Anti-nuclear news

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‘Spy balloons’ and Spy Domes

Over the course of two or three days, much of the anglosphere media dedicated itself to the story of a Chinese balloon - or ‘Spy Balloon’, as some reports labelled it - that was making its way across the United States landmass.

According to some reports, the balloon was as large as a ‘20 storey building’ (Sky News, 07/02/23) so regardless of whether or not it was actually a ‘Spy Balloon’ it was hardly designed for stealthy operations. After some days of coverage, the United States armed forces eventually found an opportunity to shoot the balloon out of the sky.

Debris has been recovered and is currently being analysed to determine the actual function of the equipment carried by the balloon. We should assume that detailed examination will confirm the nefarious purposes of the device.

Amidst the excitement, fear and condemnatory coverage generated by this Chinese balloon very little - perhaps nothing - was said about the extensive US spying operations and installations that pepper the globe. Many of these operations and installations have a direct connection to the infrastructure of the US nuclear weapons capability.

Menwith Hill (pictured), located 7.7miles west of Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK, is an example of one such installation. Rather than using a balloon or some other rudimentary device for its spying and monitoring activities, the US has been granted permission to station a series of enormous domes on this rural and otherwise beautiful landscape.

According to the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign (themhac.uk):

Menwith Hill is the largest intelligence-gathering, interception and surveillance base outside the US. It has many roles which are generally for US interests only (diplomatic, military and economic) – being the hub of the ECHELON global surveillance system. However, in May 2013 an unknown and very important whistle blower called Edward Snowden disclosed thousands of top secret documents which revealed the extent of the intelligence gathering and surveillance on us all by the NSA/CIA (with the help of GCHQ). Menwith Hill is mentioned several times in the documents.

The base is unaccountable, secretive and out of control of the UK government. After Edward Snowden revealed thousands of documents there have been many articles in the press about the lack of scrutiny by Parliament of US bases in general and in particular the NSA especially at NSA/NRO Menwith Hill.

We don’t see many stories about Menwith Hill and related US bases in our media. Perhaps we’d hear more about them if a balloon - Chinese or otherwise - was ever blown off-course and found itself hovering above them.

Perhaps American forces would be swifter in shooting down such a balloon over Yorkshire than over the United States.

John LaForge imprisoned in Germany, January 10, 2023

Nukewatch’s John LaForge is currently serving 50 days in a German prison for his part in actions aimed at removing US nuclear weapons from Germany. Before entering prison he was joined by other activists that have endured jail time for their anti-nuclear protests in a zoom meeting. Ongoing coverage of John’s imprisonment can be found at nukewatchinfo.org/johns-jail-updates/.

Extract from John’s first letter from prison:

January 15, 2023

This month has three important political anniversaries, anti-war and anti-nuclear holidays if you will, events I’ll celebrate privately for a change, since I’m temporarily cooling my heels in a German prison on the west end of Hamburg. It’s not that I killed or robbed very many people, but I have acted contemptuously toward the court system here and have refused to cooperate with its deeply corrupt and thoroughly dishonest protection of the nuclear weapons establishment.

Because Susan Crane and I had the gall to occupy the top of a nuclear weapons bunker that holds U.S. hydrogen bombs here in Germany, and then refuse to apologize by paying a fine for trespassing, the court has decided that seven weeks in this modern prison ought to mend my ways, or at least discourage other abolitionists...

The nine-member thermonuclear cartel, like a gang of coldblooded mobsters, acts outside and above the law by rewarding their judicial, police and prison authorities for the cover they provide, authorities who then wink and pretend that the protection racket is necessary and that the Bomb is legal.

Maybe our marching, our rebellion and the law of nations can’t denuclearize the cabal of atomic weaponeers. Maybe the nuclear mobsters won’t re-direct their war chests to useful purposes before they run our earthly train off the rails. But then nothing changes unless we demand it.

John LaForge, Billwerder Prison, Hamburg

Munich Peace Conference: More diplomacy instead of more weapon deliveries!

The International Munich Peace Conference begins on February 17, 2023. It traditionally takes place as an alternative event with qualified content to the Munich Security Conference. Under the motto "Shaping peace and justice - NO to war!", the lectures and discussions are about initiating a paradigm shift towards more diplomacy and negotiations instead of more arms deliveries.

“It was always difficult to bring the parties to the conflict to the negotiating table. The political will seems to have been lacking so far, because both Russia and Ukraine and the NATO that supports them are still hoping to gain ground on the battlefield," emphasizes Dr. medical Lars Pohlmeier, Chairman of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), one of the organizations from the sponsoring group of the Munich Peace Conference. "Chancellor Olaf Scholz's term 'Zeitenwende' has meanwhile arrived in international politics. He suggests that something has finally changed, that there is no going back to peace and security. That's wrong. Disarmament treaties and building trust, starting with small steps, are always possible. Armistice and peace negotiations are always between political opponents, not friends. Even now, Russia and Ukraine are negotiating daily about wheat deliveries from Ukraine. A more peaceful world with justice is possible if the political will is there.”

“The hope that a complete victory over Russia is achievable due to more and more arms deliveries is also doubted by military officials like US General Mark Milley. That's why we need more diplomacy instead of more arms deliveries," Pohlmeier continued.

The sponsors of the Munich Peace Conference criticize the lack of willingness for non-violent conflict resolution and diplomatic initiatives. For example, no representative of the Russian government was invited to the Munich Security Conference, allegedly so as not to provide them with a platform for propaganda. As a result, no (informal) diplomatic talks between Russia and NATO states or Ukraine are possible at the security conference, the peace conference organizations complain.

"Unfortunately, this rigid militarism once again confirms the need for demonstrations against the 'security conference' and the alternative event, the International Munich Peace Conference," says Maria Feckl, organizer of the peace conference. "At this year's peace conference, representatives of civil society (including the last generation) will have the opportunity to contrast their political priorities with the war course and the armament mania of the 'security conference'." There will also be a workshop on the concept of social defense and lectures on war interests and war narratives using the example of Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Press release from IPPNW Deutschland

NATO to meet in Vilnius

The next scheduled NATO summit will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, in June 2023. The No To NATO - No To War network is actively considering options for a counter-summit and a series of activities around this time. Keep an eye on www.no-to-nato.org/ for the latest news and notices of planned activities.