The US Navy’s ballistic missile submarines have always had one sole mission (in the Navy’s own words): “strategic deterrence, which is the act of deterring a nuclear attack with a safe, secure, and effective nuclear-deterrent force.” In other words, the belief that another nation will be deterred from using nuclear weapons as long as it believes it will be destroyed (by nuclear weapons) as a consequence. Should deterrence fail, we would end up with what is known as mutually assurred destruction (MAD) and, in the case of a nuclear war with Russia, essentially the end of civilization as we know […]
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Ground Zero Annual Appeal
Dear Friends, This is our annual appeal for funds for Ground Zero. Thank you for your financial contributions and for keeping us in your thoughts during these difficult times. We especially appreciate your support at our demonstrations throughout the year. Please join us whenever you can. Ground Zero is a steady and unyielding voice in the Puget Sound region for the abolition of all nuclear weapons. Several weeks ago, when President Trump announced his intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a KIRO TV reporter contacted Ground Zero through our website. A face to face interview was […]
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Can a patriot still protest nukes?
Editor’s Note: The following letter to the editor was written by Ground Zero member Tom Rogers. Tom is a retired Navy Captain, and a former nuclear submarine commander. His letter was published on May 8th in the Kitsap Sun. Tom is planning the upcoming Mothers Day event at Ground Zero Center on Saturday, May 12th. Can a patriot still protest nukes? This Saturday activists from Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action will be celebrating Mother’s Day with a vigil and nonviolent direct action calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. They will […]
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Building Dr. King’s (Global) Beloved Community
Some years ago the Rev. Joe Hale posed the question, “Is it ever possible to make peace by destroying bridges?” He was speaking in reference to Israel’s indiscriminate destruction of Lebanon, but he could have been speaking of any number of foreign policy decisions made by the U.S. government, particularly since September 11, 2001. The events of that fateful day in 2001 sowed new seeds of fear, anger and hatred, and fueled decisions in the highest levels of government that have made our nation and the world a much more dangerous place. Those seeds have since grown into what is […]
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2018 Nuclear Posture Review: Cold War Redux!
The 2018 United States Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is out, and there is much conversation surrounding it. The new NPR is, of course, more formal justification for the U.S. to continue the status quo of being the world’s dominant nuclear power. Yet, beyond the status quo, this NPR contains new and dangerously destabilizing developments in U.S. nuclear weapon planning and policy. The press conference announcing the release of the 2018 NPR was a classic study in Doublespeak. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan set the (Orwellian) stage by saying, “To the American people, this administration’s highest priority is your safety and […]
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