Joseph Cirincione continues, "Whatever security nuclear weapons may have provided during the Cold War is now outweighed by the real risks they pose to our nation. Nuclear weapons are a liability, not an asset. By working together with other nations, verifying the mutual drawdown of outdated arsenals, and guarding all nuclear weapon materials as securely as we guard the gold in Fort Knox, we make the world safer. The New START treaty is a crucial first step in creating a more secure future for our children, our country, and the world."
2. Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Disarmament Funding: The House Energy and Water Committee voted recently to fully fund a host of nuclear nonproliferation initiatives, something we support completely. At the same time, the Committee also voted to fully fund a series of initiatives that undercuts nuclear disarmament measures. We ask that you call your Representative in Congress and let him or her know that while you support the levels of funding for nuclear disarmament initiatives, the increased funding for nuclear weapons laboratories undermines efforts at nuclear disarmament. The toll free number for the Congressional switchboard is 866-220-0044.
For background information on U.S. spending on nuclear weapons, check out the Peace Action Military Spending Primer located at http://peace-action.org/Peace%20Action%20Military%20Spending%20Primer.pdf . The Primer provides excellent background information on how much the United States has spent on nuclear weapons in the past few years.
For example, according to a Carnegie Endowment report published January 2009, total appropriations for nuclear weapons and weapons related programs for fiscal year 2008, was at least $52.4 billion. The report reveals a nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons related budget that is far larger than what is typically thought of as US expenses on nuclear weapons programs. The majority of the spending goes towards "nuclear forces and operational support" which includes the maintenance, operation and upgrading of the nuclear weapons arsenal, delivery systems, and infrastructure while only 10% goes towards limiting the spread of nuclear weapons.
Some of the Primer's key findings include:
* Nuclear weapons and weapons-related programs account for at least 67 percent of Department of Energy's budget, 8.5 percent of the FBI's budget, 7.1 percent of the Department of Defense budget, and 1.7 percent of the Department of Homeland Security's budget.
* Only 1.3 percent ($700 million) of the nuclear security budget was devoted to preparing for the consequences of a nuclear or radiological attack.
* Another 56 percent of the total went toward operating, sustaining, and upgrading the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
* Nuclear security consumes $13 billion more than international diplomacy and foreign assistance; nearly double what the United States allots for general science, space, and technology; and 14 times what the Department of Energy (DOE) budgets for all energy-related research and development.
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