[A-List] Russian Senator: Proposed New US Nuclear Plan Could Kill Millions

[Tony B.]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Rick Rozoff
To: stopnato at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 11:14 AM
Subject: [stopnato] Russian Senator: Proposed New US Nuclear Plan Could Kill 
Millions






http://en.rian.ru/world/20090416/121163705.html

Russian Information Agency Novosti
April 16, 2009

Senior Russian senator hits out at U.S. nuclear deterrence report

-Vasily Likhachyov, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council's 
foreign affairs committee, said he was concerned by the nature of the 
report, calling its proposals "an infringement of the fundamental principles 
of international law."
He pointed out that under an existing agreement, the U.S. and Russia did not 
target nuclear missiles at each other, something he said that Moscow 
"strictly adheres to."
-The authors of the study claim that nuclear attacks with 300 kiloton 
warheads on the targets specified in the report, mainly located in Siberia 
and the Urals, would kill 659,031 people.
However, Likhachyov questioned these figures, saying that "anyone who knows 
what a nuclear weapon is also understands that the effect of an atomic 
explosion spreads over tens and even hundreds of kilometers."

MOSCOW - A senior Russian politician has expressed "surprise" and 
"indignation" at the contents of a report by an influential U.S. think tank 
that calls for "minimal nuclear deterrence."

The study by the Federation of American Scientists and Natural Resources 
Defense Council recommends a nuclear policy that would see Washington target 
nuclear missiles at major industrial objects rather than population centers.

This, the authors said, would be the first step toward U.S. President Barack 
Obama's recently-stated goal of "a world without nuclear weapons."

Vasily Likhachyov, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council's 
foreign affairs committee, said he was concerned by the nature of the 
report, calling its proposals "an infringement of the fundamental principles 
of international law."

He pointed out that under an existing agreement, the U.S. and Russia did not 
target nuclear missiles at each other, something he said that Moscow 
"strictly adheres to."

The U.S. report says that once the policy has been formulated, Obama should 
publicly announce the changed role for nuclear weapons and the new types of 
targets.

The senator also said that the naming in the report of 12 potential 
targets - three oil refineries, three iron and steel works, two aluminum 
plants, one nickel plant, and three thermal electric power plants - 
demonstrated "disrespect for the sovereignty of the Russian Federation."

The plants and factories named are operated by companies including Russia's 
Gazprom, Rosneft and RusAl, as well as Germany's E.On and Italy's Enel.

The authors of the study claim that nuclear attacks with 300 kiloton 
warheads on the targets specified in the report, mainly located in Siberia 
and the Urals, would kill 659,031 people.

However, Likhachyov questioned these figures, saying that "anyone who knows 
what a nuclear weapon is also understands that the effect of an atomic 
explosion spreads over tens and even hundreds of kilometers."

He also said that the report failed to take into account nuclear weapons 
held by other countries, and that its proposals were potentially harmful for 
Russia-U.S. cooperation, as well as international efforts in the field of 
non-proliferation. The senator also stated that any major cuts by Russia and 
the U.S. in their respective nuclear arsenals would give Washington an 
advantage due to its greater missile defense capabilities.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has yet to react to the report, although 
Likhachyov said that an announcement of a "minimal nature" was imminent.

The Federation of American Scientists was formed in 1945 by scientists from 
the Manhattan Project, the group that developed the world's first atomic 
weapon.
===========================
Stop NATO
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato

To subscribe, send an e-mail to:
Rick Rozoff at
rwrozoff at yahoo.com
or
stopnato-subscribe at yahoogroups.com

Daily digest option available.

Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages
==============================


__._,_.___
Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic
Messages | Database | Polls

Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format 
to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity
 10New Members
Visit Your Group
Give Back
Yahoo! for Good
Get inspired
by a good cause.
Y! Toolbar
Get it Free!
easy 1-click access
to your groups.
Yahoo! Groups
Start a group
in 3 easy steps.
Connect with others..

__,_._,___