Choose the Nuclear Path Less Traveled

Many heads remain buried in the sand on the August anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings, but we should dig out and recall that 40 years ago the world struck a bargain that still remains critical to today’s security, when the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Weapons Treaty (NPT) emerged, allowing most nations to foreswear nuclear weapons in exchange for a commitment from the handful of countries that already had these weapons to work toward their elimination. Without that treaty there might now be many more than the nine current nations now possessing these weapons, But we should bear in mind that these thousands of weapons threaten millions of lives.  

The fact that impoverished Pakistan has not only acquired its own nuclear weapons but has become the focus of a global nuclear proliferation network shows that any determined government can become a nuclear power.  Worse yet, the chances of extremists obtaining nuclear weapons are increasing. If al Qaeda had had nuclear weapons during the 1990s, New York, Washington, and perhaps several other cities might lie in ruins, uninhabitable, with an unthinkable toll in lives.  

Hard to imagine?  Not when you consider what a nuclear weapon is and does.  The bomb design that destroyed Hiroshima killed 100,000 people.  Its roughly 15,000 tons of TNT-equivalent explosive power is tiny when compared with ‘modern’ nuclear weapons, many so large that they dwarf anything our minds might imagine. The United States and several other countries maintain a great number of nuclear weapons, with many on high alert and ready to be used in a matter of minutes.

We now suffer from a dangerous ‘head in the sand’ nuclear complacency, grown so accustomed to living with thousands of nuclear weapons that they only register a tiny blip on most Americans’ radar, perhaps, even to our government. For example, the State Department has indicated it intends to allow the inspection and verification provisions of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia to expire next year.  In essence we have strayed far from our committed path toward the elimination of these weapons, the bedrock on which the NPT agreement rests.

When in 2005 parties to the NPT came together to strengthen that treaty, the US position assured that no agreement would be reached. Many experts predict dim prospects for an upcoming 2010 review.  North Korea had abandoned the treaty and concerns about Iran’s compliance now lead US and Israel toward a disastrous war against Iran.  The currently displayed Hiroshima-Nagasaki Poster Exhibit created by UNCA’s Center for Diversity Education in Karpen Hall, depicts scenes of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, advocating peaceful disarmament of all nuclear weapons via increased citizen awareness. It’s one of 101 such US exhibits. As cosponsor of this event, WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility repeats warnings offered at that event’s opening reception by Steve Leeper, Chair, Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation.

We have at most 2 years to change course and vigorously pursue global elimination of nuclear weapons. Otherwise 40 nations and possibly other groups will possess them within 10 to 20 years, with near certainty they will be unleashed inflicting unimaginable terror and destruction afflicting all humanity. 2008 has been eventful in that for 2 successive years former Secretaries of State Schultz and Kissinger, former Defense Secretary Perry & former Senate Armed Services Chair Nunn have advocated important steps to reduce the nuclear danger, including substantial negotiated reductions in US and Russian nuclear arsenals.

The urgency of the situation has been recently stressed by speakers urging global nuclear disarmament on this anniversary of the 1945 Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings. It is essential for the United States to assume leadership now as we did forty years ago by supporting that treaty. This requires that we demonstrate our commitment to comply with its requirements, that we act decisively toward abolition of these weapons of horror. The alternative would be a nightmare of nuclear terrorism; survivors would rue the day world leaders ignore the nuclear warning signs. Despite our nation’s repeated NPT violations, that 40 year old treaty has demonstrated its worth in slowing the spread of nuclear weapons.

We must now demand action from our leaders to revitalize efforts to go beyond compliance.  U.S. citizens must direct our leaders towards their abolition.

As for those who promote nuclear power, we don't have a decade to address climate stabilization by squandering time and resources needed to cut greenhouse gases. It will take from 15 to 20 years before the first proposed new nuclear reactor would contribute any net greenhouse gas reductions.

Those who claim nuclear power is clean should take note that the processes of producing the fuel and building the power plant cause toxic and greenhouse emissions during years of construction, and the interminable management of lethal waste.

Proposed new nuclear reactors would cost 8 - 10 billion dollars apiece, being far more expensive than energetically promoted conservation measures, wind energy, or even solar power whose costs are declining as compared with nuclear.

The risks of nuclear energy have been minimized by powerful interests interested in promoting them. Nuclear reactors are all such vulnerable targets for those who would do us harm, that could render significant areas of our country devastated and uninhabitable for decades.
Such crucial decisions should not be dominated, as in the past, by energy corporations spending millions of rate payer dollars using corporate media to block truly renewable energy programs, but should be deliberated openly with all viewpoints freely expressed.

Lewis E. Patrie, MD, Chair Western N. C. Physicians for Social Responsibility Asheville, NC 28805 July 30, 2008