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abolition-usa-digest      Saturday, July 31 1999      Volume 01 : Number 159




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 14:36:33 -0700
From: "David Crockett Williams" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Prop1 for Nuclear Disarmament and EconomicConversion

The fact of the matter is that none other than the United States of America
is the only country to ever use nuclear weapons against human beings, in the
abbhorant human tests conducted on the civilian non-combatant populations of
largely women, children, and the elderly remaining in the cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki while the men of military age were away at war.  This
act whose main purpose was to threaten the Soviet Union and to begin the
still ongoing US policy of the threat of first-strike use of nuclear weapons
(even potential "tactical" use of nuclear weapons), requires that the
citizens of the United States take the initiative to reverse this dangerous
situation by effecting some action to make their government take lead in
nuclear disarmament.

All other countries who have developed nuclear weapons have done so in
response to this intial and ongoing threat by the US which has manifest the
example by which other countries justify their development and possession of
these criminal weapons of mass destruction.

Thus it is incumbent on the American citizenry to compel its governement to
take the first steps backward from the brink of nuclear holocaust and the
simple way is for Proposition One (an appeal to all nations for multilateral
nuclear disarmament, AND the reallocation of their budgets to funding human
needs) to be taken up all around the world by the example of all Americans
supporting it as the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act now
being reintroduced into Congress by DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

It should be a priority of all Americans to see that every single politician
up for reelection next year signs on as a cosponsor or endorser of this bill
since its bottom line, if passed, is a US commitment to MULTILATERAL nuclear
disarmament and therefore a realistic example for other nations to follow.

The idea of a UN convention for the abolition of nuclear weapons is also a
good idea but what is the potential success of it if the United States
populace leaves this decision open subject to the veto of the US while its
politicians are not compelled by the electorate to take a firm stand on
nuclear disarmament such as that carefully crafted into the logic of
Proposition One http://www.prop1.org

In response to the call issued to the Nuclear Abolition 2000 Coalition last
Fall, by Proposition One initiators, for a cross country peace walk next
year for Nuclear Disarment, the initiator of the Global Peace Walk project
(Rev. Yusen Yamato, a zen buddhist monk from Japan) has decided to conduct
Global Peace Walk 2000 from San Francisco (Jan15) to Washington DC (Oct9-12)
and to New York City for the United Nations 55th anniversary October 24,
2000.

We want to carry on this great new millennium peacewalk all appropriate
messages for nuclear disarmament strategies, as well as all other survival
issue messages, to help empower the prayer for "Global Peace Now!" as a
universal human resolve.

Please offer your support, messages, and letters of support, in any way that
you can,

Thank you very much,

Global Peace Walk 2000 [e-mail]
http://www.globalpeacenow.org
*********************************************************

                     David Crockett Williams
                   [e-mail]
            GENERAL  AGENCY  SERVICES
  Phone  [phone]          Fax [phone]
20411 Steeple Court, Tehachapi CA 93561 USA
*********************************************************
   Global Emergency Alert Response (G.E.A.R.)
        http://www.angelfire.com/on/GEAR2000




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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 16:51:57 -0600
From: "Bob Kinsey" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Fwd: [mil-corp] McDonalds needs McDonnell Douglas

Alice--I wrote this in a fit of self-righteousness or righteous indignation
as the case may be in response to the Friedman quote you sent.  Am I off
track or is all this talk about the elites have the same values we hold a
bit naive??


