[NukeNet] U Of California & Nuclear Weapons Business

[Bill Smirnow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Krieger
To: wagingpeace at napf.org
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:16 PM
Subject: [abolition-caucus] The University of California and the Nuclear
Weapons Labs


Dear Friends,



On July 17th, I spoke in the public comment session to the UC Regents about
the UC's oversight and management of the principal US nuclear weapons
laboratories.  After keeping the public waiting outside for two hours past
the time scheduled for public comments, the Regents allotted one minute per
speaker.  The article below is a slight elaboration on what I said in my one
minute.



This Sunday, July 27th at 10:00 a.m., KPFK (FM 98.7 and 90.7) will broadcast
a half-hour interview on the subject that I did with Blase Bonpane on his
excellent show World Focus.  After it airs, the show will be available at
www.kpfk.org, and can be accessed internationally and 24/7 by going to
"archives" and then clicking on World Focus.  It is also available for
podcast.



David



David Krieger

President

Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

PMB 121, 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 1

Santa Barbara, CA 93108

www.wagingpeace.org

www.nuclearfiles.org





Click here to sign our Appeal to the next President, calling for US
leadership for a nuclear weapons-free world.



A SHORT MESSAGE TO THE UC REGENTS:

GET OUT OF THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS BUSINESS

David Krieger



            Designing and developing weapons of mass annihilation should not
be business as usual, especially for a great university.  And yet, for the
UC, it is business as usual.  Since the beginning of the Nuclear Age, the UC
has been in the business of providing management and oversight to the nation
's principal nuclear weapons laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory
and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.  The UC is now in that business
with corporate partners such as Bechtel.



            Your involvement with the weapons labs is arguably illegal under
international law, is certainly immoral and, from a security perspective,
perpetuates US reliance on nuclear weapons, which undermines US and global
security.  It also sends exactly the wrong message to the young people who
are educated at the University of California.  It suggests to them that it
must be acceptable to create weapons capable of destroying civilization when
a great university engages in doing so.



The UC shares in the responsibility for creating all nuclear weapons in the
US arsenal.  Should these weapons ever be used, by accident or design, the
responsibility and accountability for that use will rest not only upon
decision makers in the US government, but upon the UC system - including
upon those who remained indifferent or apathetic in the face of the UC
oversight of the weapons labs.



Some at the UC refer to its work on nuclear weapons as a "national service."
I would say it is a disservice, both to the nation and to the University.



The most important thing that can be said about nuclear weapons is that they
do not and cannot protect their possessors.  By continuing to rely upon
these weapons, a prospect furthered by the nuclear weapons laboratories, the
US upholds nuclear double standards that encourage nuclear proliferation.



I suggest to you that a day will come when the UC will deeply regret having
sold its good name to provide respectability to the creation and maintenance
of nuclear weapons. In the interests of the UC and the country, I would urge
you to take the following three actions:



First, support the Student Department of Energy Lab Oversight Committee,
which has already demonstrated serious intent and done important research on
the weapons laboratories and how their work negatively impacts national and
global security.



Second, follow the example of the Norwegian government pension fund and
divest the UC investment portfolio of corporations involved in creating
nuclear weapons and their component parts.



Third, withdraw from the management and oversight of the weapons labs on the
grounds of legality, morality and human security.  By doing so, you would be
setting an invaluable example for UC students and for institutions of higher
education in our country and throughout the world.



Such acts of conscience by the UC Regents would help spark a national
discussion on the need for US leadership for a world free of nuclear
weapons.





            David Krieger is president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
(www.wagingpeace.org).  On July 17, 2008, members of the public were
allotted one minute each to express their views in the public comment
portion of the UC Regent's meeting.