Greenpeace activists anchored a large banner to a boat today, reading “No War. When Will the U.S. Disarm?” and sailed it in front of the United Nations headquarters. The floating banner was part of the international environmental group’s call for all nations, including the United States, to disarm themselves of weapons of mass destruction through peaceful means.
This demonstration follows a series of anti-war protests led by Greenpeace around the world including in the United Kingdom, Australia, China, and the Netherlands. Mr. Hans Blix, leader of the United Nations inspection team, is expected to deliver his latest inspections report to the Security Council on March 7, 2003.
"When will the United States disarm?" is a question that Americans should begin to ask their government because disarmament must begin at home to insure global security," said John Passacantando, Executive Director of Greenpeace in the United States.
"If the U.S. is truly committed to disarmament, then this country needs to stand behind the international efforts to eradicate weapons of mass destruction, not walk away from global arms agreements. And, the U.S. must let the UN’s inspections work to disarm Iraq."
The United States itself pulled out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty in June 2002, which was considered the foundation of global arms control and disarmament. In addition, arms control advocates say the Bush administration is exploring a new class of bunker-busting nuclear bombs and threatening nuclear retaliation for a chemical or biological weapons attack. (Reuters, February 25, 2003).
"There is no justification for violence with Iraq," continued Passacantando." If the United States is motivated by Iraq’s oil reserves then the solution is to reduce our dependence on oil through the development and use of clean energy, such as hydrogen, wind and solar energies. If the United States’ motivation is to disarm Iraq, then the U.S. must work for peaceful disarmament, and disarm at home as well. The world needs the U.S. to recommit itself to global arms control and peaceful disarmament to promote real global security."
Greenpeace advocates global disarmament through peaceful means and has challenged the testing and proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world since its founding in 1971. The international environmental organization is opposed to all wars, including a war in Iraq because beyond the tragic loss of life, war causes environmental degradation and pollution and can lead to the use of weapons of mass destruction. Greenpeace is also a member of the Win Without War Coalition.