"Here below is a quote from a widely read economic journalist that evidences
my greatest fears.  If it is accepted as the vision by which we run our
economy and our country then we are no different than any empire.  It gives
the total lie to the idea that capitalism and freedom are partners.  If this
is the way it works, the state and the corporation hand in hand in our
international affairs, then those who say American capitalism is fascism are
right.   The only difference between us and the fascists would be that  they
admitted the partnership in their official philosophy.  We on the other hand
would just be lying to ourselves and saying things like, "self determination
of peoples" or, "We are intervening on your behalf because we believe in
protecting and extending  freedom for others".   Of course, the selves being
lied to would not be the entire country since those who are the elites would
fully understand the Friedman doctrine.
     This statement is very reminiscant of General Smedley Butler's
statement after years of commanding the U.S. Marine Corps in Nicaragua in
the 1920's and 30's in the name of American civilization.  He said he had
been no better than a "Mafia" for the United Fruit corporation in Central
America and could even have taught Capone a trick or two.
    The "hidden hand" of the market, according to Friedman, means its
valueless, unbridled grinding out of stuff  under the guidance of the owners
of capital.  It perceives checks and balances from the labor sector or the
environmental sector as an unholy doctrine of socialism or communism.  These
are are always demonized by the neo-liberal prophets of the "invisible hand"
and the "market place."   The only tip of the hat to morality made is to put
a few copies of the Ten Commandments up in the classroom to keep the folks
who sweat for a meagre living from becoming unruly.  Forbid that they should
ask for a more just division of the wealth produced by the system.  Forbid
that they should care enough about the future generations that they should
ask for limits on consumption. Forbid that they would become enraged at the
obscene gap between the rich and the poor. Forbid that they should just feel
hopeless and act out.  That would be against the "invisible hand."  And we
all know that invisible hand is the hand of the only God that "we", or at
least the Friedmanites, trust.   Not God of the Prophets but God of the
profits.  This philosophy also calls to mind the current motto of the U.S.
Space Command:  "Dominators of Space in the 21st Century to protect American
foreign investments."
    If some phony religious smoke screen and affirmations about the holiness
of our founding "Fathers"  doesn't convince everyone that whatever we do is
moral,  then  "we" have lots of new prisons and the "fist" of MacDonald
Douglas.
    It is important to notice that the folks who always fly the U.S Flag in
their sanctuaries (next to the communion tables) never seem to want the
Sermon on the Mount posted anywhere.  Or even the Leviticus text about
Jubilee.
     The appropriate text from Jesus in response to the Friedman religion
would be, "Don't think you are justified because you are children of
Abraham.  God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones."  It doesn't
matter who your founding fathers are if you are not truly ethical and moral
yourselves.  And ethics and morality have to do with limits on this
invisible hand, otherwise known as the deadly sin of "Greed" rather than the
"True Law of Economics".   Friedmanites practice a horrifying idolatry.
Come to think of it, maybe the Ten Commandments does come into play here.
"I am the Lord thy God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, You shall
have no other god's before me."  Even the invisible hand.

"The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist --
McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas, the builder of the
F-15. And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley's
technologies is called the United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine
Corps."
Thomas L. Friedman,
Two-time Pulitzer winning NY Times columnist
____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
Bob Kinsey, Peace and Justice Task Force
United Church of Christ, Rocky Mountain Conference
[e-mail]
303-425-0348
"Two paths lie before us.  One leads to death, the other to  life."
Jonathan Schell
"Faith has need of the whole truth"  Teilhard de Chardin
"Jesus was non-violent.  Shouldn't Christians be?
____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
Bob Kinsey, Peace and Justice Task Force
United Church of Christ, Rocky Mountain Conference
[e-mail]
303-425-0348
"Two paths lie before us.  One leads to death, the other to  life."
Jonathan Schell
"Faith has need of the whole truth"  Teilhard de Chardin
"Jesus was non-violent.  Shouldn't Christians be?


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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 23:06:12 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Fwd: [mil-corp] McDonalds needs McDonnell Douglas

Bravo to Bob Kinsey.  Good post.

Peace,
David McReynolds

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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 23:50:04 -0400
From: peter weiss <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Prop1 for Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion

Good statement. And Israel will have to be in it. Actually Israel's
official policy is to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction in the
Middle East, including Israel's, once "a comprehensive peace" has been
reached. That sounds like "never", but it does open it up to a call for
nuclear disrmament from the US and other sources, particularly now that
Barak is talking somewhat seriously about a comprehensive settlement.

Ellen Thomas has pointed out that the "effective date" clause of Prop1
makes it clear that the proposal is not one for unilateral disarmament.
But it starts out sounding that way. And if there are no cosponsors,
it'll be treated as a less than serious effort.
                            Peter

Lachlan Forrow wrote:
>
> The issue, which I think is crucial, is the "framing" of this.  I understand
> that the substance of this resolution isn't a problem, but I strongly agree
> with Peter Weiss that we need to be very, very careful about anything that
> could, even if completely unfairly and inaccurately, be attacked as
> 'unilateral disarmament.'  I think that the winning U.S. message, which I
> hope some political leader will take on, is something like the following:
>
> "No U.S. citizen or city should ever face the prospect of nuclear
> annihilation.  Today there are still thousands of nuclear weapons, in Russia
> and China, that threaten all of our children.  If I am elected President (or
> Senator or...), then I will use every power of my office to try to ensure
> that every nuclear weapon in the world is verifiably and permanently
> destroyed.  Of course, the price we Americans will need to pay for this
> historic achievement is to agree to reciprocally dismantle our own nuclear
> arsenal.  As long as others insist on stockpiling these genocidal weapons,
> we will maintain our own.  But as we enter a new millenium, threatening
> global holocaust can no longer be accepted as a civilized approach to
> international problems.  I call on the leaders of Britain, France, China,
> Russia, India, and Pakistan [no one will dare mention Israel] to join me in
> negotiating and implementing a Nuclear Weapons Convention, with adequate
> provisions for verification and enforcement, at the earliest possible date.
> Our children deserve no less."
>
> --LF
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [e-mail]
> > [mailto:[e-mail]]On Behalf Of David
> > Crockett Williams
> > Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 1999 12:38 AM
> > To: [e-mail]
> > Subject: (abolition-usa) Prop1 for Nuclear Disarmament and Economic
> > Conversion
> >
> >
> > The bottom line of the bill and the Prop1 movement is for
> > multilateral not
> > unilateral nuclear disarmament....
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: peter weiss <[e-mail]>
> > To: [e-mail]
> > <[e-mail]>
> > Date: Monday, July 26, 1999 9:10 PM
> > Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Prop1 for Nuclear Disarmament
> > and Economic
> > Conversion
> >
> >
> > >This is good,but it should call for a nuclear weapons
> > convention rather
> > >than unilateral disarmament, which is a bit quixotic. Are there
> > >cosponsors? Have there been in the past? Is there a way to
> > get hearings
> > >going?
> > > Peter Weiss
> >
>
> -
>  To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
>  with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
>  For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 19:45:56 +1000
From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) LETTER TO MARKEY

