ArmsNet - Union of Concerned Scientists listserver
From: "R.L. Garwin and K. Gottfried" <armsnet@ucsusa.org>
To: Union of Concerned Scientists listserver UCS_LIST@ucsusa.org
Dear colleague:
We are pleased to announce a new e-mail network especially for scientists
who want to make a difference on nuclear arms control issues. Sponsored
by the Union of Concerned Scientists, this network, called ArmsNet, has a
specific and immediate goal--to actively engage the American scientific
community in the policy debate on National Missile Defense (NMD).
Since its birth in 1969, UCS has been engaged in the missile defense
issue. During the 1980s UCS played a key role in the 'Star Wars' debate.
Today we are the most prominent science organization working on NMD--to
find out more about us, please visit our website at
http://www.ucsusa.org/arms/arms-home.html
President Clinton is expected to decide this summer whether the United
States should begin deploying an NMD system intended to protect all 50
states from a limited attack by long-range ballistic missiles.
The proposed system would require substantial revisions to the
Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and thereby threatens to derail
US-Russian nuclear arms reductions and increase tensions with China and
NATO. And because the system is still in early development--with only 3
intercept tests to be held before the summer--there will be no technical
basis to make a sound decision by then.
An important issue for scientists to evaluate is whether the NMD system
can be expected to work against an adversary who surely would take steps
to defeat it. UCS and the Security Studies Program at MIT have assembled
a group of physicists to study this issue, chaired by Andrew Sessler, past
president of the American Physical Society. (We are both participants in
the study.) UCS and MIT are about to release a detailed technical report
that shows that the planned NMD system could be defeated by one of several
technically-straightforward "countermeasures" that would be available to
any state able to deploy long-range missiles. Thus the planned system
would not be effective against even a limited attack by long-range
ballistic missiles.
As a scientist, you can play an important role in policy issues that have
a technical component. A recent survey of congressional staffers shows
that Senators and Representatives across the political spectrum are
interested in hearing from their constituent scientists on such issues.
The Senate's rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty demonstrates
what can happen when Congress does not have relevant factual information
on nuclear arms issues. It is essential that the scientific community get
more involved in the NMD debate now to prevent another serious setback.
ArmsNet is designed to facilitate your engagement. We will provide you
with e-mail updates, a copy of the upcoming report, background
information, action alerts and information on whom to contact, and the
opportunity to come to Washington DC in June for briefings and to meet
with your congressional representatives.
We need your help. Support is growing for President Clinton to postpone
the deployment decision until the next administration; a greater
appreciation in Congress and the media for the technical limitations of
this system could make all the difference. If you find the UCS/MIT report
persuasive, we would ask you to help us get the word out-- to send the
report with a cover letter to your local media and congressional
delegation and to follow up from time to time. And we are looking for
volunteers to come to Washington DC June 10-12 to brief your elected
representatives.
If you are a professional scientist or graduate student and would like to
join other scientists and engage in the NMD debate in an effective,
efficient and timely way, please join UCS's ArmsNet today. Simply fill
out the enrollment form below and return it by replying to this e-mail.
(Please note that this is not our personal address, but will be sent
directly to UCS in Washington).
Sincerely,
Kurt Gottfried
Professor of Physics Emeritus, Cornell University;
Chairman of the Board, UCS
Richard L. Garwin
Senior Fellow for Science and Technology, Council on
Foreign Relations; IBM Fellow Emeritus; consultant to
Sandia National Laboratory and to Los Alamos National
Laboratory; Member of the Board, UCS
Papers of current interest at http://www.fas.org/rlg
P.S. Please help spread the word about ArmsNet by sharing
this letter and enrollment form with your colleagues. If
you are not a scientist, please contact John Spykerman at UCS
(jspykerman@ucsusa.org) for other ways to get
involved.
We apologize for multiple postings.
=======================================
ArmsNet Enrollment Form
=======================================
Note: If you have difficulty returning this form via e- mail, please
print it out and fax it to UCS at (202) 332- 0905 or mail it to
UCS-ArmsNet, 1616 P St NW, Suite 310, Washington DC, 20036.
