Flyby News Home - Flyby News Archives - Casinni NoFlyby - Flyby Links

Flyby  News

"News Fit to Transmit in the Post Cassini Flyby Era"




Terror * Michio Kaku - Weapons in Space * Congressional Bill * Astronaut's View

11 September 2001

DAY OF TERROR
Two planes crash into World Trade Center, tower collapses
Plane crashes into Pentagon
Bush calls trade center crashes terrorist act
White House, Capitol, State Department, evacuated
FAA grounds all flights nationwide
www.cnn.com

Editor's Note:

Just before sending this issue to Flyby News subscribers, I received a call about the attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC and on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. This should only add greater urgency to ban space weapons and support endeavors for peace, justice, and true and effective national defense policies.

Following is an eloquent, direct and purposeful statement made by Michio Kaku as an introduction for Karl Grossman's latest work, Weapons in Space, published by Seven Stories Press.*


Foreword By Dr. Michio Kaku

When historians write the history of the 20th century, they will remark that the threat of all-out nuclear war, involving a cataclysmic exchange of tens of thousands of hydrogen bombs between the two superpowers, receded with the ending of the Cold War.

But just when one danger is fading, another one is rising ominously. Instead of ushering in an era of peace and prosperity, the beginning of the 21st century, historians will note, saw increased militarization, marked by the weaponization of outer space. They will remark that this represented a missed opportunity of enormous dimensions. Right before our eyes, the prospects of banning nuclear weapons is slipping through our fingers.

Unfortunately, most people are not aware of this. Vaguely hearing of arms control talks at the United Nations, people have been lulled to sleep, thinking that the great powers are finally dismantling their weapons.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Sadly, the U.S. military is dangerously pursuing its goal of military superiority, even though there is not an enemy in sight.

The U.S. military is shadow boxing with itself.

The weaponization of space represents a real threat to the security of everyone on Earth. Not only will this squander hundreds of billions in taxpayer dollars, which are better spent on education, health, housing, and the welfare of the people, it will greatly accelerate a new arms race in space, with other nations working feverishly to penetrate a U.S. Star Wars program, or to build one themselves. A whole new round of the arms race could begin.

Ironically, it is the U.S. that stands to lose the most in such a race to militarize outer space. It is the U.S., not China or Russia, which is highly dependent on a vulnerable, fragile network of communication satellites. It is the U.S., not the developing countries, which has a high concentration of resources centered on just a handful of cities. In case of war, the U.S. would suffer greatly, its satellites blinded by anti-satellite weapons, its communication centers neutralized.

The time to stop this madness, therefore, is now, while the Star Wars program is still in its infancy. That is why this book is so important. It raises the people's awareness about a matter which is largely ignored by the established media. Once again, Karl Grossman has done a great public service in unmasking the true nature of weapons in space, which would not be shields of peace, but weapons of war. Mr. Grossman's efforts in alerting the people to the true danger posed by the weaponization of space have greatly aided the cause for world peace.

Michio Kaku is the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics at City University of New York.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"The consequences of the proposed National Missile Defense, designed to enhance the United States ‘first strike' capability, are alarming enough: nuclear conflict, more likely, a new nuclear arms race, the destruction of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Yet it is just the precursor to the even more frightening scenario that Karl Grossman sets before us: an all powerful United States using space to dominate a unipolar world to further its own interests. Real security is mutual and will be based on trust and equality in a mulitpolar world. None of us will be free until we are all free." —Dave Knight, chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, United Kingdom

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

WEAPONS OF SPACE by Karl Grossman can be ordered by calling Seven Stories Press at 1-800-596-7437 or through their website, www.sevenstories.com
[Priced at $6.95 USA, 10.50 Canada and 4.99 U.K.]

Reminder: NOW is the best time to call your elected representatives. The US Congress will be deciding in the coming days how much money to give to the Pentagon in 2002 for Star Wars Research and Development. George W. Bush is requesting $8.3 billion in FY 2002 for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).