John Hallam
Friends of the Earth Sydney,
17 Lord street, Newtown, NSW, Australia,
Fax[phone] ph (61)(2)9517-3903

[e-mail]    http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd


FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA

ATTN. CONGRESSMAN EDWARD MARKEY 1-202-226-0092

RE: CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION ON DE-ALERTING

Dear Congressman Markey,
I am writing as the coordinator of the global sign-on letter, that you
signed on Friday, asking for nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger
alert, especially over the Y2K rollover period.

I understand  you are working on a US Congressional resolution to that
effect. This is an extremely important initiative.

I would like to express our very strong support for any resolution in the
US Congress that calls for nuclear weapons to be taken off their current
hairtrigger alert status,  especially over the Y2K 'rollover' period. This
is exactly what is asked for by the letter.

The global sign on letter that you have signed now has well over 200
signatures from organisations and parliamentarians around the world,
expressing a desire for strategic nuclear weapons to be taken off
hairtrigger alert. These organisations include the largest international
environment network in the world, Friends of the Earth International, with
member groups in 59 countries, the second - largest international
environment group in the world, Greenpeace International, the
British-American Security Information Council, (BASIC), the Centre for
Defence Information, Tri-Valley CARES, Global Resource and Action Centre on
the Environment,  the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Western
States Legal Foundation, and Physicians for Global responsibility. Outside
the US, the letter bears the signatures of 20 Australian parliamentarians,
4 Canadian MPs including Senator Doug Roche, six New Zealand MPs, and six
members of the European Parliament, as well as those of the Womens
International League for Peace and Freedom, and the World Court project.

Taking strategic nuclear weapons off hairtrigger alert  is a sensible
measure with or without the Y2K problem, that was strongly recommended by
the Canberra Commission in 1996. ( It is best achieved by the physical
removal of the firing mechanism from delivery vehicles, or by separation of
warheads.) (The Canberra Commission was set up by the Australian Government
in the wake of French nuclear testing, to reccommend the way to abolish
nuclear weapons.)

Given that there may be problems with the US Y2K remediation programme for
the complex interconnected computer networks that constitute the C3I system
for the strategic nuclear weapons complex of the US, and given that Russian
systems are highly unlikely to be anywhere near Y2K ready, taking strategic
nuclear weapons off hairtrigger alert would appear to be no more than good
sense. This in no way lessens the need for other measures (such as measures
for US-Russian cooperation, and a joint monitoring centre).
The stakes involved are, ultimately, the survival of the planet.  The
chance of the ultimate catastrophe should this reasonable measure not be
taken is just too great, and de-alerting is in any case something that
needs to be done.

We urge you to proceed with this worthy initiative, and to use this global
sign on letter in any way that will ensure its success.

John Hallam, Coordinator, De-Alerting Sign on letter.



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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 07:07:31 -0400
From: "Lachlan Forrow" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: (abolition-usa) Prop1 for Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion

Thanks.  My (perhaps tiresome) mantra:

Unless we frame this issue in a way that 2/3 of the members of the US Senate
can enthusiastically embrace, no treaty for nuclear abolition can ever be
ratified and enter into force.

- --LF
>
> Good statement. And Israel will have to be in it. Actually Israel's
> official policy is to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction in the
> Middle East, including Israel's, once "a comprehensive peace" has been
> reached. That sounds like "never", but it does open it up to
> a call for
> nuclear disrmament from the US and other sources,
> particularly now that
> Barak is talking somewhat seriously about a comprehensive settlement.
>
> Ellen Thomas has pointed out that the "effective date" clause of Prop1
> makes it clear that the proposal is not one for unilateral
> disarmament.
> But it starts out sounding that way. And if there are no cosponsors,
> it'll be treated as a less than serious effort.
>--Peter Weiss


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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 10:31:32 -0700
From: "David Crockett Williams" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Y2K meltdown

           TUESDAY
JULY 27
1999




- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
- ----

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
- ----
 PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO
Assessing risk
of Y2K meltdown
Watchdog group calls
for shutdown of all plants

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
- ----

By David M. Bresnahan
=A9 1999 WorldNetDaily.com

The nuclear power industry has failed to prepare properly for the Year 20=
00
computer bug, according to a watchdog group, making the potential for a
nuclear meltdown high.
The Nuclear Information and Resource Service continues to call for the
shutdown of all nuclear power plants to avoid possible Y2K computer bug
problems. A recent report from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has give=
n
critics additional reason for concern.

