Subject: Initial Thoughts on Global Network Meeting
From: Loring Wirbel
Citizens for Peace in Space/Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commisssion
Fri, 10 Apr 1998
The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space just
completed a successful and energized annual meeting at Colorado College
in Colorado Springs, timed to coincide with the National Space
Symposium. More complete reports will be following from Bill Sulzman
of CPIS, Byron Plumley of AFSC, and particularly GNAWNPS coordinator
Louise Mills (once she gets back from a llong drive back to Florida),
but here are some initial observations:
Attendance was broader and more diverse than ever. Helen John and
four other women from the WoMenwith Hill Women's Peace Camp in England
came to update us on campaigns against the National Security Agency in
England, and Dave Webb from Yorkshire CND gave us a report on
Fylingdales and other U.S. bases in the Yorkshire region.
Regina Hagen and Wolfgang Schlupp came from Germany, representing
groups in Stuttgart and Muttlangen. Many present and former members of
the Florida Coalition were present, including Bruce Gagnon and Mary
Beth Sullivan. Tina Bell came to represent WILPF, and Merav Datan
represented Lawyers Committe on Nuclear Policy. Ved Nanda of
University of Denver Law School analyzed international law and the
implications of the Outer Space Treaty.
In addition to many fine workshops, we were treated to keynote
speeches from Helen John, Michio Kaku, and a Cassini flyby overview
from Karl Grossman and Bruce Gagnon. Extracurricular activities
included visits to Falcon and Peterson Air Force Bases (with plenty of
heavily-armed MP presence), a protest at the National Space Symposium
at the Broadmoor, and participation by Helen and Byron on a panel in
Boulder with Harvey Wasserman.
Because we were dealing with space policy and intelligence-agency
abuse, it was no great surprise that the meeting had several attempts
at infiltration by police agents, including ones that obviously
represented out-of-town agencies. No great problem, just a matter for
humorous interlude.
The urgency of the space militarization problem was made evident
by the presentations at the Space Symposium. The U.S. Space Command
has finished a large document, Long-Range Plan for Implmentation of
Vision 2020, in which the command calls for sole U.S. ownership of
space, and total control of all space surrounding the planet, using the
help of multinational corporate space assets where appropriate. TRW
and Boeing announced work on the Space-Based Laser Demonstration
Platform, and Bob Bell, Assistant National Security Adviser, said that
$100 million will be allocated in FY99 to the Space Based Laser.
Fielding of an operational laser will virtually require abrogation of
the ABM and Outer Space Treaties.
Keith Hall, director of the National Reconnaissance Office, talked
about making use of private satellites to augment the NRO's own spy
satellites. Many sessions at the Space Symposium focused on how
space-based assets of the NRO and NSA will be used, not for
stabilization and verification of arms treaties, but clearly for global
dominance, "force multiplication through intelligence fusion", and
"prividing real-time intelligence to the warfighter." Luckily, members
of the Global Network were on hand at the symposium during Hall's
speech to banner and leaflet.
At the concluding meeting April 9, the Global Network opted for a
decentralized approach to information distribution, though a Web site
should be up soon. Further educational and information projects for
1998 and 1999 will depend on an examination of grants and other funding
resources. The network also plans protests for Aug. 18, a year prior
to the date of the Cassini flyby.
Everyone left the conference feeling invigorated to know the scope
of actions worldwide, but motivated to act quickly, given the scope of
near-term plans of the NRO and Space Command.
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