The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today welcomed the decision of the American electorate to break from the policies of war and aggression that have delivered nothing but a more dangerous, divided world to the detriment both of Americans and people the world over.
The election of Barack Obama must start the process of re-integrating the US into the norms of international law and close the chapter of Washington seeking to impose unilateral solutions on common problems. He must prove that his promise to end the occupation of Iraq is delivered on promptly. He must commit to a peaceful resolution of the current conflict in Afghanistan and take new diplomatic initiatives to end the tensions that the Bush administration has provoked with Iran.
CND welcomes Obama’s positive attitude towards nuclear disarmament which stands in stark contrast to Bush’s efforts to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons. Obama said in September “I will not authorize the development of new nuclear weapons”. Picking up on the strategy now promoted by former Secretaries of State and Defence Henry Kissinger, William Perry, Sam Nunn and George Shultz, he has also declared “I will make the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons worldwide a central element of U.S. nuclear policy.” He has also declared a willingness for the US to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, so making the moratorium on live nuclear testing a permanent legally binding obligation.
Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said, “Obama’s election is an overwhelming judgement by the American people against the divisive and aggressive policies of Bush. It spells the opportunity for a new epoch in global relations, working with other countries on the basis of equality and respect, to take steps towards a more just and peaceful world. That is clearly what the vast majority of the US people want and it is echoed almost universally.
As the US faces a monumental budget deficit and economic crisis on a vast scale, Obama must seize the opportunity to cut back on military spending and instead invest in the genuine needs of the US people and economy. The change which Obama wishes to bring must include nuclear disarmament, the closure of the hundreds of US military bases worldwide, and the abandoning of its provocative so-called missile defence system.”