The NRC has confirmed that at least 35 nuclear power plants are not Y2K
compliant and at best could only be Y2K ready by the end of the year.

NIRS noted that several of these reactors aren't even scheduled to comple=
te
their Y2K fixes until November 1999 or later. The last-minute nature of s=
uch
repairs leaves virtually no time for testing and further adjustment if
needed, according to NIRS spokesmen.

"The NRC's program is unacceptable," said NIRS' executive director Michae=
l
Mariotte. "It's what we feared all along -- this agency is waiting until =
the
last minute and then just hoping that everything will work out OK. But wi=
th
nuclear reactors, there is no margin for error. Simply hoping for the bes=
t
is a sure indication that the worst can happen."

The NRC presented a list of 35 reactors that are behind schedule, along w=
ith
a projected date they hope to have the plants at least Y2K ready. Complia=
nt
means that a system is completely repaired and will function without erro=
r
at the turn of the century. A system which is only Y2K ready is one that =
has
various patches that may enable it to function even though it is not
repaired. One such patch is to change the date to fool the system. Such a
fix may cause other problems.

Commercial nuclear power plants that are not ready were listed by the NRC
along with projected dates that they will be Y2K ready. NIRS officials ar=
e
concerned that not enough time remains between the dates given and the en=
d
of the year to test the systems to be sure sufficient repairs have been
made.

The plants that are not repaired, along with their projected dates of Y2K
readiness are:


Beaver Valley, Units 1 and 2; Shippingport, Pa., 9/30/99

Browns Ferry, Units 2 and 3; Athens, Ala., 10/31/99

Brunswick, Unit 1; Southport, N.C., 11/30/99

Clinton; Clinton, Ill., 9/22/99

Comanche Peak, Unit 1; Glen Rose, Texas, 11/30/99

Comanche Peak, Unit 2; Glen Rose, Texas, 10/30/99

D.C. Cook, Units 1 and 2; Bridgman, Mich., 12/15/99

Davis-Besse; Port Clinton, Ohio, 8/1/99

Diablo Canyon, Units 1 and 2; San Luis Obispo, Calif., 10/31/99

Farley, Unit 2; Columbia, Ala., 12/16/99

Hope Creek; Hancocks Bridge, N.J., 10/29/99

Limerick, Unit 2; Limerick, Pa., 9/30/99

Monticello; Monticello, Minn., 9/1/99

North Anna, Unit 2; Mineral, Va., 10/29/99

Oyster Creek; Toms River, N.J., 9/30/99

Peach Bottom, Unit 2; Delta, Pa., 9/30/99

Peach Bottom, Unit 3; Delta, Pa., 10/31/99

Perry; Perry, Ohio, 8/1/99

Salem, Unit 1; Wilmington, Del., 11/6/99

Salem, Unit 2; Hancocks, N.J., 10/29/99

Sequoyah, Units 1 and 2; Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., 10/31/99

South Texas, Units 1 and 2; Bay City, Texas, 10/31/99

St. Lucie, Units 1 and 2; Fort Pierce, Fla., 7/15/99

Three Mile Island, Unit 1; Middletown, Pa., 10/21/99

Turkey Point, Units 3 and 4; Florida City, Fla., 7/15/99

Vermont Yankee; Vernon, Vt., 10/31/99

Watts Bar; Spring City, Tenn., 10/31/99
"Obviously, the nuclear utilities still have an enormous amount of work t=
o
do to repair their computer systems for the next century," said Mary Olso=
n,
NIRS' Y2K specialist. "The NRC is trying to put the best spin possible on
this problem, but the fact is some utilities just aren't going to be read=
y
in time. Experts agree that no nuclear power will be needed in the U .S. =
on
January 1, 2000, (because) there will be plenty of electrical generation
available. For that reason, we join with our colleagues across the globe =
in
calling for a nuclear moratorium on January 1-- a shutdown of all nuclear
facilities across the world. Who knows, we may find we can live without t=
hem
permanently?"

NIRS submitted three petitions for rulemaking to the NRC at the end of 19=
98.

One would require any utility not fully Y2K-compliant by Dec. 1, 1999 to =
be
closed until it can prove it is Y2K-compliant. Thus far, the NRC has not
indicated that any reactor will be Y2K compliant by Dec. 1, 1999.

NIRS also wants the U.S. to provide assistance to Eastern-Bloc nuclear
reactors that suffer from Y2K problems.

"More U.S. assistance is necessary for many Eastern countries to ensure t=
hat
January 1, 2000 is not a time of meltdown, but of celebration," said Olso=
n.
"The U.S. Congress needs to recognize that several Eastern countries need
help in basic Y2K work and in enabling the implementation of meaningful
contingency plans. Such assistance is of little cost to the U.S., but wil=
l
be of great benefit if meltdowns and electrical grid disruptions can be
avoided."

