nuclear-news

latest news on the uranium/nuclear industry

NATO should stop kow towing to USA militarism

New thinking is needed on Nato http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/20/new-thinking-needed-nato  guardian.co.uk,  Rae Street  20 May 2012  As Nato meets in Chicago , it is high time our politicians started to take a hard look at the organisation. They need to stop kowtowing to a US agenda of global military dominance through Nato and realise that Nato is not bringing peace and security, but dangerous instability. Seumas Milne (Comment, 16 May) outlined the dangers from wars of intervention; Malalai Joya described the suffering brought to Afghanistan by the occupying forces (Our Chicago resistance, 17 May).

But the dangers are even wider. Nato continues to assert it needsnuclear weapons for defence and still holds a policy of first use of nuclear weapons. At the Lisbon summit Nato leaders reaffirmed their addiction to nuclear weapons, ignoring the nuclear non-proliferation treaty which states that nuclear weapon states should disarm “in good faith”.

Trident is integrated into Nato and there are five nuclear-armed Nato bases in Europe from Belgium to Turkey. Nato is building its missile-defence programme in European bases – aimed at Russia? Outside Europe, Nato is expanding its influence from the Mediterranean to the Pacific.

Nato brings with it enormous cost. Eisenhower’s military-industrial complex is alive and profiting. Since all Nato military forces have to have interoperability, they are constrained to buy the same fighter planes, mainly from Lockheed Martin . In times of austerity the military manufacturers flourish while, in Nato states, people are being hit by savage cuts in welfare services.

Can we hope that new thinking will come out of the Nato summit?

May 21, 2012 Posted by | EUROPE, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

Nuclear weapons, AND missile shields to stay in Europe – NATO

NATO’s Missile Shield To Keep Nations’ Nuclear Weapons http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-20/nato-s-missile-shield-to-keep-nations-nuclear-weapons.html By Helene Fouquet – May 20, 2012 France  and the U.K. will get NATO’s assurance that the European missile defense shield isn’t intended to take the place of their nuclear weapons, according to a European official with knowledge of the discussions. Read more »

May 21, 2012 Posted by | EUROPE, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

UK weapons spending – $550 million for nuclear submarines

U.K. To Announce $550 Million In Nuclear Submarine Contracts, Bloomberg, By Robert Hutton – May 20, 2012 The U.K. plans to announce this week which British companies will be sharing in 350 million pounds ($550 million) worth of contracts designing its next generation of nuclear-powered submarines…… During the 2010 general election, the Liberal Democrats, the junior partner in Prime Minister David Cameron ’s coalition, called for Trident to be replaced with a cheaper, land-based missile system. The government will argue that it has since brought defense spending under control.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-20/u-k-to-announce-550-million-in-nuclear-submarine-contracts.html

May 21, 2012 Posted by | UK, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

“Show of strength” – UK’s hunter killer nuclear submarine to the Falklands

England sends ‘hunter-killer’ nuclear-powered sub to Falklands, Digital Journal, By Igor I. Solar May 20, 2012 Cape Town  - The UK is sending the powerful nuclear submarine “HMS Talent” to the Falkland/Malvinas Islands as a “a show of strength” to Argentina amid a growing diplomatic wrangle over the future of the South Atlantic islands.

The “HMS Talent” (S92) is one of six nuclear-powered Trafalgar Class ’hunter-killer’ submarines of the Royal Navy. According to the Daily Mail , the submarine “slipped into a port in South Africa last week under a cloak of secrecy” after requesting “a nuclear permission” to dock in Cape Town from May 10 to 30. From Cape Town the sub will depart to the Falklands/Malvinas, in what has been called “a show of strength” planned in London by the Ministry of Defence.  http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/325213#ixzz1vXyXr2Vh

May 21, 2012 Posted by | UK, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

USA veterans denounce militarism and NATO policies

he wants to let soldiers serving in any of the post- 9/11 conflict zones. “… know that we’re standing by their side and we’re not standing with NATO anymore.

“We don’t agree with the policies that are driving these wars.”

