caTHE MAGAZINmE OF THE CAMPAIGN pFOR NUCLEAR DaISARMAMENT igFEBRUARY 2018 n Close to midnight CND General Secretary Kate Hudson writes on how the US’ nuclear policy is taking us closer to war.

AST MONTH the Bulletin of Atomic of Evil. It also revisited some of the ideas Scientists moved us half a minute closer of the early 1990s, calling for the Lto Midnight. At two minutes to, it’s development of bunker-busters and mini- the closest since the height of the Cold War. nukes for use in ‘regional conflicts’, The reasons cited are increasing nuclear understood at that time – in the aftermath risk, climate change and potentially harmful of the first Gulf War and the developing emerging technologies. But nuclear takes narrative around oil and resources – to centre stage: reckless language and provoca - mean the Middle East. tive action by both US and North Korea. The advent of President Obama To make matters worse, the latest US temporarily knocked the project on the nuclear posture review has just been head. His 2010 review ruled out the released. These reviews can be a powerful development of new nuclear weapons, indicator of a president’s intentions and this including bunker-busters. It also renounced one will, no doubt, be a taste of things to nuclear weapons use against non-nuclear come. The 2002 version included President states that the US considered compliant Bush’s demand for contingency plans for with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. the use of nuclear weapons against at least At the time we hoped for more, after seven countries, including the so-called Axis Obama’s passionate Prague speech in 2009,

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, CND 60th celebration at Aldermaston 162 Holloway Rd, London N7 8DQ 1st April, assemble at 12 020 7700 2393 noon. Join us to celebrate [email protected] CND’s 60th anniversary of the www.cnduk.org first Aldermaston march with speeches, music and memories: See: www.cnduk.org/CNDat60 for more information on what CND has planned for our CND anniversary. 6195 8–2018 Campaign outlining a vision of a nuclear low-yield options. In this context weapons-free world. one speculates about industrial But we are a world away factors driving this policy. As Groups now, even from those modest Hans M. Kristensen reveals, a steps. Essentially, the lid is being retired Admiral – a board member Spo tlight taken off the restraints on both of Raytheon that makes the new-build and nuclear weapons recently retired nuclear This month: use. The most significant Tomahawk cruise missile – has Preston and South element of the review is now co-authored an article urging Ribble CND commitment to a whole new Trump to bring the nuclear generation of nuclear weapons, missile back. No prizes for with the emphasis on low-yield, guessing the motivation there. The This new group launched often described as ‘usable’. Note increase in stated circumstances in in January 2018 with a brilliant first meeting. The that the bombs used at which nuclear weapons could be area has been active in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are used is very alarming. This anti-nuclear campaigning technically low-yield in today’s includes against a group that in the past and the parlance, so we are not talking ‘supports or enables terrorist meeting agreed there is about something small. The efforts to obtain or employ great potential for the excuse underpinning this nuclear devices’, as well as against group in the future. approach is supposedly that ‘significant non-nuclear strategic there are no real options attacks,’ including attacks on If you’re a CND member in between conventional weapons ‘civilian population or the area and interested in and all-out nuclear war, and that infrastructure’. getting more involved with there should be more rungs on Presumably the review’s the group’s activities, the ‘escalatory ladder’. authors are aware of the please get in touch with David: [email protected] Personally I would rather see consequences of nuclear use and more rungs on the de-escalatory would prefer to avoid it. But the ladder. In fact, the US nuclear idea that having more nuclear simply bizarre. Whatever their arsenal already includes over weapons and more potential motivation, this is an 1,000 nuclear warheads with targets makes use less likely is exceptionally dangerous game.

New search for nuclear waste storage The government has re-started the search for somewhere permanent to store Britain’s nuclear waste, it announced in January. Plans have been on hold since Cumbria county council rejected a proposal in 2013. No community should have to accept this dangerous material, especially when nuclear energy is unnecessary. Support and share CND’s petition against nuclear power – cnduk.org/NoNuclear

2 February 2018 A symbol for peace

CND Campaigns Officer Sara Medi Jones writes about the history of the CND symbol.

