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The future of the disarmament agenda is on the line now as New START ratification moves forward in the US Senate.

Tell President Obama: Take Nukes off 'hair trigger' alert!

Though the Cold War ended more than two decades ago, the United States and Russia still have nuclear armed missiles on ready alert status, able to be fired within minutes.  This is a dangerous condition that heightens the tension between the U.S. and Russia.

President Obama states that he will "work with Russia to take U.S. and Russian ballistic missiles off hair trigger alert."  He can take the first step in making that happen by unilaterally taking all U.S. nuclear warheads off ready alert status, sometimes called 'hair trigger' alert.  This would be a significant signal not only to the Russian government, but also to countries around the world that the U.S. is serious about moving toward a world free of nuclear weapons.

Call on President Obama to make good on this pledge.

It is estimated that the U.S. has nearly 1,000 warheads on ready alert -- sufficient to destroy the entire planet.  Without disclosing classified information or jeopardizing security, the president can change this status and ask President Medvedev to take the same steps in Russia.

This is more than a symbolic effort.  It would mark the first time in decades that the two nations have stepped away from the 'hair trigger' status that defined the Cold War era and led other nations down the nuclear armament path.

Please write to President Obama and call for this action.  A sample letter is attached for your use.  We also would ask that you send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper reiterating the need for the U.S. to take this step.

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Resources

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  • Dirty, Dangerous and Expensive: The Truth About Nuclear Power

    The nuclear industry seeks to revitalize itself by manipulating the public’s concerns about global warming and energy insecurity to promote nuclear power as a clean and safe way to curb emissions of greenhouse gases and reduce dependence on foreign energy resources. Read more »

  • Zero Is the Only Option

    In March 2010, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and PSR docs Vic Sidel and Ira Helfand published a major new briefing paper on the global climate and health effects of nuclear war. Zero is the only option was produced for the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. Read more »

In the Spotlight

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    On the 65th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, the Sacramento Annual August Peace Event and Physicians for Social Responsibility-Sacramento screened "Countdown To Zero," a film that traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs. Read more about this month’s chapter in the spotlight event on Hiroshima.