with nuclear weapons would no doubt wipe out the enemy, but so would happen to itself too. Even if the enemy had no nuclear weapons, there would be much toxic waste for a really long time. I don't want my children to experience the nuclear war. All the money that is spent on nuclear weapons, could be used to provide food and peace to all the poor people of the world.

# 272:

3:47 pm PDT, Jun 25, Grace Lambert, Ireland
This is unbelievable if any other country in the world wanted to this America well, George Bush would totally oppose it, but no one can oppose him. He is a hippocrite he has his war on terror but he wants weapons that can kill millions of innocent people!! What?????

# 271:

3:41 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jack Smiley, Ohio

# 270:

3:38 pm PDT, Jun 25, Emily Fordham, Illinois

# 269:

3:36 pm PDT, Jun 25, Susan D., Michigan
more money than brains...spend the big bucks on helping people, not harming them.

# 268:

3:34 pm PDT, Jun 25, Don Phillips, Ohio
War, and its weaponry, are symptoms of great evil; ultimately such evil itself resides in those who choose to breed them. Of this you are presumably well aware, and will show it.

# 267:

3:34 pm PDT, Jun 25, Sarah Podrasky, Missouri

# 266:

3:30 pm PDT, Jun 25, Lee Mason, Arizona

# 265:

3:30 pm PDT, Jun 25, Bess Katerinsky, New York
The country is in record-breaking debt. People in America and the rest of the world go without food, shelter, and education. It is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY to spend what budget we do have on WMDs.

# 264:

3:24 pm PDT, Jun 25, Matthew Davis, Florida
The seeds of violence can only produce the fruits of violence that are suffering and destruction. Please invest our resources into something useful and positive. Please do the right thing!!!!!

# 263:

3:21 pm PDT, Jun 25, Tara RoadQueen, Illinois

# 262:

2:59 pm PDT, Jun 25, Leslie Donley, Pennsylvania

# 261:

2:58 pm PDT, Jun 25, Priscilla Moore, United Kingdom

# 260:

2:51 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jamie Wright, Arizona

# 259:

2:42 pm PDT, Jun 25, Coral Grace, Brazil

# 258:

2:35 pm PDT, Jun 25, Kristina Collins, Ohio

# 257:

2:32 pm PDT, Jun 25, Philip Krieg, Texas

# 256:

2:17 pm PDT, Jun 25, Mary Byrd, Kentucky

# 255:

2:16 pm PDT, Jun 25, Alanna Lewis, Trinidad And Tobago

# 254:

2:07 pm PDT, Jun 25, Tim Hammond, Iowa

# 253:

2:01 pm PDT, Jun 25, Terrie Williams, Texas

# 252:

1:59 pm PDT, Jun 25, Bebe Hennessey, North Carolina

# 251:

1:59 pm PDT, Jun 25, Hege Wolleng, Norway

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Oppose New Nuclear Weapons Today

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