The North American Electric Reliability Council issued a report on the Y2=
K
computer bug challenge to the electric industry. The report states that
uninterrupted production of electricity is critical to the nation's
infrastructure.

"More than any other element of the North American economic and social
infrastructure, the electricity production and delivery systems must be
dependable during the transition to Y2K. Every other critical element of
infrastructure depends on the availability of an interconnected, reliable
supply of electrical power. There is no doubt that cascading or even
localized outages of generators and transmission facilities could have
serious short- and long-term consequences," the report states.

Electric power in the U.S. is distributed through a power grid, which is
made up of four large interconnections, according to NERC. Disruptions
within the grid could cause a failure of the entire grid, or perhaps a
failure of one of the interconnections.

"A major disturbance within one part of an interconnection will rapidly h=
ave
an impact throughout the interconnection and has the potential to cascade
the effect to the entire interconnection," the NERC report explains.

Although the loss of one, two, or even three power plants within an
interconnection will not necessarily cause cascading outages, the Y2K
problem may bring about such a failure. Many power plants have digitally
controlled parts from the same manufacturer. These common modes could spe=
ll
disaster.

"Y2K poses the threat that common mode failures (such as all generator
protection relays of a particular model failing simultaneously) or the
coincident loss of multiple failures may result in stressing the electric
system to the point of a cascading outage over a large area," NERC admits=
 in
the report.

The late dates announced by the NRC for so many nuclear plants to be Y2K
ready make testing difficult in the time remaining before the end of the
year, according to the announcement by NIRS. The NERC report specifically
points out that individual testing of power plants is not sufficient.

"An individualistic approach to the problem may not cover all potential
problem areas (e.g., coordination with neighboring utilities) and, thus,
could adversely affect operations within an interconnection. An individua=
l
electric utility that invests tens of millions of dollars in solving Y2K
problems could be affected in a major way by an outage initiated in
neighboring systems that have not been as diligent. Therefore, preparatio=
n
of the electricity power production and delivery systems in North America
must be a coordinated team effort by those entities responsible for syste=
m
reliability. All preventive programs do not have to be the same, but they=
 do
have to be coordinated. The industry will succeed or fail together in its
readiness for Y2K," predicts the NERC report.

WorldNetDaily previously reported the admission by NERC officials that
critical information on the Y2K testing of power plants was purposefully
being withheld from the public and from the Department Of Energy. That
policy is still in effect.

NERC claims the challenges of meeting the Y2K transition can be handled
successfully if critical areas are properly solved. NIRS believes the one
problem which may be the greatest threat to the electric system, and to t=
he
safety of the general population, is the nuclear power plants. Only 15 to=
 20
percent of all power in the U.S. is generated from nuclear power, and NIR=
S
claims all nuclear plants could be turned off in December with no adverse
effects since usage is at the lowest level at that time of year.

NERC admits that newer power plants actually have a greater risk than old=
er
ones. Newer plants use digital control systems and older plants use analo=
g
controls. The digital equipment use time-dependent algorithms that could
cause a system to trip offline if they fail.

It is also possible that global positioning satellites could fail in orbi=
t,
and some electric power plants depend on time signals from those satellit=
es
to run energy management systems. If the satellites fail the power system
will fail. NERC is quick to point out that the satellites are controlled =
by
the U.S. Government.

"Electric supply and delivery systems are highly dependent on microwave,
telephone, and VHF radio communications. The dependency of the electric
supply on facilities leased from telephone companies and commercial
communications network service providers is a crucial factor. With
telecommunications systems being the nerve center of the electric network=
s,
it is important to address the dependencies of electric utility systems o=
n
the telecommunications industry during critical Y2K transition periods," =
the
NERC report states.

NERC conducted a test in April to determine if the power grid could funct=
ion
with only high frequency radio systems as a backup in case other
telecommunications systems fail. Another test will take place in Septembe=
r.

There are protection systems within power plants, but the newer ones are
controlled by digital devices. It is possible that a failure of these
devices could bring loss of power from many power plants all at the same
time.

"Although many relay protection devices in use today are electromagnetic,
newer systems are digital. The greatest threat here is a common mode fail=
ure
in which all the relays of a certain model fail simultaneously, resulting=
 in
a large number of coincident transmission facility outages," explained th=
e
NERC report.

NIRS believes that the prudent approach is to shut down all nuclear plant=
s
in December and never turn them back on unless they can be proven to be
fully Y2K compliant, not just Y2K ready. Spokesmen from NERC and the NRC
claim the people from NIRS are overreacting.



- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
- ----

David M. Bresnahan, a contributing editor for WorldNetDaily.com, is the
author of "Cover Up: The Art and Science of Political Deception," and off=
ers
a monthly newsletter "Talk USA Investigative Reports." He may be reached
through email and also maintains a website.


