UCC: Urge the U.S. not to
withdraw from the A.B.M. Treaty
[12-19-01]
This comes to us as the weekly message from the
UCC Justice and Peace Action Network
Last week, President Bush announced his intention to
withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (A.B.M.) Treaty so that the
Administration could move forward with the testing and deployment of
National Missile Defense (NMD) systems. Though the President has called
the ABM Treaty "outdated," it has served as the cornerstone of
nuclear stability for nearly 30 years.
The Justice and Witness Ministries of the United
Church of Christ is deeply concerned with the President's planned
withdrawal from a proven treaty that has greatly contributed to nuclear
arms reduction. Coming just weeks after the U.S. and Russia agreed to
reduce nuclear arsenals by two-thirds, such a unilateral approach
endangers our working relationship with Russia that is so critical to
achieving nuclear stability. Further, there is also the very real danger
that nuclear powers such as China, India and Pakistan will build up
their nuclear arsenals in response to our withdrawal from the A.B.M.
Treaty.
In light of September 11th, it is more important than
ever for the U.S. to work within the international community to address
global security threats for our common well-being. To achieve such
common security, the 15th General Synod encouraged "a combination
of negotiated agreements, new international institutions and
institutional power, non-violent strategies, unilateral initiatives to
lessen tensions, and new policies which will make the global economy
more just" (Pronouncement Affirming the United Church of Christ as
a Just Peace Church, 1985).
Please contact President Bush and your Members of
Congress and urge them not to withdraw from the A.B.M. Treaty. Encourage
them to cancel plans for testing and deployment of National Missile
Defense and to focus instead on multi-national efforts to counter
violence and create peace.
The President: 202-456-1414, president@whitehouse.gov
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Members of Congress' email addresses: www.house.gov
or www.senate.gov
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For additional information on the UCC Justice and
Peace Action Network, log on to the UCC website at www.ucc.org.