The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space recently released this statement:

"On September 7 the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 13-12, along party lines, to recommend $7 billion in 2002 for Star Wars research and development. The recommendation would have the funds transferred to other Pentagon priorities.

While the Democrats on the committee stated that the $7 billion would be a cut from Bush's requested amount of $8.3 billion, they also reassured the public that it was still a 37% increase over Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) funding levels in 2001.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) told a news conference that the $7 billion would still provide large increases for both Theatre Missile Defense (TMD) and National Missile Defense (NMD).

The House Armed Services Committee, on August 1 recommended $8.2 billion for BMDO in 2002.

The full House and Senate still have to debate the 2002 funding levels in the coming weeks and several amendments will be expected as opponents attempt to seriously cut Star Wars funding.

The Global Network maintains that research and development for all BMDO programs must be zero funded if we are to prevent an arms race in space. Just the process alone of Pentagon and aerospace corporation Star Wars research and development is destabilizing as the message is sent to the rest of the world that the U.S. intends to follow through with plans for "control and domination" of space.

History shows that with each advancement of weapons technology a new arms race has always followed. We urge all concerned citizens to do all they can to oppose all BMDO funding for 2002 and beyond."

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 90083
Gainesville, FL. 32607
(352) 337-9274
globalnet@mindspring.com
http://www.space4peace.org

* To order "Star Wars Returns" video, send $21.95 ($19.95 + $2 s&h)
{institutions $49.95 + $2 s&h} to
EnviroVideo
Box 311
Ft. Tilden, NY 11695

Please use such resources to help stop the escalation of the arms race into space.

The US Congressional Switchboard telephone number is 202-224-3121.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

1) Kucinich Congressional Bill -- October 2, 2001 -- to Ban Space-based Weapons


WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Tuesday, October 2, 2001 Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio) will introduce into the U.S. Congress land-mark legislation to ban space-based weapons.

About his space-based weapons bill Kucinich says, "We signed the ABM treaty nearly 30 years ago; which requires a reduction in strategic arms, nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. Weaponization of space clearly violates that treaty. My bill will call for an immediate and permanent termination of research, testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of all space-based weapons systems and components by any person, agency or contractor of the U.S. government."

A ban on space-based weapons is supported by three long-time proponents of peace in space, all directors of the Institute for Cooperation in Space (ICIS), a nonprofit foundation. ICIS was formed: (1) to focus attention on this legislation and a forthcoming world treaty to ban all space-based weapons, (2) to transform the space-based weapons industry into a world cooperative space industry, (3) to apply alternative energy and other technologies to solving urgent and potential human and the environmental problems, and (4) to educate about who we are in relation to the universe though the MISSION POSSIBLE plan of action.

Dr. Carol Rosin, President of ICIS, a former educator, space and missile defense consultant, aerospace executive and spokesperson for the late Dr. Wernher von Braun, "father of rocketry," has testified before the US Congress and international leaders. According to Military Space (July '84) "Rosin is regarded to be the original political architect of the move to stop the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) and ASATs (Anti-satellite weapons)."

Rosin says, "We've learned that stating the dangers, costs, and fallacies of the space-based weapon system will not stop them from being researched and developed, whether it is called the SDI, NMD, BMD or Star Wars. We've heard the ever-changing rationales for why this system is supposedly needed. In fact, under the guise of ‘national security' and ‘it's only research(!)' this has become the largest R&D program in history. We are calling for just the removal of the mandate to weaponize space and, simultaneously, for continued non-space-
based weapons civil, military and commercial space R&D, applications and exploration."

"This bill will soon become U.S. law, and a forthcoming world treaty will enact the world law to ban space-based weapons," Rosin says. "The timing is right. Everyone and everything is in place. It will be easy to transform the space-based weapons industry into a cooperative world space industry that will stimulate the economy, create new jobs and training programs, and expand a strong national and global security system based on a world cooperation.

"We can have space battle stations and weapons pointed towards earth and into space, or we can build space habitats, hospitals, schools, farms, laboratories, industries, hotels and resorts, elevators and craft that will free us to explore the universe to find out more about ourselves and our neighbors. Imagine the exciting opportunities and benefits that will be made available to all. It's our choice," Rosin concludes.

