Prohibiting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons

A nuclear exchange between the US and Russia would incinerate hundreds of millions of people immediately, and lead to a Nuclear Winter which would slaughter an estimated 7 billion of the Earth’s 7.7 billion people, mostly through starvation.  Building back civilization would require over 1,000 years  [Daniel Ellsberg talk, 12/13/2020].   A U.S. nuclear strike against China would result in a similar catastrophe.

These are the stakes.   As a step toward reducing the danger of Nuclear War, a coalition of groups has called upon Congress to legislate – and the President to declare – that the United States will neither initiate nor threaten to initiate the first use of Nuclear Weapons.

Confirmed Speakers (partial list):

• Rep. Ted Lieu (California)
• Special message from Sen. Ed Markey
• William Perry (Sec. of Defense in Clinton adm.)
• Ira Helfand (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War)
• Elaine Scarry (Harvard; MA Peace Action; CPDCS)
• Zia Mian (Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University)
• Tom Collina (Ploughshares Fund)
• Joseph Gerson (CPDCS)
• John Burroughs (Lawyers Com for Nuclear Disarm)
• Kennette Benedict (Bulletin of Atomic Scientists)
• Joe Cirincione (Quincy Institute)
• Max Tegmark (MIT)
• Tom Unterrainer (Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation)
• Monica Montgomery, John Isaacs (Council for a Livable World)
• David Swanson (World Beyond War)
• Carley Towne (CODEPINK)
• Anna Baker (GBPSR)
• Kevin Martin (PA)
• David Borris (CAPA)
• Erica Fein (Win Without War)
• Denise Duffield (PSR)
• Jonathan King (MAPA/MIT)
• William Hartung (Center for International Policy)

Breakout Topics:

• Why No First Use Will Keep Us Safer
• Communications & Messaging 
• Social Media / Street Theater / Artivism
• Congressional Strategy
• Recruiting/Organization Building
• Back From the Brink
• Stopping the Money Pit Missile and Reducing Nuclear Weapons Budgets

Declaring and legislating a No First Use policy would be a major step to help avoid:

• A US nuclear attack that escalates
• Russia or China attacking the US due to a false alarm
• Violating the US Constitution by a first strike act of war
• US threats of a nuclear attack which amount to bullying and blackmailing other countries, and which carry unacceptable risk of starting a general nuclear war.

With the support of a growing number of members of Congress, and President Biden’s 2019 statement that he has supported “No First Use” for twenty years, we have a real chance to take an important step toward reducing the risks of nuclear war in the next year by getting a No First Use policy declared and legislated into law!

Join us on May 15 at a conference to discuss and implement “Prohibiting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons.”  Register to attend.  The conference is free but we appreciate donations to support this work.

Cosponsors:  Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security (CPDCS); Mass Peace Action; Council for a Livable World; CodePINK; Chicago Area Peace Action; NY Peace Action; Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility; Maine Peace Action; MIT Radius [list in formation]