GAINESVILLE, FL
- February 2 - The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space has announced a
series of protests in 2001 that will begin on February 3 in Munich, Germany
and continue throughout the year. The protests will highlight Pentagon
plans to deploy weapons in space.
German peace groups will protest the visit of new U.S. Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld when he visits Munich, Germany on February 3. Rumsfeld will
be meeting with European leaders at the Munich Conference for Security
Policy in order to build support for Star Wars. The protest will be held at
the Promenadeplatz at 11:00 am. "If the US continues with the
militarization and weaponization of space, other countries are sure to
follow. We must stop this madness now. It's conflict prevention we must
work on, not expanding conflict to space," said Regina Hagen from Darmstadt,
Germany, a Board member of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear
Power in Space.
On February 10 - 12 the Global Network will organize the following events in
Albuquerque:
· Daily protest vigils at the 18th Annual Symposium on Space Nuclear Power &
Propulsion to be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (330 Tijeras NW) from
12:00 - 3:00 pm. This annual conference of Air Force, NASA, DoE, aerospace
industry and nuclear academia promotes the expanded use of nuclear power for
space-based weapons and "civilian" space applications.
"The Bush administration, the Pentagon, and their corporate allies are
pushing hard to move the arms race into space," stated Bruce Gagnon,
Coordinator of the Florida-based Global Network. "Albuquerque has several
installations that play a key role in this effort to nuclearize and
weaponize space, including Kirtland A.F.B. We are building an
international movement to stop the destabilizing move by the U.S. to take
'control and domination' of space. The recent appointment of long-time Star
Wars promoter Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense indicates this
dangerous intention to deploy space weapons."
Another major event planned by the Global Network in 2001 will be the
National Space Organizing Conference & Protest on March 16-18 in Huntsville,
Alabama (headquarters for the Army's Theatre Missile Defense - TMD system).
The Global Network maintains that TMD, being sold to the public as a forward
deployed defensive system, is moving to the forefront as a first-deployment
option for the Bush administration and will be used to encircle China -
provoking it to build more nuclear weapons.
"Ballistic missile defense systems are a Trojan horse, a way for the
military to get approval to deploy offensive weapons in space, the kind of
weapons being designed in Albuquerque and Huntsville. The U.S. Space
Command intends to 'deny' other countries access to space. In recent
Pentagon reports they have stated that they must have the weapons systems in
place that will enable them to 'negate' other countries' space assets. The
space-based laser is now moving toward its test phase with the announcement
of a new test facility in Mississippi. This talk about defending the U.S.
from missile attack is a hoax," Gagnon said.
On May 4-6 the Global Network will hold its annual International Membership
Conference in Leeds, England and will organize a protest event at the U.S.
Menwith Hill (NMD ground relay station) in Yorkshire. Menwith Hill is now
undergoing up-grades for Star Wars participation. People are expected to
attend this event from throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North
America.
On May 19 a major civil disobedience action will be held at Vandenberg AFB
in California by a coalition of groups in that state. Vandenberg is the
launch site for all NMD tests. Periodic attempts to non-violently occupy
the base will continue as the opposition movement against Star Wars grows.
On October 13 an International Day of Protest to Stop the Militarization of
Space will be held at key U.S. military bases and aerospace facilities
throughout the world. A similar day last year drew protests in 16
countries. Many more are expected in 2001. In addition, an International
Postcard Campaign has been initiated, calling on President Bush to back away
from Star Wars.
Staff and board members of the Global Network have been holding local public
educational events throughout Europe, Asia and the United States for the
past nine years. Scores of communities are now developing grassroots
campaigns to prevent plans to put weapons into space.
Check the Global Network website at: http://www.space4peace.org
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