  Don't develop "usable" nuclear bunker busters -- Akahata editorial, February 15, 2005 (excerpts)President Bush in his fiscal 2006 budget requested money to develop the so-called Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP), including inert-bomb tests. This is an item which the U.S. Congress last year deleted from the budget out of the fear that the RNEP will lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. The Bush administration wants nuclear bunker busters to be developed as soon as possible as "usable" weapons. If this dangerous weapon is developed, it will allow the U.S. to begin using it as a "handy" weapon. It will also increase the possibility for the U.S. administration to launch a nuclear preemptive strike against what the U.S. regards as 'rogue' countries. The 2000 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference adopted a unanimous final document. The U.S. must remember pledging to completely eliminate its nuclear weapons. The RNEP development effort contradicts this promise. The Bush administration must give up the RNEP plan. Concerning the U.S. RNEP development plan, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro stated, "I think it's a good plan" (in the House of Representatives anti-terrorism special committee meeting on December 15, 2003). Were these words really uttered by a leader of the only atomic-bombed country who ought be most aware of how dangerous nuclear weapons are? No country must be allowed to develop any new nuclear weapons. On behalf of the people of the only A-bombed country, the Koizumi cabinet must say "No" to the Bush administration 's RNEP plan. (end) |