Iraq vets to turn in medals at historic NATO protest, Deborah Dupre Human Rights Examiner, 18 May 12,  After requesting a meeting with NATO leaders this week, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Afghanistan Veterans Against the War committee are gearing up to lead this weekend’s historic march on the NATO Summit in Chicago where veterans will symbolically turn in their medals to NATO reps.

“We were awarded these medals for serving in the Global War on Terror, a war based on lies and failed polices,” stated Army Reserve/National Guardsman who is leading the the former troops this weekend, Aaron Hughes….. Read more »

May 19, 2012 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

UK’s 20 Billion pound nuclear weapons rebuild is under review

UK considers downgrading nuclear arsenal and scrapping Moscow By TOM PETERKIN Scotsman, 19 May 2012  ARMED forces minister Nick Harvey is conducting a government review exploring whether Britain could downgrade its nuclear arsenal, it was revealed yesterday.

Mr Harvey’s review will consider whether £20 billion plans to rebuild the Trident-based deterrent at Faslane on the Clyde should be replaced with a cheaper, more flexible nuclear option – but one which lacks the same range and firepower. Read more »

May 19, 2012 Posted by | UK, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

USA prepared to strike Iran

US ready to strike Iran, says envoy, SMH, Amy Teibel May 18, 2012 - The US has plans in place to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington’s envoy to Israel says, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran…. Read more »

May 18, 2012 Posted by | USA, weapons and war | 1 Comment

$6 billion to renew unnecessary B61 atomic bomb

ACA expert Kimball says it is “tragic that the B61s based in Europe are irrelevant to NATO’s defense.” He says their destructive capability is so massive that it makes their use incredible. “Neither US nor European taxpayers should be asked to waste more money to upgrade the system.”

US Nuclear Weapons Upgrades Experts Report Massive Cost Increase Spiegel Online, By Markus Becker , 16 May 12, The cost of modernizing US nuclear weapons, including those stationed in Germany, has risen sharply, according to estimates. Several independent experts told SPIEGEL ONLINE that the bill for renewing the B61 atomic bomb will rise to $6 billion. The project will also upset Russia, they say.

The B61 is the last remnant of the Cold War in Germany. Read more »

May 17, 2012 Posted by | EUROPE, USA, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

NATO in rather a mess, as USA escalates its nuclear weaponry

Astonishingly, many people may think, the US is planning to upgrade its estimated 180 tactical nuclear weapons in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Turkey, replacing them with precision-guided ones at a cost of $4bn. The decision has been described as “nuclear escalation by default”.
The credibility, indeed raison d’être, of Nato is at stake. 
A Sceptic’s Guide to the Nato Summit by , 16 May 2012  guardian.co.uk 
A quick route through the Chicago agenda
Four main issues: Afghanistan, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Burden-sharing…..
2. Nato-Russian relations and Missile Defence. Nato’s relations with Moscow are bedevilled by US plans to base anti-missile missiles in Romania and Poland. Vladimir Putin, recently re-elected as Russia’s president who has declined an invitation to attend the Chicago summit, claims the missile defence system could be used against Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles aimed at the US. Read more »

May 17, 2012 Posted by | EUROPE, politics international, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

Top USA military man calls for cuts in nuclear warheads

Former Commander of U.S. Nuclear Forces Calls for Large Cut in Warheads, NYT, By THOM SHANKER  May 15, 2012 WASHINGTON Gen. James E. Cartwright, the retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former commander of the United States’ nuclear forces, is adding his voice to those who are calling for a drastic reduction in the number of nuclear warheads below the levels set by agreements with Russia. Read more »

May 17, 2012 Posted by | USA, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

Global famine would result from just one nuclear attack

A nuclear clash could starve the world, By Jayantha Dhanapala and Ira Helfand,  May 11, 2012 —  (CNN) – Recent ballistic missile tests by India, Pakistan and North Korea — which has ominously threatened to “reduce to ashes” the South Korean military “in minutes” — are once again focusing the world’s attention on the dangers of nuclear war.