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
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CONTACT WND | GO TO PAGE ONE | SEARCH WND





- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
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- ----
=A9 1999 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
- ----
 This page was last built 7/27/99; 3:35:11 AM    Direct corrections and
technical inquiries to [e-mail]



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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 18:19:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Timothy Bruening <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Prevent An Accidental Nuclear War!

Below is a letter I wrote to President Clinton (1600 Pennsylvania Ave,
Washington DC 20500; [phone]; [e-mail]) about the
need to take nuclear weapons off alert as a basic precaution against the Y2K
bug triggering a nuclear war.  Please write similar letters to him at the
mail address or e-mail address in the above sentence, or call him at the
above listed phone number.

Dear President Clinton:

I am writing to convey my extreme concern  over the possibility that Year
2000 (Y2K)-related computer failures in nuclear weapons systems may lead to
an unacceptable risk of  nuclear war by accident or miscalculation.

In the current political situation this is most especially the case.
According to Alexander Arbatov, of the Defense Committee of the Russian
State Duma, US-Russian relations are at 'the worst, most acute,  most
dangerous juncture since the US-Soviet Berlin and Cuban missile crises.'

The danger during the Y2K rollover lies primarily in the possibility that
spurious data may induce commanders, even at the highest levels, to
mistakenly authorize the launches of nuclear weapons.

Events similar to this have already occurred. For example:

In the US in 1980,  a malfunctioning computer chip sent spurious alert signals;

In 1983 in Russia, satellites mistook glare off the tops of clouds for a US
missile launch, (and disaster was averted by the refusal of the local
commander to believe the warnings were real);

In 1995, a rocket launched from Norway prompted a full-scale Russian alert.
When Russian radar picked up a U.S. science rocket launched from Norway,
Russian military leaders thought at first that it was a U.S. ICBM with
Russia's name on it.  Boris Yeltsin's nuclear suitcase (which he would use
to launch Russian missiles) was activated for the first time ever.  It took
Russian decision makers 8 minutes to realize that the U.S. wasn't attacking
them.  By that time, they were less than 4 minutes away from ordering a
nuclear response.  Thank God the U.S. and Russia weren't anywhere near a
political confrontation at the time!

If Y2K breakdowns produce inaccurate early warning data, or if
communications and command channels are compromised, the combination of
hair-trigger force postures and Y2K failures could be disastrous. There
should therefore be a 'safety first ' approach  to Y2K and nuclear arsenals.

Because none of the nuclear weapons states can guarantee that their
nuclear-related computer systems are Y2K compliant, the only responsible
solution is for them all to stand down nuclear operations, just like people
who are drunk have a responsibility to refrain from driving. This approach
should include such basic precautions (as basic as stopping at stop signs
and red lights, and looking both ways before you cross the street) as taking
nuclear weapons off alert status and decoupling nuclear warheads from
delivery vehicles.

The stakes involved in any nuclear exchange between Russia and the US are
such that they dwarf any other considerations. The future of life itself on
earth could be in doubt.

In  light of this, I strongly urge that you remove all strategic and
tactical nuclear weapons from 'hair trigger' alert, and place them in a
status in which at least hours and preferably days would be required to
launch them.

The Canberra Commission in August 1996, noted that terminating nuclear alert
status would:
- --Reduce dramatically the chances of accidental or unauthorized  nuclear
missile launch.
- --Help set the stage for intensified cooperation on a more far- reaching
disarmament agenda.
- --Have a very positive influence on the political climate between nuclear
weapon states.

This last is especially relevant in the current tension between Russia and
NATO, which has prompted Russia to withdraw from cooperation with the US on
Y2K problems.

According to the Canberra Commission, "Taking nuclear forces off alert could
be verified by national technical means and nuclear weapon state inspection
arrangements. in the first instance, reduction in alert status could be
adopted by the nuclear weapon states unilaterally".

If both sides are verifiably de-alerted, it will not be possible for either
to launch a disarming first strike.

The immediate stakes are so high, and the potential for global catastrophe
so clear, that mutually verified de-alerting in the face of the Y2K computer
problem must take precedence over all other considerations of
politics and national security.