The following information will help us provide better services to you and
will give a better profile of ArmsNet members. All information is private
and confidential and will not be distributed outside UCS without your
permission.
Biographical Information==========================
First Name [___________________________________]
Middle Initial [_____]
Last Name [___________________________________]
Home Address=================================
Address [___________________________________]
[___________________________________]
[___________________________________]
City [_____________________]
State [_____]
Zip [_____________________]
Country [_____________________]
Phone [_____________________]
Fax [_____________________]
E-mail [_____________________]
Work Address=================================
Address [___________________________________]
[___________________________________]
[___________________________________]
City [_____________________]
State [_____]
Zip [_____________________]
Country [_____________________]
Phone [_____________________]
Fax [_____________________]
E-mail [_____________________]
Your WEB page, if any [___________________________________]
Contact Preferences=====================================
For each type of address, where would you prefer to be
contacted? (Place an X in either home or work for each type)
Home
Work
Mail [
]
[ ]
Phone [
]
[ ]
Fax [
]
[ ]
E-mail [
]
[ ]
Professional Information===========================
Profession (Place X next to category that best fits you)
==Physical Science/Science Technician==
Astronomy
[ ]
Astrophysics
[ ]
Atmospheric Science [ ]
Chemistry
[ ]
Geology
[ ]
Geophysicist
[ ]
Meteorology
[ ]
Physical Geography [ ]
Physics
[ ]
Physical Science Technician [ ]
==Life Science Scientist/Science Technician==
Agricultural Science/Agronomy [ ]
Biology
[ ]
Conservation Biology
[ ]
Evolutionary Biology
[ ]
Marine
Biology
[ ]
Molecular
Biology
[ ]
Biochemistry
[ ]
Ecology
[ ]
Environmental Science
[ ]
Forest
Science
[ ]
Limnology
[ ]
Oceanography
[ ]
Plant Science/Botany
[ ]
Toxicology
[ ]
Zoology
[ ]
Life Science Technician [ ]
==Computer/Mathematical/Operations Research==
Computer Science
[ ]
Statistician
[ ]
Mathematician
[ ]
==Engineer/Engineering Technician==
Aerospace Engineer [ ]
Chemical Engineer [ ]
Civil Engineer [ ]
Electrical Engineer [ ]
Industrial Engineer [ ]
Mechanical Engineer [ ]
Metallurgical, Ceramic,
Materials Engineer [ ]
Mining Engineer [ ]
Nuclear Engineer [ ]
Petroleum Engineer [ ]
==Teacher==
College & University Faculty [ ]
Primary & Secondary School [ ]
==Other==
Architect/Surveyor [ ]
Clergy
[ ]
Communications Profession [ ]
Elected Official
[ ]
Government Executive/Manager [ ]
Health Care Provider [ ]
Health Technician
[ ]
Lawyer/Judge/Paralegal [ ]
Marketing & Sales
[ ]
Military
[ ]
Physician
[ ]
Social Scientist
[ ]
Social Worker [ ]
Student
[ ]
Visual & Performing Arts [ ]
Other [________________________]
Professional Specialization
[__________________________________]
Work Sector (Place X in one sector only)
Academic [ ]
Government [ ]
Nonprofit [ ]
Private [ ]
Current Job Title [_____________________________________]
What year did you begin your professional work in this
field? [19 ]
Are you retired?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Awards earned
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
Arms Control Information=================================
Arms Control Interests (Place X in all that apply)
Missile
Defense
[ ]
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty [ ]
Fissile Material Protection
[ ]
Non-Proliferation
[ ]
Nuclear
Reductions
[ ]
General level of expertise in arms control issues
High [ ]
Medium [ ]
Low [ ]
Are you a registered voter?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Have you contacted your congressional representatives
(state or national) about issues that concern you in the
past?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Have you contacted your local news media about issues that
concern you in the past?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
What are your main local and regional newspapers?
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
Are you interested in coming to Washington DC from
June 10-12, 2000 to receive briefings, media training,
and to meet with your congressional delegation?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Maybe [ ]
Any additional information/comments you would like to share
with us
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
[____________________________________________]
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