ICIS Co-Director and General Counsel, Daniel Sheehan, a Harvard Law School graduate, is famous for an impressive body of legal work including the Karen Silkwood case, Pentagon Papers case, Three Mile Island, and the Iran Contra case, and Mr. Sheehan successfully represented Harvard psychiatrist John Mack in a tenure review process.

Commenting on a ban on space-based weapons, Sheehan says, "During my thirty years in the field of public interest law and public policy, I have supervised professional investigations into the illegal smuggling of weapons-grade plutonium, the illegal supply of arms to terrorist organizations by covert operations and government agents, and into ultra-"black" weapons programs unknown even to the most trusted congressional officials," says ICIS General Counsel and Co-Director Daniel Sheehan. "I have come to believe that keeping weapons out of inter-planetary space is the most important contribution we can make to the future of this planet. The time to begin this task is now."

ICIS Co-Director Alfred Webre, a Yale Law School graduate and former delegate to the UNISPACE Conference in Vienna, Austria, says "The forthcoming Kucinich legislation represents a major cooperative world space development."

Webre adds, "On July 26, the same date that Congressperson Kucinich announced his forthcoming bill to ban space-based weapons, the Foreign Minister of Canada, John Manley, announced in Hanoi that 'Canada would be very happy…to launch an initiative to see an international convention preventing the weaponization of space.' Congressman Kucinich reciprocated the Canadian initiative stating, 'I am pleased with the recent news from our neighbor to the north that Canada is ready to join an international effort to prohibit weapons in space.' "

CONTACT: Dr. Carol Rosin, ICIS - Institute for Cooperation in Space
A (501-C-3) non-profit Foundation
P.O. Box 25040, Ventura, CA. 93001
Tel: 805-641-1999
Fax: 805-641-9669
Email: rosin@west.net
Website: http://www.peaceinspace.com

KEY LINK: Peace Action Center: Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich website

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Flyby News is delighted to receive this press release from the Institute for Cooperation in Space (ICIS) for the peaceful use of space. However, we urge this organization to also stress the importance to temper even peaceful, commercial applications in entering space until appropriate propulsion systems are developed where rocket ships no longer severely damage outer layers of our atmosphere. Also, before extensive space exploration and commercialization, Flyby News encourages a greater emphasis on transforming current environmentally damaging terrestrial technologies and conditions, too. The following space.com article illustrates this from an astronaut's point of view.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

2) Astronaut says environmental damage can be seen from space

Space.com -- SPACE WIRE

LONDON (AFP) Aug 31, 2001

The commander of the International Space Station said in an interview while orbiting the Earth Friday that he had observed a noticeable increase in environmental damage since his last mission into space.

US Commander Frank Culbertson expressed his concern over the changes in an interview with the BBC, saying that levels of environmental destruction had increased since his last space mission in 1990.

"I've seen changes in what comes out of some of the rivers, I've seen changes in land uses and we see areas of the world that are being burned for clearing the land so we are losing lots and lots of trees," he said.

"There's smoke and dust in wider areas than we saw before... so yes, it's a cause for concern. We have to be very careful how we treat this good Earth we live on.."

Culbertson is part of the third crew to live on the space station, a collaboration between US, European and Japanese interests. The crew set off on August 10 and will spend four months on board.

The orbiting spacecraft, which he described as like a "large submarine", travels at speeds of 28,000 kilometres (17,500 miles) an hour, or five miles a second.

Culbertson added: "We see storms, we see droughts... we've seen hurricanes and of course in the view at night you see cities lit up in populated parts of the world.

"It's quite amazing to see how many people actually live down there and how much of an effect they are having on the environment."

© 2002 Agence France-Presse.
For the Space.com article and links, visit:
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/010831124619.44fagg4j.html

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************
Flyby News is a free electronic news service regarding peace in space, human rights, and the environment.
-------------------------------------------------------------http://www.flybynews.com------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Email address: