Disarmament

September 17, 2009
Commentary on News Conference on Missile Defense from Pentagon
by Arn Specter, Phila. (Twitter)

The following LINK is to today's News Conference
at the Pentagon on the Missile Defense Program, after the decision
by President Obama to abandon the Gates/Bush Plan for a
Missile Defense System in Eastern Europe (Poland and Czech
Republic).
Speakers are Robert Gates, Defense Secretary (under Bush and Obama)
and Gen. James Cartwright, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
C-SPAN3, 46 min.
Gates Briefing at Pentagon
Alternate link: Gates Briefing at Pentagon

The briefing to reporters at the Pentagon covers the reasons

for the President's decision and lays out extensive plans to vastly

broaden the Missile Defense Program. The New Approach will

Commentary on U.S. Plan to Drop Missile Defense in Europe
by Arn Specter, Phila. (Twitter and www.opednews.com ), September 17, 2009

As you may well know by now the Obama administration completed their review of Missile Defense in Eastern Europe and announced, last night and today, that the Bush plans were being cancelled, in lieu of new and improved missile defense capabilities developed and to be developed in the coming years. This decision has both far reaching political and military repercussions in the U.S., Eastern Europe, Russia and Europe as well. Also it concerns NATO and the defense of Europe in the future.
Too, a calmer Russia may bode well in current nuclear nonproliferation START talks and future talks/treaties/agreements between the nuclear nations in the near future while encouraging their help with diplomatic means to influence Iran to curtail their nuclear weapons program, and calm things down in the region (including Israel).

July 9, 2009
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The New but Misguided "partnership" between the U.S. and Russia

A rather unexpected turn of events has occured in regards to U.S. and Russian policies and positions on Missile Defense in Europe and in the Region, reports Jim Wolf in his article, U.S. seeks "full partnership" with Russia on missiles (see below).

The head of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, Army Lieutenant General Patrick O'Reilly said, "The (new) approach is to lay out ideas, and not to have a fully developed plan. You need to move foward at a prudent pace so that there are collaborative decisions, intermediate decisions made along the way, so that there is true partnership."

arn specter (arnpeace@yahoo.com) has sent you a news article.
Obama, Medvedev agree to pursue nuclear reduction
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Personal message: July 6, 2009

The United States, Russia and the World are fortunate that an
agreement was made today to reduce nuclear weapons by the
U.S. and Russia. I feel that Russian President Dimitry Medvedev
is a hero here.

Lately the U.S. Administration, in particular
Michael McFaul, special assistant to the president for National
Security Affairs and senior director for Russian and Eurasian
affairs at the National Security Council, who took a very hard line
stance against the Russians. McFaul said, "We're not going to
reassure or give or trade anything with the Russians regarding
NATO's expansion or missile defense."

One can only imagine what kind of reaction this engendered in
the minds of Medvedev and Putin. On Sunday, July 5 in Moscow,

Need to Amend S 416, Stop Cluster Bombs,
Join Int'l Treaty Soon
by Arn Specter, June 3, 2009

Once again we are hearing the call from a few of the groups for us to support S416, called the "Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2009".

We are told that "in the coming week (this one) key Senators plan a major push to persuade more of their colleagues to endorse this legislation..." At the same time, a Report has been issued by Human Rights Watch coming at the beginning of a CMC-sponsored Global Week of Action on Cluster Munitions, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the conclusion of the convention in Dublin on May 30, 2008, where the Treaty was signed by 94 countries.

Lobbying for more support on this bill seems rather senseless. S 416 falls far short

The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI)

'...FPI is, according to its website, "intending to qualify as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code: and "that promotes continued U.S. engagement -- diplomatic, economic, and military -- in the world and rejection of policies that would lead us down the path to isolationism; robust support for America’s democratic allies and opposition to rogue regimes that threaten American interests; the human rights of those oppressed by their governments, and U.S. leadership in working to spread political and economic freedom; a strong military with the defense budget needed to ensure that America is ready to confront the threats of the 21st century; and, an international economic engagement as a key element of U.S.

March 28, 2009
U.S. Fails to Join International Cluster Munitions Ban Treaty; U.S. Legislation Weak
by Arn Specter

The United States has failed to join with the International Community
in signing on to an International Treaty banning the use of Cluster Bombs
in the world, although it has made laws and has pending legislation which
partially protects civilians from harm but falls far short of the provisions
provided by the International Treaty. Too, U.S. military policy directly
contradicts the aims of disarming cluster bomb use.

