-Caveat Lector- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/02/15/MN79475.DTL
U.S. to build smaller nukes Memo reveals plan for conference on design and testing James Sterngold, Chronicle Staff Writer Saturday, February 15, 2003 Policymakers in the Department of Defense, the armed services and the nuclear weapons design labs are moving forward rapidly in planning for the possible production of a new generation of smaller nuclear bombs and a resumption of nuclear testing, a leaked Bush administration document shows. The internal memo outlines the planning for a conference tentatively scheduled for August, at which panels of experts would address questions relating to how the country would design new types of nuclear weapons and possibly test them. The conference would also address questions about how the new nuclear policies would be sold to the public and to political leaders. The eight-page document, titled "Stockpile Stewardship Conference Planning Meeting Minutes," was obtained by the Los Alamos Study Group, an anti-nuclear weapons group based near the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Greg Mello, a leader of the group, said that the unclassified memo came from a government official who was concerned about the aggressive new weapons policy it represented. The memo was a record of a meeting held on Jan. 10 at the Pentagon. Attendees at the meeting, including Defense Department officials and representatives of the Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos national laboratories. While the ideas in the memo are not new, experts said, their circulation in government, military and nuclear laboratory circles suggests a quickening pace toward what could be a fundamental change in the country's post-Cold War nuclear doctrine -- away from deterrence and nonproliferation and closer to the notion of "usable" nuclear weapons. House Republicans issued a policy paper on Thursday which calls for some of the changes discussed in the Pentagon memo. These include the repeal of a decade-old law that prohibits the development of small, low-yield nuclear weapons, and steps that would make it easier to resume nuclear testing, which was halted ten years ago. The GOP paper also proposed a new doctrine under which the country would be able to launch nuclear attacks not just in response to a nuclear attack, or the threat of one, but to pre-emptively destroy stockpiles of other weapons, such as chemical or biological weapons, in the hands of hostile countries. These proposals have stirred concern from some weapons experts and lawmakers who say they could make the use of nuclear weapons more rather than less likely, and would encourage other countries to develop their own stockpiles of more usable nuclear weapons. The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the Republican policy paper or on the Jan. 10 meeting. In addition to summarizing the results of previous discussions among dozens of officials, the Pentagon memo outlines suggestions for the planning of construction of small batches of low-yield nuclear weapons and possible testing, and how authorization for commencing the new weapons development would be provided. At the August conference, where such issues would be taken up, presentations would be made by four panels: a strategy and risk panel; a future arsenal panel; a National Nuclear Security Administration and Department of Defense Infrastructure Panel; and a strategy and policy panel. The panels would consist of policy planners from the Pentagon, individual military services and officials from Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos and other weapons research facilities. The document poses specific questions to be addressed, such as to the kind of guidance systems any new missiles might need. "What is the testing strategy for weapons more likely to be used in small strikes," the document asks. "Do we put GPS (global positioning system guidance) on all systems, or just a few?" Another question asks: "How do we frame the explanation of emerging (sic) policy to show the deterrent value of reduced-collateral damage, precision, agent defeat, and penetrating nuclear capabilities in meeting our national security objectives?" Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said the memo indicates the planning process for what would be a new nuclear doctrine is well advanced, despite the almost total absence of any congressional or public debate on the subject. "Right now, it's a stealth campaign," Kimball said. "Proponents understand that it's an explosive issue and they risk losing if they don't wait for the right moment." E-mail James Sterngold at [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2770337.stm Monday, 17 February, 2003, 10:36 GMT US to stage S Korean troop exercises North Korea insists it will win its dispute with the US The United States and South Korea have decided to stage joint military exercises in South Korea next month, in a move which is likely to heighten tensions with the North. US officials insisted that the exercises were a planned, annual event, unrelated to a stand-off over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. But they are likely to infuriate the North, which has already warned the US against any military build-up in the region. The US is also reported to have agreed with its other regional ally, Japan, to conduct joint tests designed to intercept ballistic missiles, a Japanese newspaper said on Monday. Both moves came in the wake of last week's decision by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog to refer Pyongyang to the UN Security Council for violating non-proliferation accords after it took steps to restart its controversial nuclear programme. The US fears N Korea is developing a missile capable of reaching the western US The council has the power to impose sanctions on North Korea - a move Pyongyang said it would regard as a declaration of war. The dispute continued over the weekend, with Pyongyang insisting it would win any show-down because of its "ultra-hardline" military stance. North Korea has said the only way out of the impasse is through direct talks with Washington, but on Sunday, US national security adviser Condoleezza Rice reiterated that the US would only support a multilateral approach. US officials quoted in The New York Times on Monday said Washington was already developing plans for sanctions against Pyongyang, even though the US said last week it would not immediately push for sanctions. Within North Korea itself, the weekend's events mainly centred around celebrations to mark the 61st birthday of the country's autocratic leader, Kim Jong-il. The celebrations were held despite a serious economic crisis, in which many people are said to have already starved to death. Military exercises The US-South Korea military drills, due to start on 4 March, are designed to improve South Korea's defence capabilities against "external aggression", the US military said on Monday. The exercises will focus on a mock battle, and are aimed at training US forces despatched to Korea in case of emergency. A total of 5,000 American soldiers from the US and the Pacific region will participate in the drills, a Combined Forces Command (CFC) official said on Monday. The Japanese-US missile tests are due to start in April 2004 in Hawaii, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper. Tokyo began studying interception technology with the US after North Korea test-fired a suspected Taepodong-1 missile that passed over Japan in August 1998. Many countries in the East Asian region are concerned about North Korea's missile capabilities. The US believes North Korea may have developed a missile with the capacity to target the US west coast. Military exercises <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. 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