In the appeal they say they are “seriously concerned about the risks posed by nuclear weapons”. Among the 21 Nobel laureates, also the Italian Parisi
There are hundreds, about 700 scientists and engineers – including 21 Nobel Laureates – signatories of an appeal letter to the President of the United States, Joe Biden, in which they say “seriously concerned about the risks posed by nuclear weapons“. In the letter, the news of which has started to circulate in the US in recent days and which Adnkronos has had the opportunity to read, the scientists and engineers – belonging to the major research institutes in the United States but also in Europe and Italy – write to Biden: “We know you share our concerns. The ongoing Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is an opportunity for you to reduce the risk of nuclear war by reducing the US nuclear arsenal and its role in US security and by changing policies governing its use. “.
“As president and commander-in-chief, you have the exclusive authority to order the use of US nuclear weapons. Although we have confidence in your judgment, history indicates that it is unwise to place such great responsibility on one person. We urge you to change the process for ordering the use of nuclear weapons, to require one or more officials to agree to a presidential order before it is carried out “is another key step in the appeal letter sent to Biden.
“This is a crucial moment. The United States must slow down the renewed nuclear arms race with Russia and China. It must also demonstrate that it is fulfilling its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to take steps towards disarmament.” the scientists still write in the letter appeal to Biden in which four requests were made to be included in the NPR. “We urge you to incorporate the following steps into your NPR: Declare that the United States will not use nuclear weapons first; Change the president’s authority to order the use of nuclear weapons; Reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed to 1,000 ; Cancel the program to replace existing ICBMs and extend their life instead.
THE ITALIAN NOBEL PARISI AMONG THE SIGNATORS – There is also the Italian Nobel Prize in Physics 2021, Giorgio Parisi, among the signatories of the appeal letter. The letter was sent to Biden within days of the Biden administration’s formal initiation of a US nuclear weapons policy review known as the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). The Nuclear Posture Review is a process “to determine what the role of nuclear weapons should be in the US security strategy” and is a public policy document that every US administration has published since 1994 during their first months in office and which should be released in 2022, as NATO Defense College recalled on December 15 on the website.
THE 4 KEY PASSAGES OF THE LETTER – There are 4 key steps that the approximately 700 scientists and engineers and Nobel Laureates have invited to incorporate into the NPR. Here they are below. In first step Scientists ask Biden to “Declare that the United States will not use nuclear weapons first. In 2017, you said ‘… it is difficult to imagine a plausible scenario in which the first use of nuclear weapons by the United States would be necessary or it would make sense. “During your presidential campaign, you said that” the sole purpose of the US nuclear arsenal should be to deter – and if necessary, take revenge – from a nuclear attack. ” The United States will not be the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances, and would consider the use of nuclear weapons only in response to a nuclear attack against them or their allies. Making this “no first use” commitment is essential to reduce the role of nuclear weapons. By making it clear that the United States will never start a nuclear war, it reduces the likelihood that a conflict or crisis will turn into a war. uclear. It also demonstrates the US commitment to the NPT by making it clear that the sole purpose of US nuclear weapons is to deter others from using nuclear weapons, which is an essential prerequisite for nuclear disarmament. ” .
In second step Scientists ask Biden to “Change the President’s Authority to Order the Use of Nuclear Weapons. As President and Commander-in-Chief, you have the sole authority to order the use of US nuclear weapons. Although we have confidence in your judgment, history indicates that it is unwise to place such great responsibility on one person. We urge you to modify the process for ordering the use of nuclear weapons, to require one or more officials to agree with a presidential order before This is to avoid any future president who is unstable or orders a reckless attack. This process must not delay decision making. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tracks officials in the presidential line of succession (and may track down any other designated officers) and the military could communicate with them just as quickly as with the president.
In third step Scientists ask Biden to “Reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed to 1,000. We urge you to pledge to reduce the arsenal to fewer than 1,000 deployed missile warheads and bombers in your NPR. These reductions will increase US national security. They will slow the dizzying nuclear arms race with Russia and China and help fulfill the NPT’s obligation to take steps towards disarmament. Under the 2010 US-Russia New Start Agreement, both countries can field up to 1,550 strategic (long-range) weapons. In 2013, following a Pentagon assessment of threats and capabilities, President Obama announced that the United States could maintain its security while reducing its arsenal by a third, to around 1,000 weapons. , even if Russia does not follow suit. The arsenal deployed by the United States is already well below the New Start limits. As of July 2021, it had 46 bombers, 400 warheads on silo-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (Icbm) and 911 warheads on submarine-launched ballistic missiles (Slbm), for a total of 1,357 units “.
In the fourth step, the scientists ask Biden to “Cancel the program to replace existing ICBMs and extend their lifespan instead. The current Minuteman III (MmIII) intercontinental ballistic missiles will reach the end of their nominal life from 2030. As acknowledged by the same Air Force, there are no technical barriers to extend the lifespan of the MMIII for at least another 20 years. The missiles regularly go through lifespan extension programs; the Navy is extending the lifespan of the Trident D5 SLBMs to 95 years. Yet, starting in 2029, the United States intends to replace MMIII missiles with new Ground Strategic Deterrent Missiles (GBSD). The Air Force plans to build approximately 650 GBSD missiles and maintain 400 deployed, at a cost of approximately $ 100 billion. This program represents a huge commitment to maintain the current US nuclear arsenal for many decades to come. In a future arms deal, the United States would probably decide to deploy fewer ICBMs, or perhaps eliminate them in favor of the LBS. A 20-year delay in replacing the MmIII would give the United States greater clarity on the future of the ICBM force. “
Scientists in the letter to Biden further add: “We also invite you to consider eliminating silo-based ICBMs. To compensate for their inherent vulnerability to a Russian nuclear attack, the Air Force keeps ICBMs on alert, ready to launch in minutes if the United States detects an oncoming Russian attack. This would force a US president to make the most important of all decisions about whether to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike in minutes. It also creates the risk of a wrong launch in response to a false warning. ICBMs do not provide any military capability that is not provided by LGBMs at sea, and there would be no pressure to quickly deploy LGBMs in response to the warning of an incoming attack because they are invulnerable. “
Source-www.adnkronos.com