Public Education Campaign Urges Action Now to Reduce Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Threats; Nunn: "We Need to Pull Together to Prevent A Crisis" 9/17/2003
From: Cathy Gwin of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, 202-454-7706; gwin@nti.org WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Concerned that not enough is being done to keep nuclear, biological and chemical weapons out of the hands of terrorists, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) today launched a nonpartisan public education campaign to elevate this key national security issue and make it a higher priority for elected officials and policy makers. The "Act Now for a Safer World" campaign, launched in Iowa and New Hampshire, urges citizens to take immediate action by calling on the President, the presidential candidates and the Congress to do more, faster on a priority action agenda to: -- Secure nuclear weapons and materials at the source; -- Strengthen our defenses against biological attacks; and -- Secure and destroy chemical weapons stockpiles. The Safer World public education campaign will include television, radio, and outdoor advertising, citizen outreach and a Web site http://www.saferworld.org to advance these priorities. The first television advertisement begins airing this week and focuses on the need to secure and destroy chemical weapons. The ad "1.9 Million" describes one site in Russia with 1.9 million chemical shells -- enough to kill everyone on earth -- stored in aging, dilapidated buildings. The Russians have committed to destroying these weapons and the U.S. has committed to provide funding, but work has been slow due to technological disputes, bureaucratic delays and a lack of funding. Some of these weapons are portable and can be easily concealed in a small suitcase. Additional television ads will air in the coming weeks highlighting the need to secure nuclear weapons and materials wherever they exist and the need for nations to work together to address these challenges. "Americans always pull together in a crisis. Now we need to pull together to prevent one," said former Senator Sam Nunn, co-chairman of NTI. "The top security threat facing our nation is a terrorist attack with nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Current efforts to address these issues must be accelerated and broadened. We are well past the time when we can take satisfaction with a step in the right direction. A gazelle running from a cheetah is taking steps in the right direction. It's no longer just a question of direction; it's a matter of speed." "There has been far too little public pressure for action, because most people aren't aware of how little is being done to defend against these threats," said Ted Turner, co-chairman of NTI. "There hasn't been enough media attention on nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons terrorism -- not because the threat has been addressed or reduced, but because the media cover what changes, and these threats don't change much day to day. They just keep on ticking." "We must lock down and destroy dangerous weapons and materials now -- before a catastrophic event occurs," said U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), a member of NTI's Board of Directors and a supporter of the Safer World agenda. "These issues deserve the highest priority from the Congress and the Administration. I will continue my work to make this a reality." The Safer World campaign calls on citizens to tell the President, the presidential candidates and the Congress to do more, faster and directs them to a toll free phone number (1-800-336-0035) and website www.saferworld.org where people can learn about the threats, what should be done to address them, and can make their voices heard by signing onto the Safer World agenda. A distinguished, bipartisan group of leaders is supporting the Safer World agenda, including former Senator Sam Nunn, CNN founder Ted Turner, U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry, U.S.-Russian expert Susan Eisenhower, and General Eugene Habiger (former head of U.S. strategic nuclear forces), as well as other American and international leaders. The Safer World agenda is focused on three priorities for immediate action to reduce the threat of terrorists obtaining nuclear, biological and chemical weapons: Secure nuclear weapons and materials at the source The most effective, least expensive way to prevent nuclear terrorism is to secure nuclear weapons and materials wherever they are. Acquiring weapons and materials is the hardest step for terrorists to take, and the easiest step for us to stop. By contrast, every subsequent step toward a nuclear bomb is easier for the terrorists to take and harder for us to stop. Because our security is only as good as the security at the least defended site, all nations must move quickly to improve the physical security and protection of all nuclear weapons and materials. Improve biological defenses The components of biological terrorism are frighteningly available worldwide since the same technology