Led by The Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC), a network of around
200 civil organizations from over 50 countries including NGO's,
faith-based groups and professional organizations, formed in The Hague
in November 2003, the international effort to diminish the harmful effects
from attacks of falling cluster bombs from planes, led to a convention in Oslo, Norway last December when 95 countries signed a treaty banning cluster

March 23, 2009
On Disarmament: 2 Strikes Against U.S.,
Europe and Africa Way Ahead
by Arn Specter

The United States has failed in the last two opportunities to join with the International Community, lead by Europe and Africa, in disarming
Landmines and Cluster Bombs (munitions), restricting their use.

The first opportunity was last December in Oslo, Norway when 95 Nations signed onto the Cluster Munitions Ban Treaty, prohibiting the making, sale,
use. transfer and giving aid to victims, and locating and destroying remaining cluster bombs from previous military attacks harming civilians.
The U.S. failed to sign that agreement and again failed to sign at a follow-up meeting held on March 18 at the United Nations.

The second opportunity, where the U.S. has failed, was in Congress and the Obama administration, as well as the Military, where the combination of

March 11, 2009
Arn's News, Phila.
Action Alert,

Cluster Bombs still maiming and killing civilians!
Innocent Men, Women and Children slaughtered in Sri Lanka.
International Treaty Needed! U.S. Can still sign on March 18, 2009 in N.Y.
Help Stop the Maiming and Killing!
U.S. Largest Maker of Cluster Bombs in the World! Holds 5,500,000 of them.

Current News: Yahoo Alerts
The Post-Standard Tue, 10 Mar 2009
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Thousands of civilians in Serbia remain in danger
from unexploded cluster bombs left over from the 1999 NATO bombing of the country,
according to a new report released Tuesday by a humanitarian aid group.

BBC News Tue, 10 Mar 2009
Funds for clearing cluster bombs in Lebanon dry up

TamilNet Tue, 10 Mar 2009
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells fitted with cluster munitions and fire-bombs
into civilian 'safety zone' killing at least 129 civilians between 2:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

February 28, 2009
Subject: International Cluster Munitions Ban and Landmine Treaty Comes to New York on March 18, 2009 for Signings and Ratification

We now have the opportunity to participate in an historic occasion in the United Nations, on March 18, when people from all over the world will lend their hearts, minds and spirits to the cause of disarmament and global cooperation in fostering agreements and treaties opposing Landmines and Cluster Munitions.

We need to convince and challenge the U.S. Administration and Congress to join forces with other peoples and nations of courage and foresight; recognizing that disarmament and diplomacy are the keys to peaceful co-existance.

February 23, 2009 at 05:00:18 Permalink

U.S. Policy Change Needed for Disarmament and Diplomacy

February 22, 2009
Following up on posting articles covering the conference and meeting in Europe this Introduction and article,
U.S. Policy Change Needed for Disarmament and Diplomacy
concerns a new direction for U.S. policy regarding military buildup, disarmament and diplomacy needs in the world.
(see links for articles and videos at bottom, after the article)
Let's continue our efforts to change policy in Washington on these matters.
arn specter, phila.

Introduction:
After 2008- The Year of Protest in the World - more and more people are standing up and protesting for improvements economically, socially and environmentally worldwide. In Eastern Europe, Europe and the U.S. people have been protesting against plans for the U.S. Missile Defense System to be stationed in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Israel’s Treasury: A huge deficit in 2010 could destroy us.

When the new government forms after yesterday's elections, it will receive an economy in crisis. Moreover, treasury officials are terrified, not of the giant deficit this year, but of giant deficits in the following years, which would be the road to ruin. - The figures are frightening.

… The treasury would prefer to raise money by taking advantage of the rest of the $9 billion in guarantees granted to Israel by the United States in 2003, during the second intifada.

Hey Folks. This is Real Color Data:

National Priorities Project

(It sounds like the Project for a new American Century)

"National Priorities Project analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent."

for 2009

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/node/6916

for 2008

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/Proposed%20Discretionary%20Budget

So you can watch in Real Color which part of the PIE is for US and which is for THEM (Militar Industrial Complex)

The counter (Live)of the IRAQ War:

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

January 21, 2009

Here is our National Security Agenda, per Obama and Biden.

This is their position on Missile Defense:
" supporting a pragmatic and cost-effective missile defense system."

Let us use our arguments to convince them that the system itself in
Eastern Europe should be shut down, for reasons I've discussed in
my recent articles and other reasons coming from each of you.
Also lobbying the committees and subcommittees in Congress that
work with defense and missile defense issues might prove worthwhile.

I'll have more imput to share on this project, do let me know of your
progress or if you'd like to work with me on this particular issue...Disarmament is a Key to Peace.
arn specter, phila.

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From: American Forces Press Service
To: arnpeace@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 3:56:02 PM