This concern was dramatically underscored in a new report released at the Nobel Peace Laureates Summit in Chicago. Titled “Nuclear Famine: A Billion People at Risk” (PDF),   the study shows that even a limited nuclear war, involving less than half of 1% of the world’s nuclear arsenals, would cause climate disruption that could set off a global famine. Read more »

May 13, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

Nuclear capable missile tested by Pakistan

Pakistan tests nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Daily Times, 11 May 12, ISLAMABAD: Pakistan carried out a successful test firing of a short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Thursday, the military said. The launch of the Hatf III, which has a range of up to 290 kilometres and can also carry conventional warheads, came at the end of a field training exercise, a military statement said. Two weeks ago Pakistan test-fired an intermediate range ballistic missile, seen as a response to India’s launch of its new long-range Agni V, capable of hitting targets anywhere in China……http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C05%5C11%5Cstory_11-5-2012_pg7_7

May 11, 2012 Posted by | Pakistan, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

Unnecessary, expensive and dangerous new NATO nuclear weapons

 “The planned upgrade of Nato’s tactical nuclear forces in Europe will be expensive and is unnecessary. Nato states are fully secure without this additional capability and should be focused on removing all tactical nuclear weapons from Europe, not on modernising them”.

Nato plans to upgrade nuclear weapons ‘expensive and unnecessary’ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/11/nato-nuclear-weapons-upgrade Proposals to modernise nuclear arsenal will heighten tensions with Russia, warns thinktank backed by ex-ministers, Richard Norton-Taylor guardian.co.uk, Friday 11 May 2012 Nato’s plans to upgrade the US’s estimated 180 tactical nuclear weapons in western Europe are unnecessary, expensive and likely to exacerbate already difficult relations with Russia, according to a report. Read more »

May 11, 2012 Posted by | EUROPE, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

American taxpayers to pay up big for nuclear weapons

McKeon Wants Taxpayers to Spend Millions on Nuclear Boondoggle and NATO’s Bombs   POGO Project on Government Oversight By MIA STEINLE, 7 May 12, With the House Armed Services Committee scheduled to mark up the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this Wednesday, committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) has just released his markup of the bill. Alarmingly, McKeon’s NDAA markup includes an unjustified $100 million increase in funding to a proposed boondoggle of a nuclear weapons facility, the funding for which the House Appropriations Committee zeroed out last month. The Obama Administration had earlier requested that construction for the project be delayed by at least five years. ..

… Increased funding for CMRR-NF isn’t the only way McKeon’s NDAA mark-up gets it wrong. McKeon’s suggestion would increase the Administration’s request to modernize B61 nuclear bombs by $66 million, to a total of $435 million. Nearly 200 American B61s are stored at bases in five European countries as part of NATO’s defense. However, the cost to modernize these European-based B61s (in a process known as a life extension program, or LEP) would fall squarely on the shoulders of American taxpayers. McKeon’s suggested increase means that Americans would pay even more for these bombs on behalf of NATO….. http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2012/05/mckeon-wants-taxpayers-to-spend-millions-on-nuclear-boondoggle-and-natos-bombs.html

May 10, 2012 Posted by | USA, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

Escalating cost of USA’s and Russia’s nuclear bombs

New Report: US and Russian Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons, May 09 B61 Nuclear Bomb Costs Escalating  FAS Strategic Sexcurity Blog,  The expected cost of the B61 Life-Extension Program has increased by 50 percent to $6 billion By Hans M. Kristensen The expected cost of the B61 Life-Extension Program (LEP) has increased by 50 percent to $6 billion dollars, according to U.S. government sources.

Only one year ago, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) estimated in its Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program report to Congress that the cost of the program would be approximately $4 billion.

The escalating cost of the program – and concern that NNSA does not have an effective plan for managing it – has caused Congress to cap spending on the B61 LEP by 60 percent in 2012 and 100 percent in 2013. Read more »

May 10, 2012 Posted by | USA, weapons and war | Leave a Comment

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