T can be quite surreal working for an organisation Ithat has one of the most well-known symbols in the world, even if people don’t always know the connection. It’s one of the many reminders that every time you get to your 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a display as part of the desk, you’re carrying on with professional designer and artist Commonweal Collection in work steeped in historical and a graduate of the Royal Bradford. significance. College of Art. He had been The symbol has quite Telling the story of how the invited to design artwork for use deliberately never been symbol was created is an on what became the first copyrighted. This has meant it effective way of getting people Aldermaston March, organised has often been exploited for talking about why we need to by the Direct Action Committee commercial purposes, which we get rid of nuclear weapons. The against Nuclear War (DAC). can't stop from happening. Most campaigns team use it as a The symbol quickly became businesses who use it are happy conversation starter at festivals, one of the defining images of to give us a donation however. in schools and on street stalls. the Aldermaston marches, and And when one large toiletry People are usually genuinely of course, of CND. brand refused, a coordinated fascinated. While Holtom has confirmed social media campaign from For our 60th anniversary that the symbol incorporated CND supporters meant they year, we wanted to highlight the semaphore letters N and D, quickly changed their mind! our symbol and what it means he also explained a deeper More hearteningly, the to us. That’s why we commi - reasoning in a letter to an symbol continues to be used as ssioned a giant installa tion of associate: ‘I was in despair. shorthand for peace and hope. the symbol which we’ll be Deep despair. I drew myself: the Recently, it’s been used at taking on a tour of the country representative of an individual in refugee camps and climate (http://cnduk.org/CNDtour) despair, with hands palm change protests, as well as at our The purpose will be to start outstretched outwards and anti-Trident demonstrations. even more conversations about downwards in the manner of CND is proud of this iconic nuclear weapons while Goya’s peasant before the firing symbol and we'll continue to use reminding people about CND’s squad. I formalised the drawing it to inspire our anti-nuclear history. into a line and put a circle round campaigning until we get rid of The symbol was designed in it.’ His first sketches are on Trident. 3 What’s on

West Midlands CND meeting February 17th , Remember Fukushima 10:30am , Café, top floor of Commemorate the nuclear disaster House of Fraser, B’ham B2 5JS Contact 07804 874115 or Vigil March 9th, 5:30pm-7:30pm email [email protected] Outside the Japanese Embassy, 101 Piccadilly, London. Yorkshire CND 60th March and rally anniversary party March 11th, assemble 12 noon February 17th Outside the Japanese Embassy, Contact Yorkshire CND: 101 Piccadilly, London. [email protected] Public meeting March to Aldermaston – March 14th, 7pm-9pm London film screenings Portcullis House, Houses of NO NUCLEAR February 17th , 6:30pm Parliament, Westminster. Sands Films Cinema, SE16 4HZ. n For more information about all of these events, see For more information: rememberfukushima.org www.londoncnd.org/events Street, Oswestry, Shropshire NW5 2SP. ‘Godzilla’ Manchester film SY11 1JN. Book your tickets at Contact 02076 072302 or email screening February 17th , kinokulture.org.uk [email protected] 6:30pm,Three Minute Theatre, Afflecks Arcade, Manchester Sydenham & Forest Hill Yorkshire CND Day of M1 1JG. Booking essential – CND AGM, March 6th, Dance April 28th get your ticket by contacting 7:30pm , 47 Dacres Road, Forest Victoria Hall, Saltaire BD18 3JS 0161 273 8283 or Hill, London SE23 2NS Contact 01274 730795 or [email protected] Contact 020 8690 6117 or [email protected] or [email protected] Wallasey film showing, Yorkshire CND Spring 'The Man Who Saved the Trident and the new Peace & Craft Fair World' February 17th , 2pm generation of nuclear Victoria Hall, Saltaire, Shipley Wallasey Central Library, weapons London public BD18 3JS Wallasey CH45 5DX meeting, March 7th, 7pm- To book your stall contact For more information contact 9pm , Kentish town community [email protected] or [email protected] centre, 17 Busby Place, London 01274 730795 Musicians for Peace & Disarmament Winter Faslane Peace Camp Concert for Peace Peace Camps Permanent. A814, February 22nd , 7:30pm Shandon, Helensburgh, Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Aldermaston Women’s Dumbartonshire G84 8NT. Pilgrims Place, London NW3 1NG Peace Camp nTel 01436 820901 Get your ticker by contacting Second weekend of every [email protected] [email protected] month. nTel: 07946 676761 Menwith Hill vigil ‘Shadow World’ film [email protected] Every Tuesday 6-7.30pm. showing – Oswestry www.aldermaston.net nFor more info contact February 27th, 7:30pm @Peace_women_AWE Sarah – 01765 600928 or Kinokulture Cinema, 9 Arthur [email protected]

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