From: Greenpeace via Jym Dyer <jym@mica.berkeley.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,alt.activism,talk.environment
Subject: NEWS: U.S. Leads in Foreign Nuclear Deployments After the Cold War
Followup-To: talk.environment
Date: 1 Sep 1992 22:11:42 GMT
Organization: The Naughty Peahen Party Line
NNTP-Posting-Host: remarque.berkeley.edu
Originator: jym@remarque.berkeley.edu

[Greenpeace Press Release from Greenbase -- Redistribute Freely]

UNITED STATES LEADS IN FOREIGN NUCLEAR DEPLOYMENTS
AFTER THE COLD WAR
  
WASHINGTON, August 19, 1992 (GP) The largest shift in the
deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons since the 1950s has occurred
in the past two years, as thousands of warheads are returned to
U.S. shores to be stored and, eventually, dismantled, according
to a new study. This information was revealed today in the
September 1992 issue of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,
and in a joint Greenpeace/Natural Resources Defense Council
study, "Taking Stock: U.S. Nuclear Deployments at the End of the
Cold War," by William M. Arkin and Robert S. Norris.
  
Currently about five percent of the US nuclear stockpile is
deployed in Europe (970 bombs), a marked contrast with the 30
percent deployed in foreign countries a decade ago. Weapons are
deployed in seven countries: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Greece,
Netherlands, Turkey and United Kingdom.  The Arkin/ Norris study
reveals that the U.S. nuclear stockpile has declined from a
modern day peak of some 24,000 warheads in the mid 1980s to
nearly 19,000 today, and project that by the end of the century,
the number will further decline to a maximum of 5,400.
  
According to "Taking Stock," there are currently 50 U.S. nuclear
storage sites around the globe, down from 164 sites in 1985.  Of
125 sites outside the United States in the mid 1980s, only 16
remain, and every U.S. nuclear weapon now stored overseas
belongs to the U.S. Air Force.  West Germany has seen the most
significant change in weapons deployment patterns from 5,116
warheads on its soil in 1975, 3,396 in 1985, to 325 today.  Over
100 separate nuclear storage sites in West Germany have been
closed in the past few years, leaving just five today.  The
United Kingdom may still store nuclear bombs in Germany at two
RAF bases, the only other country to deploy any nuclear weapons
outside of their national territory. With the removal of the
remaining warheads from Guam and South Korea in 1991, the U.S.
only deploys nuclear weapons in NATO countries.
  
Six of the seven nations that host nuclear weapons are
participants in secret programs (called "Programs of
Cooperation") where the host nations' equipment is certified to
deliver nuclear bombs. The exception is United Kingdom, which
has its own nuclear bombs. Ten of the 16 nuclear storage sites
are located on host nation bases where nuclear certified F4,
F16, F104 and Tornado aircraft are based.
  
"It seems that NATO can't get out of the Cold War. The only
possible reason for a nuclear conflict in Europe are nuclear
weapons themselves. And that is good reason to get rid of them,"
said Arkin.
  
One factor in the decline of the number of nuclear weapons is
the retirement of vintage 1950s and 60s warheads, which will not
be replaced as a result of decisions in the 1980s. Arms control
treaties also account for much of the dismantlement, and
agreements will be particularly influential in the coming years.
"The most interesting reason for the decline," said Arkin, "is
that the uniformed military's infatuation with nuclear weapons
is over.  The Army is completely out of the nuclear business and
the tactical nuclear arsenal is one tenth of its former size.
Only an outmoded strategy and the existence of the huge nuclear
infrastructure continues to drive retention and development of
new weapons."
  
Of the nearly 19,000 warheads currently in the stockpile, 11,500
are in active service, and 7,500 await dismantlement.  Starting
in October 1992, the US Energy Department's PANTEX plant near
Amarillo, TX, will disassemble 2,000 warheads per year, about
seven a day, for the foreseeable future.

Arkin and Norris predict that by the year 2000, only 17 U.S.
states will house nuclear weapons.  "Texas stands to be the big
loser in the nuclear lottery," said Arkin.  "With PANTEX as the
only retirement site, Texas will become a dumping ground for
tens of tons of plutonium from dismantled warheads."
  
Nuclear disarmament, while currently aggressive, may slow in the
future.  There are no plans to eliminate over 1,000 nuclear
weapons earmarked for fighting small wars around the globe.
Nuclear weapons will remain deployed overseas.  The number of
tactical nuclear bombs in Europe will probably decline to around
500. Many nuclear policymakers are urging that the number of
strategic nuclear weapons not go below the 3,500 level.
###
  
William M. Arkin and Robert S. Norris have written "Nuclear
Notebook," a monthly feature in The Bulletin of the Atomic
Scientists, since 1987 and have collaborated on three books
on nuclear weapons.  Their estimates of nuclear stockpiles
worldwide are considered authoritative, and are included in
many standard reference works, including the International
Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance, the World
Almanac and the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive