Obama calls for nuclear-free world

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Barack Obama has promised that the US will do all it takes to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.

In a major speech on Sunday in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, the US president said Washington would take "concrete steps" to reduce its nuclear arsenal and encourage other nations to do the same.

He said countries needed to co-operate and have patience to achieve a nuclear-free world.

"Today the cold war has disappeared but thousands of those weapons have not," Obama said in front of thousands of Czechs at a square in front of the Prague Castle. "More nations have acquired these weapons, tests continue ... the knowledge to build these weapons has spread. If we say to ourselves that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable we are saying that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable."

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/04/20094574117841403.html

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Obama launches effort to reduce nuclear arms

Source: AP

By MARK S. SMITH – 21 minutes ago

PRAGUE (AP) — President Barack Obama on Sunday launched an effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons, calling them "the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War" and saying the U.S. has a moral responsibility to lead as the only nation to ever use one.

=snip=

Obama targeted his comments at one point directly at North Korea, which launched a rocket late Saturday night in defiance of the international community. The president was awoken by an aide and told of the news, which occurred in the early morning hours in Prague.

"North Korea broke the rules once more by testing a rocket that could be used for a long range missile," Obama said. "This provocation underscores the need for action — not just this afternoon at the UN Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons."

=snip=

The choice of Prague for such a speech carried large symbolism, and Obama didn't ignore it. Decades of communism were toppled in Czechoslovakia through the 1989 Velvet Revolution, so named because it was one of the few peaceful overthrows of communism in the Iron Curtain. The Czech Republic split from Slovakia in 1993.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOmBrSJce9WwmkDD2o9EU8KT0RxAD97C81G80


Simply awesome news, and this is just the very beginning of his presidency!

[Hope And Change]

1. Thanks for posting.K & R!

[L. Coyote]

14. This moment of Obama's Presidency may be the first to become truly historic

so can we get on with prosecuting Bush now.

[Hugabear]

2. How about us first?

Why in the world would any nation consider giving up nuclear weapons, or the quest for nuclear weapons, when the US still possesses thousands, and there's always a chance that we could elect someone as bad or worse than Bush?

[biopowertoday]

3. Our first duty is for Pres. Obama to get Congress to sign .......

this treaty.


.............The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed by former President Bill Clinton but rejected by the Senate in 1999. Over 140 nations have ratified the ban, but 44 states that possess nuclear technology need to both sign and ratify it before it can take effect and only 35 have do so. The United States is among the key holdouts, along with China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, and Pakistan.

Ratification of the test ban was one of several "concrete steps" Obama outlined as necessary to move toward a nuclear-free world, He also called for reducing the role of nuclear weapons in American national security strategy, negotiating a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia, and seeking a new treaty to end the production of fissile materials used in nuclear weapons.

Obama also said the U.S. will seek to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation treaty by providing more resources and authority for international inspections and mandating "real and immediate consequences" for countries that violate the treaty............

[Turborama]

4. However you want to look at it, this is the most positive development we've heard in years...

Many obstacles to Obama nuclear dream

=snip=

Nevertheless, the president's speech is significant for the ways in which he seeks to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons. He wants to change the current attitude of despair, the sense that nothing can be done.

It will also make it easier for the US to argue for measures against states expanding or potentialy seeking nuclear weapons.

Even before he came to Europe, he had stopped funding for America's own nuclear weapons development, the so-called "reliable, replacement warhead." This was designed to replace current warheads which have been around for so long that scientists are getting nervous about their reliability.

He has now pledged that he will try to get the Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty which has been observed only informally up til now.

He has also announced, after his meeting in London with Russian President Medvedev, that the US and Russia aim to agree a new treaty to reduce warheads and possibly delivery systems by the end of this year.

He wants stronger action against states that undermine or even leave the NPT (Iran take note here). He wants better control of fissile material (ie material that is designed to cause a nuclear explosion) in case they fall into terrorist hands.

And he is calling a special conference on all this in the US.

=snip=

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7984149.stm

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

5. Rest of the world: "You first, Yankee."

[Deja Q]

6. Quite. We drop ours and then they all fire. And, more interestingly, the tangents.

Nuclear power?
Where to put the dismantled gear.
Nuclear waste? Launch it into space? Watch it go *boom* and then everyone dies from radiation poisoning?


What would stop rogue countries or entities from getting their own?



The President is smoking a pipe dream on this one, I'm sorry. It's nice and lovely a idea, but it's also the plot from a horrible movie from 1987 called "Superman IV".

[feslen]

7. re: yup

It's a pipe dream...it's never going to happen.

shouldn't we come up with more air-tight regulations, safer and better ways of containment of that lovely stuff, and better defense of nuclear facilities in this country than worrying about dismantling?

besides even with nu-clea-er power "dismantled" humans will always find an alternative power source to blow ourselves up! (sarcasm).

[Deja Q]

9. Some dismantling isn't a bad idea -- human nature, the bigger it is the harder it is to protect.

Still, containment and regulations and adhering to them is the better way for now. Either way, we can't turn back the clock.

Especially with NK playing patticake with missiles and also being nuclear-capable, now is just NOT the time. Most major powers would probably agree, but I don't want to put words into anyone's mouths either... time will tell. Things just need to be done sensibly and realistically.

[inwiththenew]

17. Exactly

Lets say the rest of the world does disarm. If a rogue country was able to develop nukes and a delivery system they could hold the whole world hostage.

[L0oniX]

8. I expect to see pink elephants when our country gets rid of its nuclear arsenal.

[kpete]

10. N. Korea launches rocket; Obama calls for UN meeting

Source: Raw Story

North Korea rocket launch 'provocative': Obama
Published: Sunday April 5, 2009

US President Barack Obama said Sunday that North Korea's rocket launch was "provocative," amounted to a test of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, and called for a UN Security Council meeting.

"The launch today of a Taepodong-2 missile was a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, which expressly prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind," Obama said in a written statement issued from Prague.

"With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations.

"We will immediately consult with our allies in the region, including Japan and the Republic of Korea, and members of the UN Security Council to bring this matter before the Council," Obama said, on the latest leg of a debut European tour.


Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/North_Korea_rocket_launch_provocati_04052009.html

[Deja Q]

11. Excellent news.

President Obama called for consequences and he's taking the right steps so far.

President Nincompoop (2001-2008)* would have been unilateral and in turn likely make nations composing the UN side with NK...

[jody]

12. "Obama calls for UN meeting"! When was the last time the UN did anything - period? n/t

[ohio2007]

13. be ready for a strongly worded hand slap message....everybody feels better

and then double the aid aid to Kim's inner circle hungry mouths

[Tim01]

21. North Korea replies "so what"

[ardvark]

15. dismantling process is as dangerous as the buildup was

not saying it shouldt be done, but if it isnt done perfectly, the cheater ends up ruling the world

this genie isnt going back into the bottle easily

[ardvark]

16. and the military industrial complex loves disarmament

becasue you cant sell 'rearmament' without it

last thing they want, is paid for weapons sitting there getting oiled & polished, ready with maintenance expense only

now and then, the complex sends the 'dove of peace' with the olive branch to tear apart the old weapons, then later 'sounds the alarm!!!!' with all kids of propaganda about some new bogyman, justifying a call to 'rearm at once!!!!!'

[Vidar]

18. He talks the talk.

[bananas]

19. k&r #4

Surprised it hasn't reached 5 yet.

[Turborama]

23. Well, I guess there's just no pleasing some people.

It has got to 5 now.

Thanks, btw.

[unkachuck]

20. '...Washington would take "concrete steps" ...'

....and the world knows that Washingtons' 'concrete steps' will only last until the next neocon president tears up or ignores Obamas' 'concrete steps'....

....everyone understands that the only time we will significantly reduce or eliminate our nuclear arsenal will be when our scientists have invented something even more destructive than nuclear weapons....

[inwiththenew]

22. The genie is out of the bottle

and it is never going back in. Plus China and Russia are updating their strategic forces and working on new delivery systems. They aren't giving up their nukes, why should we?

[coffeenap]

24. Thank you John Holdren! nt

[friedgreentomatoes]

25. Let USA lead the way! n/t