Excerpts from WILPF's Keep Space for Peace statement

Fifty years ago, on 4 October 1957, the launch of the Sputnik satellite changed the world forever. A new era of political, military, technological, and scientific developments began as the world entered the space age. Sputnik roused

Ten years later, on 10 October 1967, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) welcomed the Outer Space Treaty, which sought to ensure the peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind. On the 40th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty, WILPF reaffirms that treaty's goals. We welcome the progress made in cooperation for peaceful purposes, and in the development of space law as reported by the third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) conference.

Since then, however, one country, the United States, has rapidly and Unilaterally proceeded to militarize its own considerable space assets. It has utilized space to fight wars on Earth. to develop a prompt global strike capacity, and to launch satellite-controlled bombs in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Its proclaimed goal is "full spectrum dominance " in land, sea, air, and space, and seizing the ultimate military "high ground." This same nation is developing missile defense systems which, though as yet malfunctioning, many believe are intended as shields for offensive use of nuclear weapons, and have dual applications as offensive space weapons.

These provocative policies, just sixteen years after the Cold War's end, are already instigating a new arms race in space that will devour resources needed for sustenance of human life, bring death and devastation, and very possibly lead to global war more devastating than any Earth has yet known. The weaponization of space will lead to an increase in geopolitical tensions, a decrease of transparency and international security, and the proliferation of space debris, which, after 50 years of space activity, already poses a considerable hazard to spacecraft.

We must stop this military madness! The world has had enough of war and destruction! Where are the visions of the UN Charter to prevent future generations experiencing war, and the call for general and complete disarmament? Will we let the web of human rights and disarmament treaties unravel, and the institutions of peace we've built together collapse? space must be demilitarized, and space weaponization must not proceed.

For the full statement see: http://wilpf.int.ch/statements/keep.space.for.peace.2007.html

RELATED ARTICLE: International Week of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space OCTOBER 4-13, 2007

Is this the world we want? Satellites, glant radomes, radar installations watching for military targets everywhere? Cruise missiles, weapons in space, global strike capability from U.S. bases around the globe?

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In Britain US National Missile Defence bases (NMD) operate with out any Parliamentary accountability, disregarding the security of the British public.

Fylingdales (a NMD radar station) and Menwith Hill (the biggest electronic spy station outside of the US), both in Yorkshire are crucial for the US Administration's plans for 'Full Spectrum Dominance'.

NMD puts Europe in the front line and makes the entire world unwilling participants in a new Cold War.

NO to new NMD bases in Poland and the Czech Republic and to space militarization everywhere.

KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in space

www.space4peace.org.(207) 443-9502

Cosponsored by Women's International League for Peace & Freedom

www.reachingcriticalvia.org