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 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 14:10:20 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) LETTER TO MARKEY

I am meeting with Congressman Joe Hoeffel of Pa. on Monday am. I would like a
copy of the letter on de alerting which Markey signed so that I can pass it
on to Hoeffel who is an intelligent and good man. Please get it to me asap,
Jonathan Granoff

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------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 11:34:32 -0400
From: Norm and Karen Cohen <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) hiroshima events and unplug event

Apologies for the inevitable multiple postings. Below are press releases =
for our Hibakusha (Hiroshima Surivivors) Tour and for our Fish-Kill Forum=
 on Salem. Please feel free to send to your friends and contacts, and pos=
t in your groups
newsletters

Thanks.
Norm Cohen
CPJ- Executive Director &
Unplug Salem Coordinator


> ----------------------------------------
>                 STOP THE SALEM NUKES FISH SLAUGHTER CAMPAIGN
>                             COALITION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
>                     321 Barr Ave., Linwood NJ 08221; 609-601-8583/8537
>                  [e-mail]; http://members.bellatlantic.ne=
t/~norco/
>
> Date: 07/29/99
>
> For Immediate Release and Community Calendars:
>
>                            =93Salem Nuclear Plants Fish-Kill Forum=94 t=
o be Held 8/23
>
>      The =93Salem Nuclear Plants Fish-Kill Forum=94 will be held on Mon=
day, August 23rd, at 6:30 PM
> at the Wetlands Institute, on Stone Harbor Boulevard, just outside of S=
tone Harbor, New Jersey. Present will be a number of experts who discuss =
how the Salem Nuclear Plants, located in Lower Alloways Creek,  are harmi=
ng the Delaware Bay Estuary and are slaughtering billions of fish, fish e=
ggs, and larvae.
>     This forum has increased significance at this time because the New =
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) will soon be ruling=
 on PSE&G=92s (Public Service Electric and Gas, owner-operator of the Sal=
em Nukes) application to renew their NJDEP permit that allows the Salem N=
uclear Plants to slaughter fish in exchange for PSE&G being allowed to em=
bark on an experiment to rebuild Delaware Bay wetlands.
>    Confirmed speakers at the =93Salem Nuclear Plants Fish-Kill Forum=94=
 will include: Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, Rober=
t (Bob)  Jackson, a local expert surf-fishing guide, Anthony  (Tony) Tota=
h, Marine Biologist for Clean Ocean Action, Jane Nogaki, Coordinator of t=
he Coalition Against Toxics, and Mary Ellen Noble, Associate Director of =
the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. Representatives from the United States =
Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Congressman Frank Lobiondo=92=
s office have also been invited. Citizens, especially commercial and recr=
eational fishermen, and all those concerned about the health of the Delaw=
are Bay and the fish of the Delaware Bay, are urged to participate.
>     After an opening round of testimony by our speakers, the floor will=
 be open to all participants for questions and comments. A record of this=
 forum will be prepared and sent to the New Jersey Department of Environm=
ental Protection, the US EPA, and area legislators.
>     Forum organizers organized this event to be modeled after a similar=
 event held in June in Salem County, where over 100 people expressed thei=
r concerns about the environmental effects of the Salem Nuclear Plants. T=
here are great concerns that the New Jersey DEP appears to have already d=
ecided to award PSE&G an extension on their permit, even before any publi=
c hearings.
>      Norm Cohen, Executive Director of the Coalition for Peace and Just=
ice, and Forum Moderator, commented, =93According to the NJ DEP=92s own V=
ersar Report, the two Salem Nuclear Plants, because they do not have clos=
ed cooling systems utilizing cooling towers, as required by the federal C=
lean Water Act, section 316(b), use over three billion gallons of Delawar=
e Bay water every day to cool the nuke plants. In the process, billions o=
f fish, fish eggs, and larvae are killed every year.  We feel that once t=
he public knows the true facts, that people will put pressure on the NJ D=
EP to do the right thing, follow the recommendations of its own Versar Re=
port, and require that PSE&G either build cooling towers now or shut down=
 the two Salem Nuclear Plants.=94
>     With PSE&G=92s permit due for renewal, now is the time for those pe=
ople concerned about the Delaware Bay and the fish of the Delaware Bay to=
 speak out.
>     The =93Salem Nuclear Plant Fish-Kill Forum=94 is free and definitel=
y open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. For more infor=
mation, please call 609-601-8583.
>
> CONTACTS:  Norm Cohen: 609-601-8583 or work: 609-889-0924 x122
>                      Jane Nogaki:  609-767-1110
>                      Bob Jackson:  609-884-5768
>                      Tony Totah:    609-729-3383
>                      Mary Ellen Noble: 800-8DELAWARE
>                      Jeff Tittel:       609-924-3141
>
>   ---------------------------------------------------------------------=
- ---
>                 COALITION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
>                     321 Barr Ave., Linwood NJ 08221
>                               609-601-8583/8537
>                          [e-mail]
>                 http://members.bellatlantic.net/~norco/
> Date: 07/30/99
> For Immediate Release  and Community Calendars:
>
>            A-BOMB SURVIVORS TO SPEAK IN SEAVILLE ON 8/7
