Fund Our Communities Not More Nuclear Weapons

Fund Our Communities – Not More Nuclear Weapons!

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Spending for nuclear weapons makes us less secure, undermines revitalization of our economy and takes a toll of people’s lives and possibilities. With estimated costs to operate and “modernize” the U.S. nuclear arsenal over the next decade conservatively estimated at $352 billion, our limited tax dollars are being squandered preparing for nuclear apocalypse. In the meantime we lack funding for health care, housing, education and construction of the 21st century national infrastructure needed for job creation and to create an internationally competitive U.S. economy. Under pressure from Senate Republicans, President Obama committed to increase spending to “modernize” the U.S. nuclear arsenal and to develop new delivery systems by nearly $200 billion over the next decade. “ WE NEED MORE NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS LIKE LADY GAGA NEEDS ANOTHER OUTFIT” – Congressman Edward Markey The U.S. has 5,113 nuclear weapons deployed and held in reserve, with an estimated 3,500 additional “retired” warheads that can be reactivated if deemed necessary. Yet, as the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War report, an exchange of just 100 nuclear weapons by two warring nations “would disrupt the global climate and agricultural production so severely that the lives of more than a billion people would be at risk.” Fortunately, even before we achieve the nuclear weapons free world envisioned by President Obama, the majority of the U.S. people and the world’s nations, there is much that can be cut that will increase our security: the nuclear-capable F-35 fighter- bombers at an estimated $1 billion each; dozens of U.S. foreign military bases that make U.S. first-strike nuclear war fighting possible; and plans to build new nuclear weapons, to expand the nuclear weapons production infrastructure and to develop a new generation of nuclear-capable missiles, warships and bombers. A year ago Republican Senator Tom Coburn called for reducing nuclear weapons spending by $80 billion. Congressman Edward Markey subsequently introduced legislation to cut nuclear weapons spending by $100 billion. We can cut this $100 billion – and more Here are some of the things that $100 – from the military to enhance our billion could buy**: national and personal security.* These  69 million children receive low-income are small steps we can take which are far healthcare for one year, OR less than we committed to when we ratified the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty:  1,270,900 elementary school teachers for one year, OR  Cut the nuclear submarine fleet to eight operational at sea – $3 billion  34.5 million people receiving low-income healthcare for one year, OR  Delay the purchase of new nuclear submarines – $17 billion  10.14 million Head Start slots for children for one year, OR  Reduce the number of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles – $6 billion  18 million students receiving Pell Grants of $5550, OR  End the nuclear missions of bomber planes – $17 billion  67.7 million households with renewable solar electricity for one year, OR  Cancel Air Force’s new bomber program – $2.l7 billion/yr by 2017  10 million Military Veterans receiving VA Medical Care for one year, OR  Cancel new, wasteful nuclear weapons facilities – $15 billion  1,036,000 Police or Sheriff's Patrol  Source: http://markey.house.gov/press-release/markey- Officers for one year. introduces-sane-act-cut-bloated-nuclear-weapons-budget  Source: National Priorities Project and New York Times, Oct. 29, 2011

F–35 Fighter Jet. Source: CreateOrdie Source: United States Government WE HAVE A CHOICE: Nuclear weapons and nuclear winter, or funding human needs and reducing and ultimately eliminating the nuclear threat. Produced by the Peace & Economic Security Program of the American Friends Service Committee, 2161 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Ma. 02140 and www.afsc.org/pes. This flyer can be downloaded at http://afsc.org/document/informational-handout-fund-our-communities-not- more-nuclear-weapons. AFSC is committed to both the complete abolition of all nuclear weapons and to a national budget rooted in economic justice that assures human dignity. Like its support for the Nuclear Freeze in the 1970s & 80s, the spending cuts outlined in this resource are presented as pragmatic interim measures, and are not to fulfillment of our commitments.