that can be used to cure can also be used to kill. To deny terrorists access to dangerous biological materials without impeding medical research, we must ensure that biological materials in laboratories and research facilities are secure, and we must limit the spread of biological weapons know-how. We must also strengthen public health systems around the world so we can quickly detect and contain disease outbreaks while accelerating research into vaccines and treatments to counter the most dangerous biological threats. This agenda requires partnerships and unprecedented cooperation from many groups, including government and business. Secure and destroy chemical weapons stockpiles The United States and Russia have agreed to destroy their stockpiles of chemical weapons - which account for more than 90 percent of existing global stockpiles - but progress is slow because of technological disputes, bureaucratic delays and a lack of funding. Many chemical munitions canisters in the United States and Russia have exceeded their intended shelf-life and are vulnerable to leaking dangerous chemicals. Many Russian chemical weapons storage facilities are poorly secured, making these deadly weapons also vulnerable to theft. The technological, bureaucratic and funding challenges must be addressed at the highest levels, and chemical weapons and materials must be secured and destroyed as quickly as possible. To view the first television ad, visit http://www.saferworld.org. A fact sheet on the ad is below. The Nuclear Threat Initiative is a public charity working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. NTI brings together people with different ideological views around a common ground mission focused on immediate actions to close the gap between the global threats and the global response. Co-chaired by CNN founder Ted Turner and former Senator Sam Nunn, NTI is governed by an international Board of Directors with members from nine countries. ------ Fact Sheet on "1.9 Million" "1.9 Million" is the first in a series of television advertisements for NTI's Act Now for a Safer World public education campaign. "1.9 Million" draws attention to the need to secure and destroy chemical weapons by showing one site in Shchuch'ye, Russia that has 1.9 million chemical shells -- enough to kill everyone on earth. Chemical weapons in Russia are stored in seven depots across the country. The tiny town of Shchuch'ye holds one-seventh of Russia's total declared stockpile of chemical weapons. The Shchuch'ye stockpile of approximately 1,938,870 million munitions consists of the nerve agents sarin, soman, and VX stored in artillery shells inside deteriorating, unsecured facilities. These 1.9 million munitions range in size from 85 mm artillery shells, small enough to fit in a briefcase, to SCUD warheads. Combined with the relatively low level of physical protection of this stockpile, their portability and deliverability makes these weapons particularly susceptible to theft or use by terrorists. A senior Russian official told ABC News that suspects have been detained for "casing" the Shchuch'ye chemical weapons facility. Russia has committed to destroy its chemical weapons stocks but needs significant international support to do so. Since 1995, the U.S. Department of Defense, under the Cooperative Threat Reduction program, has been assisting with the construction of a chemical weapons destruction facility at Shchuch'ye, in order to "jump start" Russia's chemical destruction program. Construction at the site has begun, but progress has been delayed due to technological disputes, bureaucratic delays and a lack of funding. None of the 1.9 million weapons have been destroyed. The text of the "1.9 Million" ad follows, with sources identified: "Chemical weapons, some without proper security. (Paul Walker, Global Green) 1.9 million shells at just one site -- enough to kill everyone on earth. (Actual Russian government film footage of chemical weapons shells at Shchuch'ye, May 2002 U.S. Department of Defense document entitled "Chemical Weapons Elimination Projects, Shchuch'ye, Russia, May 29, 2002" says that there are 1,938,870 chemical weapons at Shchuch'ye ABC News 20/20 report says that there are "enough chemical weapons to kill the population of the earth three times over" at Shchuch'ye) In the hands of terrorists, just one shell could kill thousands. (Paul Walker, Global Green) It could fit in a suitcase and be here in days. (Idea taken from an actual photograph of U.S. Senator Richard Lugar with a suitcase containing a real shell at Shchuch'ye, May 2002) The best way to protect ourselves -- lock down and destroy the weapons. Tell the President and the candidates to do more, faster. Because danger close to home can start far away." To view "1.9 Million", visit http://www.saferworld.org SOURCES: (1) U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Congressional Delegation Visit, Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, Shchuch'ye, Russia, May 29, 2002 (2) ABC 20/20, "Russian Roulette: Chemical Weapons Could Pose Security Threat", April 18, 2003 |