>
>      Two Hibakusha, or survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic b=
ombs, will speak at the Coalition for Peace and Justice=92s annual Hirosh=
ima Day Commemoration, to be held on Saturday, August 7th, at 7:30 PM at =
the Seaville Friends Meetinghouse, Route 9 in Seaville, about one half mi=
le south of the Route 50 and Route 9 intersection. The survivors will als=
o be displaying a photo panel set called =93The A-bomb and Humanity=94. T=
here will also be a short slide show on the medical effects of nuclear bo=
mbs and the Abolition 2000 Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons worldwide.=
 This event is co-sponsored by the Seaville Friends Meeting.
>      Chiyono Yoneda, and Masao Tamaru are the two Hibakusha who will sp=
eak. Chiyono Yoneda, 72 years old, now lives in Yokohama, Japan. She was =
present at the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945.  She has been a J=
apanese peace activist and member of Hidanyko, the Japanese atomic bomb v=
ictims association for many years. She will describe her experiences both=
 during the bomb blast itself and in the days following the attack.
>      Masao Tamaru, 68 years old, lives in Higashikurume, a suburb of To=
kyo. He was present on August 6th, 1945, when the Hiroshima atomic bomb w=
as dropped. Tamaru is the Executive Director of the Tokyo branch of the a=
tomic bomb victims association.
>     Since neither Tamaru nor Yoneda speak English, they will be accompa=
nied by Manami Shintaku, a student from American University in Washington=
 DC, who will act as the interpreter.
>      Our three visitors will be housed by Ocean City residents Bill Bar=
low and Karen Stone, who have graciously offered their home for our guest=
s. Earlier on Saturday, our Japanese visitors will be taken on a tour of =
the Leamings Run Gardens, in Clermont.
>      Said Norm Cohen, Executive Director of the Coalition for Peace and=
 Justice, =93This is the first time in many years that we in Cape May Cou=
nty are to be honored with a visit from the Hibakusha. It is important fo=
r the future of this planet that their testimony and witness not be forgo=
tten. As time continues to lessen the impact of the horrors of the atomic=
 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is important that we listen to th=
ese A-bomb survivors so that we remember what devastation and destruction=
 these weapons caused.=94
>     Cohen continued, =93This tour is part of the Abolition 2000 Campaig=
n, a campaign that demands that the nuclear nations of the world get seri=
ous about abolishing nuclear weapons, which they are required to do as si=
gnatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. With India and Pakista=
n now nuclear weapons states, and with the continued warfare between thes=
e two countries, with the Russian military falling apart, it is more nece=
ssary than ever that the world begin to move towards abolishing all nucle=
ar weapons.=94
>      The visit from the Hibakusha is part of the 1999 New Jersey and De=
laware Hibakusha-Nuclear Weapons Abolition Tour, which is being coordinat=
ed by the Coalition for Peace and Justice. Other stops in the tour includ=
e: Wednesday, August 4th, from 7 to 9 PM at the St. George Serbian Orthod=
ox Church, 654 S. Broad St., in Elizabeth, NJ, sponsored by the New Jerse=
y Hiroshima Day Remembrance Committee and NJ Peace Action; Thursday, Augu=
st 5th, at Princeton University=92s  Woodrow Wilson School plaza,
> at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, sponsored by the Coalition for Peace Action; Fri=
day, August 6th,
> 7:30 PM at the Moorsetown Friends Meeting, sponsored by South Jersey Ca=
mpaign for Peace and Justice; Sunday, at 11:30 PM at, and sponsored by,  =
the Woodstown Friends Meeting; and also on Sunday, at 7:00 PM, in Wilming=
ton, Delaware, sponsored by Pacem-in-Terris. the oldest and largest peace=
 group in Delaware.
>     All events are free and open to the public, who are urged to attend=
 this rare opportunity to meet people who can give testimony to the awful=
 destruction caused by atomic and nuclear bombs. This program is not aime=
d at making any judgments or placing blame on any side of World War II. R=
ather, we bring the Hibakusha to our area to remind people that we can ne=
ver again use nuclear weapons in any war, for any reason, because the des=
truction these weapons will cause is just too great.
>
> CONTACTS:  Norm Cohen:  609-601-8583/8537
>                         Chiyono Yoneda: 045-983-4755 (Japan)
>                         Masao Tamaru: 0424-75-2620 (Japan)
>                         Sylvia Zisman (Elizabeth NJ) 973-376-5629
>                         L. L. Morgan (Princeton)      609-924-5022
>                         Rick Walnut  (Moorsetown)  609-859-2785
>                         Diane Metz    (Seaville Friends) 609-465-5567
>                         Shirley Lock   (Woodstown Friends) 856-769-8906
>                         Sally Milbury-Steen (Wilmington) 302-656-2721

- --
 Coalition for Peace and Justice and the UNPLUG Salem Campaign
321 Barr Ave, Linwood, NJ 08221;609-601-8537 or 609-889-8583 (8583 for fa=
x and answer machine)
UNPLUG SALEM WEBSITE: http://members.aol.com/robvfp/page4/index.htm
COALITION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE WEBSITE:  http://members.bellatlantic.net=
/~norco/
The Coalition for Peace and Justice is a chapter of Peace Action
Hibakusha (Hiroshima Survivors) Tour Coming to New Jersey, August 4-8.



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------------------------------

End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #159
***********************************

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