PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

WED 7 SEPT IMMEDIATE USE
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
HUMAN SURVIVAL PROJECT

HYPOCRISY OVER NK, US, MISSILE TESTS
THE US TESTED A MISSILE ON MONDAY – NO SANCTIONS, NO ATTENTION.
NK TESTED THREE MISSILES SAME DAY: SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS, SANCTIONS



On Monday 5th, the United States tested a Minuteman-III missile. The Minuteman-III missile is an exceedingly well-tested system. We know it works. The Minuteman-III is capable of carrying multiple warheads of up to a megaton in power, though the usual size is a few hundreds of kilotons. The US tests its Minuteman-III missiles usually three times a year, though there has been a 'gap' of 6 months most recently. The US and Russia keep just under 2000 warheads on missiles in a status such that they can be launched in less than a minute, and targeted at each other. Their use would destroy civilisation.

The minuteman-III test attracted essentially no attention whatsoever apart from self-congratulatory items in local California media. There was certainly no talk of security council resolutions or sanctions.

On exactly the same day, the DPRK launched three missiles of much lesser capability than the Minuteman-III, and with much less assurance that they would fly at all rather than exploding on the launch pad as in previous tests.

The DPRK may have ten or 15 primitive, Hiroshima-size (10-15Kt) warheads, which it may or may not be able to fit onto a missile that will fly.

The DPRK missile test has attracted international headlines, a UN Security Council resolution, and threats of increased sanctions.

Yet it is the US and Russia, and not the DPRK both now and in the foreseeable future, that really have the ability to destroy the world.

When will a minuteman-III test at Vandenberg, or a Topol-M test at Plesetsk, or an Agni test at Odisha, attract the same level of condemnation, and the same sanctions as a DPRK missile test?

Only then will we begin to make progress to the elimination of nuclear weapons.

And if we fail to make such progress our prospects as a species are going to be problematic.

John Hallam

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