MINUTEMAN III POISED FOR LAUNCH FROM CALIFORNIA TO THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
COMMENTARY ARCHIVES, 18 Jul 2009
Call for Local Protests on Weekend of August 22-23, 2009
The US arsenal of hypocrisy is poised for another launch from Vandenberg AFB in Southern California in the early morning hours of August 23. Our government lectures and threatens Iran and North Korea about the evils of nuclear weapons and then arrogantly continues to fire nuclear missiles from California into the Pacific Ocean.
The US will launch the high speed, hair trigger Minuteman III nuclear weapon delivery system from Vandenberg Space Command to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The launch will be an operational test to verify the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy.
There will be protests at Vandenberg AFB, as well as at the Air Force Space and Missile Command in El Segundo, CA, at the time of the launch. We urge people around the world to hold solidarity protests on either August 22 or 23 to expose the hypocrisy of this US nuclear test.
Why UN sanctions against North Korea or Iran but not the US? We can’t let the world’s biggest nuclear power get away with this "say one thing, but do another" politics any longer.
Another vigil in protest against the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The demonstration will begin 30 minutes before the launch window (most likely 11:30 pm August 22 or 2:30 am August 23).
The protest will be held at the front gate of Vandenberg Space Command – at the intersection of Highway One and California Blvd (Six miles north of Lompoc on Highway 1 in Santa Barbara County, CA.) For anyone interested, there is a Motel 6 in Lompoc, and some locals with home stay offers.
This call is supported by:
– Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
– Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
– War Resister’s League
Your organization’s support is also requested.
You may email the California protest organizer MacGregor Eddy at macgregoreddy@gmail.com or call her at 831-206-5043
The Minuteman III is built by Boeing, Thiokol, United Technologies, and Aerojet-General weapons corporations.
GO TO ORIGINAL – VANDENBERG WITNESS
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