Monday, April 26, 2004

Nuke Nightmares; Then & Now FEATURED ARTICLES - Massive Protest Decries Bush Abortion Policies, Reuters, - Vanunu freed after almost 18 years behind bars, Haaretz - Vanunu: Hero or villain? BBC News - Public Deserves Far More Information On Nuclear Testing, Salt Lake City Tribune QUOTE OF THE DAY "More and more states are realizing the deficit in possessing nuclear weapons and that nuclear weapons do not promote economic development in most of the undeveloped states. These countries are ready to back and support any initiative that will bring the end of nuclear weapons in the entire world. They know that the abolition of nuclear weapons in Europe, the US and the entire world will only bring help and encouragement to global economic activities, including globalization. So anti-nuclear activists should work in this new field to use economic reasons and alliances to defeat nuclear weapons. This could be done especially at economic summits like the G-8 and WTO meetings where decisions or declarations could be issued to abolish nuclear weapons. Rather than fighting the WTO like anarchist environmentalists, we can recreate the WTO and G-8 to begin working toward zero nuclear weapons." - - Mordechai Vanunu KNOW YOUR HISTORY - APRIL 26th 1986 -- In Pripyat in the Ukraine, north of Kiev, at 1:23 a.m. the Chernobyl atomic power plant exploded. It was the worst known nuclear disaster in history; eventual death toll alone from radiation exposure is now estimated in the hundreds of thousands. Soviet authorities started evacuating people from the area around Chernobyl within 36 hours of the accident. A month later, all those living within a 30 kilometer (18 mile) radius of the plant -- about 116,000 people -- had been relocated. Eventually, a 300 square mile area was evacuated as unknown thousands were exposed to radioactive material that spread in the atmosphere throughout the world.  About 70% of the fallout fell in Belarus. Damage was estimated to be up to $130 billion. By 1998 10,000 Russian "liquidators" involved in the cleanup had died and thousands more became invalids. It was later estimated that the released radioactivity was 200 times the combined bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. RHINO HERE: Congratulations to all who participated in the "March For Women's Lives" in D.C. this past weekend. Reports have it that it was the largest protest ever in one city; over a million people. Hopefully this is a hint of what the November voter turnout will be like. Massive Protest Decries Bush Abortion Policies by Deborah Zabarenko, Reuters, April 25, 2004 Protesters crowded the National Mall on Sunday to show support for abortion rights and opposition to Bush administration policies on women's health issues in one of the biggest demonstrations in U.S. history... MORE: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0425-01.htm On this the 18th anniversary of the nuclear nightmare at Chernobyl, it seems appropriate to ponder aspects of 2 other nuclear stories.  1st  is the release last week of Mordechai Vanunu, the man who, revealed the existence of Israel's nuclear weapons program.  Coincidentally, it was also 18 years ago that Mr. Vanunu was imprisoned for what some call heroism & others call treason. The first article tells of his release, the second offers opinions on his legacy from people round the world. In a time when so much is being made of the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, especially in the volatile Middle East, Vanunu's act of conscience & resulting punishment seem worthy of reflection. Vanunu freed after almost 18 years behind bars By Yossi Melman & Nir Hasson,  Haaretz, April 22, 2004 The longest day in Mordechai Vanunu's life was his first day as a free man, after 17 and a half years behind bars. It began the night before, when he was unable to shut his eyes and managed to get only two hours of sleep before the morning prison line-up at dawn. Then he dozed for another two hours, before preparing for his release. Still locked up in his cell at the Shikma Prison, he could only imagine a small portion of the chaos that was mounting outside the prison gates... MORE: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/418148.html Vanunu: Hero or villain? BBC News, 24 April, 2004 The nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu has been released from prison in Israel.  Vanunu spent nearly 18 years in prison for revealing details of Israel's clandestine nuclear arms programme. Supporters welcome his impending release and call him a "hero of peace".  However, the Israeli government has described him as a security threat and has barred him from traveling abroad. The following comments reflect the balance of the opinion we have received: MORE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/3645079.stm Then, today's RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE looks at the unnecessary threat being made by the shrub gang to begin a new round of nuclear weapons testing.  Written by Bill Evenson, a professor of physics, it reminds us that while George Bush the older saw fit to halt nuclear weapons testing in 1992, george the lesser & his crew don't see any problem it firing up new programs.  Rhino sez, ... 7:11:55 AM    comment

RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE - Public Deserves Far More Information On Nuclear Testing "SEND THIS ARTICLE TO A REPUBLICAN!" Public Deserves Far More Information On Nuclear Testing By Bill Evenson, Salt Lake City Tribune, 4/18/04 When the first President Bush halted nuclear weapons testing in 1992, he surely didn't anticipate that the moratorium would later be shrouded in a veil of secrecy. Fortunately, U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett is in position to lift the veil.  The simple scientific fact is that there is no need for the United States to test a nuclear weapon now or in the foreseeable future. Here's why:   The directors of the nation's three nuclear weapons laboratories give the arsenal an annual checkup. Every year since the moratorium has been in place, they have delivered the same diagnosis: no problems. They haven't asked for a nuclear test; they haven't even hinted that tests are needed.  It's not surprising. When the elder Bush halted testing, a multibillion-dollar Stockpile Stewardship Program was developed to maintain the reliability of the 8,000 nuclear weapons in the arsenal. Part of that program focuses on alerting scientists to any problem that might develop in one of the nuclear weapons -- an early warning system. Indeed, scientists now know more about the arsenal than they ever would have under the old testing program.    All of this would be part of the public discussion about testing if it weren't for one thing. The annual report from the lab directors is classified. It's only through leaked information that the public can learn that the arsenal doesn't need testing... MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Apr/04182004/commenta/158068.asp "RHINO'S BLOG" is the responsibility of Gary Rhine. (rhino@kifaru.com) Feedback, and requests to be added or deleted from the list are encouraged. SEARCH BLOG ARCHIVES / SURF RHINO'S LINKS, AT: http://www.rhinosblog.info RHINO'S OTHER WEB SITES: http://www.dreamcatchers.org (INDIGENOUS ASSISTANCE & INTERCULTURAL DIALOG) http://www.kifaru.com (NATIVE AMERICAN RELATIONS VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES) Articles are reprinted under Fair Use Doctrine of international copyright law. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html All copyrights belong to original publisher. Tell a friend about Rhino's Blog 6:31:21 AM    comment

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