CFPA on Nuclear Weapons

President Obama - following in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan - has called for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons. These dangerous, expensive weapons, which have been called the "ultimate" weapon, have provided little value to the United States (or any country.) They are a catastrophe waiting to happen and they don't deliver appreciable security. The passing of New START in December of 2010 was a great victory that presents peace activists with a renewed optimism that we can carry into our further endeavors to ban nuclear weapons.

 

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CFPA Campaign Timeline

• Showing of Hibakusha Film: On March 6, 2011, CFPA hosts a showing of the film "Hibakusha: Our Life to Live," which focuses on the lives of survivors of nuclear attack, and has been shown at the UN, in Japan, and in cities around the United States. The film is shown to a packed auditorium, with a discussion afterwards led by the filmmaker, David Rothauser.

• New START Treaty: During the fall and winter of 2010, CFPA engaged in important efforts advocating for the ratification of New START, which will limit Russian and US nuclear arsenals to 1,550 warheads. CFPA phoned senators in key swing states and nurtured Senators Bob Casey and Robert Menendez as champions for nuclear disarmament. We then celebrated this great victory with a light dinner and champagne toast!

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemorations: Every August, CFPA commemorates the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The commemoration often consits of a talk from one of the attack's survivors, Japanese music, and a time of reflection with songs and floating candles on a lake (a tradition during the Japanese commemorations of the bombings).

• CFPA Begins PAZ Campaign: In May 2010, CFPA began its PAZ (The Pennsylvania Zero Nuclear Arms) Campaign. The Campaign’s primary goal is to support and nurture Sen. Bob Casey, who is Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on South Asia and the Middle East, to be a champion for global nuclear disarmament. During the START debate, Casey made a fantastic floor speech in support of the treaty, which was a testament to his integrity and also to the effectiveness of this grassroots campaign!

• Earth Day Rally for Nuclear Weapons Abolition: On April 22, 2010, CFPA co-sponsored an Earth Day Rally for Nuclear Weapons in support for young interfaith peace walkers, who were kicking off their Peace Walk for Nuclear Abolition. CFPA's executive director, the Rev. Robert Moore, was among the event's speakers.

• Peace Train to Global Nuclear Disarmament: On May 2, 2010, CFPA co-sponsored a Peace Train to Global Nuclear Disarmament held by our affiliate, United for Peace and Justice. People boarded trains in the Deleware Valley area and rode them up to New York City, then concluded the event with a rally. The event took place the day before the UN held a Major Review Conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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Resources

• The Real Cost of Nuclear Weapons: CFPA Fact Sheet

• "The Bloated Nuclear Weapons Budget," NY Times

• Watch CFPA's 31st Annual Conference: "Global Abolition of Nuclear Weapons: An Idea Whose Time Has Come":Part 1 with Dr. Zia Mian; Part 2 with Kevin Martin

• "From Hiroshima to Fukushima: Japan's Nuclear Disasters" by Amy Goodman
  

• CFPA's Factsheet on the Dangers and Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism

• Peace Action West: Nuclear Nonproliferation Funding

• Nuclear Watch: Funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration's Nuclear Weapons Complex
  

• The US Department of Energy's Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request

• Video of Dr. Barry Blechman's Talk at June 4, 2010 Annual Membership Dinner

• "Detterence in the Age of Nuclear Proliferation," an editorial by George P. Schultz, William J. Perry, Henry A. Kissinger and Adam Nunn

• Flyer for PAZNAC5-3

• On Abolishing Nuclear Weapons: a Petition to President Obama

• One of the ongoing missions of the Coalition for Peace Action is to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Add your voice.Print out the petition and mail it to us. [more]

• Senate Briefing Packet to help Educate US Senators to take leadership for Nuclear Disarmament

• Nuclear Weapons Proliferation Status 2009

• Nuclear Weapons Who Has What

• CTBT conference – important window of opportunity
  
  • There is an “important window of opportunity” and a “unique occasion this year” to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) closer to entry into force. Speaking about the upcoming Conference to Facilitate the Entry into Force of the CTBT, the conference’s two Coordinators – Ambassador Florence Mangin of France and Ambassador Omar Zniber of Morocco – expressed their optimism . . . [more]

• Peace Action Initiative on Nuclear Weapons: a summary of the position and initiatives of Peace Action (the national group we are affiliated with) on nuclear weapons.

• Nuclear weapons in the US (2006) Map of bases, stockpile storage sites, etc.

• Top ten reasons why nuclear weapons still exist (Humor from your own Coalition staff) "Reason number 10: Who needs schools, hospitals, day care, better roads, education, public housing, clean water, universal health care, solar power, crop supports, wind mills, disaster response, etc. etc. etc.?"

• Nuclear Threat Initiative A middle-of-the-road to conservative site calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

• Blog: Rethinking Nuclear Weapons The personal blog of Ward Wilson, Associate Director of the Coalition for Peace Action.

[Got a resource on nuclear weapons? Send us a recommendation and a link!]