U.S. and Its Nukes: "We just have kind of taken our eye off the ball here"

I was thinking about a focus for #NoNukesTuesday on November 18 -- when I got wind of the Pentagon press conference.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was going before the media to 'fess up to embarrassing lapses in control and administration in the U.S. nuclear program ... and to propose spending a whole lot more money to "strengthen" the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

And that was when Hagel shrugged his shoulders and said, "we just have kind of taken our eye off the ball here."

Could there be a more succinct statement of why it is urgent to move forward with elimination of nuclear weapons?

"We just have kind of taken our eye off the ball here"
(l-r) Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, the commander of Air Force Global Strike
Command, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, and Defense
Secretary Chuck Hagel (Image source: AP / Evan Vucci)

The movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons is gearing up for mass mobilizations in spring 2015, timed to coincide with the every-5-year review of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons), to be held in May at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. One way we're getting the word out is with #NoNukesTuesday -- a weekly social media effort.

How can we reach the vast numbers of U.S. citizens who, if they comprehended the risk the world faces from U.S. (and other) nuclear weapons, would join in a mass movement for their total elimination?

 #NoNukesTuesday - what's YOUR way of mobilizing the people?


Related posts

In light of the upcoming review of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) and the fact that organizations throughout the country and worldwide are organizing to press the U.S. to substantially reduce its stores of nuclear weapons, it seems like a good time to use social media to get EVERYONE on board!

(See 5 Ways YOU Can Make a Difference on #NoNukesTuesday )









Do we have a way to immerse ourselves in the experience of what the use of those nuclear weapons would really mean -- prospectively -- so that we can truly cause ourselves to confront our own inaction?

(See Stop engaging in risky behavior )







There are three centers of power that will impact nuclear disarmament: the President, the Congress, and the people. One of them will have to make nuclear disarmament happen.

(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )