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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!
# 350:
2:00 am PDT, Jun 26, Maja Bjelic, Croatia
# 349:
1:49 am PDT, Jun 26, Name not displayed, Bosnia And Herzegovina
# 348:
1:40 am PDT, Jun 26, Maya My, France
# 347:
1:31 am PDT, Jun 26, Judy Campbell, Michigan
We invaded a country on the premise of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" Why on Earth should we allow Bush to create his own arsonal of WMD?? This planet is an island of the universe. If we allow it to be destroyed.. where will we go? Providing that is, that we survive the Bush administration...
# 346:
12:52 am PDT, Jun 26, Brent Espe, Texas
# 345:
12:34 am PDT, Jun 26, Riane Kuzee, Netherlands
# 344:
12:09 am PDT, Jun 26, Lisa Tarbet, Tennessee
# 343:
11:59 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Turkey
# 342:
11:54 pm PDT, Jun 25, Mariannie D., Canada
# 341:
11:38 pm PDT, Jun 25, Jennifer M, Missouri
It's hard for the United States, as a country among ALL countries, to be taken seriously... We condemn & go to war in the name of 'weapons of mass destruction'.. We threaten other countries for even having the materials to make such things as nuclear bombs, yet WE promote having & making them ourselves, in the name of self defense. War is NOT the way to peace!
# 340:
11:37 pm PDT, Jun 25, Kathryn Hamilton, New Hampshire
We need to spend that money on helping the citizens of this country with medical and living costs rather then spending it on something which could potentially poisone the world.
# 339:
11:24 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Texas
Why is our government looking to spend $8.5M on nuclear weapons when the Iraq war has already cost billions of dollars and added to a neverending deficit? That money could be put to much better use...improving schools, caring for veterans, reducing pollution, and the list goes on.
# 338:
11:23 pm PDT, Jun 25, Lisa Farnan, New York
We should never have to resort to nuclear weapons, again. And we certainly know this.
# 337:
11:19 pm PDT, Jun 25, Pisces Dream, Illinois
# 336:
11:13 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, California
The main goal should be to protect everyone from the threat of nuclear weapons, not to fund for new nuclear warheads. We cannot shame, defile, or degrade other countries or rulers for weapons of mass destruction if we continue to produce and fund for them ourselves. We must be an example for peaceful coexsistence.
# 335:
10:53 pm PDT, Jun 25, KK Keeler, Nebraska
NO NEW NUKES!!! Put that good money to use for useful projects, like education and health.
# 334:
10:39 pm PDT, Jun 25, Ashley Perez, Nevada
I agree wholeheartedly with the comments regarding attacking other countries for even speaking of what our government is attempting to do. All hands are wrong hands for nuclear weapons. I am sure Albert Einstein is rolling over in his grave! If we want to remain a world power, we should lead by example and not by threat.
# 333:
10:30 pm PDT, Jun 25, Sappho Aphrodite, Texas
# 332:
10:29 pm PDT, Jun 25, Michelle Parsneau, Minnesota
# 331:
10:13 pm PDT, Jun 25, Laura Mlynek, Ohio
# 330:
10:09 pm PDT, Jun 25, Leslie Thomas, Massachusetts
# 329:
10:09 pm PDT, Jun 25, Brandi Crawford, California
# 328:
10:04 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, California
# 327:
9:57 pm PDT, Jun 25, Colin Spake, California
# 326:
9:39 pm PDT, Jun 25, Maria Orona Preussler, Argentina
POR FAVOR DETENGAN ESTO YAAA. TENEMOS UN SOLO HOGAR,NUESTRA TIERRA,NO LA DESTRUYAN.
# 325:
9:32 pm PDT, Jun 25, Melanie Budbill, Georgia
# 324:
9:27 pm PDT, Jun 25, Barbara Poissant, New Jersey
# 323:
9:27 pm PDT, Jun 25, Warren Popp, Missouri
What has happened to the stated world-wide goal of non-proliferation! If we are to expect other nations to cease from persuing nuclear weapons, then we most certainly CANNOT be persuing new ones ourselves! ...and we wonder why our reputation in the world is evaporating.
# 322:
9:20 pm PDT, Jun 25, Sigfrido Quijano, Canada
# 321:
9:19 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, California
# 320:
9:18 pm PDT, Jun 25, Karen Jones Ahmed, Canada
# 319:
9:17 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Canada
# 318:
9:01 pm PDT, Jun 25, Elizabeth Green, Florida
# 317:
8:58 pm PDT, Jun 25, Chris Parker, New Zealand
# 316:
8:49 pm PDT, Jun 25, Diana Heady, New York
# 315:
8:35 pm PDT, Jun 25, C D Allen, Kentucky
# 314:
8:34 pm PDT, Jun 25, Debra Dodds, Texas
Massive Worldwide Destruction Versus NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS!
# 313:
8:33 pm PDT, Jun 25, Tiffany Orsborne, Virginia
# 312:
8:26 pm PDT, Jun 25, Kerrie D'Ercole, Massachusetts
They are harmful to all life, far beyond there inital damage they continue to destroy the enviorment and all life exposed to it decades after its use, i am Strongly Againest all Nucler weapons.
# 311:
8:25 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Canada
# 310:
8:25 pm PDT, Jun 25, UnrulyBear Claw, California
# 309:
8:21 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Minnesota
# 308:
8:16 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Canada
# 307:
8:13 pm PDT, Jun 25, Michael Audette, Washington
# 306:
8:12 pm PDT, Jun 25, Gretchen Littlefield, Indiana
# 305:
8:07 pm PDT, Jun 25, Liza McAlister, South Carolina
# 304:
7:58 pm PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Oregon
# 303:
7:26 pm PDT, Jun 25, Emily Woodall, North Carolina
How do we have the right to make WMD when we are attacking a country that was said to have WMD, and that turned out to be a lie.
# 302:
7:23 pm PDT, Jun 25, Wayne Frey, California
# 301:
7:17 pm PDT, Jun 25, Laurie Williams, Massachusetts
How do we have the right to nuclear weaponry when we destroyed an innocent country called Iraq, for false claims of owning them?????
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