Dennis Kucinich On Weapons

Dennis Kucinich’s whole candidacy is centered upon practical policies working towards peace; already introducing legislation for disarmament, banning weapons in space, and establishing the Department of Peace. He is firmly against the use of nuclear weapons and, as President, will finally lift up the U.S. to claim its responsibility as a global leader in working with other countries towards disarmament and the abolishment of nuclear weapons forever. We must claim this responsibility, applying the same principles to ourselves as the rest of the world, if we are to have any credibility in negotiations with the international community.

Under a Kucinich Administration, the U.S. will:

Lead the way toward the complete elimination of nuclear weapons from the earth. Our goal should be a steady movement toward complete nuclear disarmament.

Renounce first-strike policy. We must set aside the Bush Administration's Nuclear Posture Review, which is a strategy for nuclear proliferation. We must assure the world community that the United States will not be the first to use nuclear weapons.

Cancel all U.S. nuclear weapons programs. We must work to put an end to the development of any new nuclear weapons, to the manufacture of any nuclear weapons, and to any plans to test nuclear weapons.

Stop the use of all depleted uranium munitions. We must order an end to the United States' use of depleted uranium munitions. We must lead an international effort to recover depleted uranium. We must promote environmental remediation. We must develop a program to provide care and restitution for people suffering as a result of the United States' use of depleted uranium munitions, nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons production, nuclear testing, and uranium mining.

Ban all nuclear weapons testing by the United States. We must enact a new policy banning nuclear testing and work to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Open talks with all nuclear powers. The U.S. must begin new talks with Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Israel, and Pakistan to develop a plan aimed at the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. The first step should be to suspend all "readiness" levels of nuclear weapons systems, including those of the United States.

Encourage participation in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We must encourage all nations to actively participate in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and meet personally with the leaders of India, Israel, and Pakistan to request that they sign as non-nuclear weapons states. The President must also meet personally with Kim Jong Il to encourage North Korea to rejoin the community of nations through reaffirming its participation as a non-nuclear weapons state.

Discourage nations from acquiring nuclear weapons. We must work with the nations of North Korea, Iran, Algeria, Sudan, Syria, and others to discourage the acquisition of nuclear weapons capability.

Reinstate the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and cancel the Ballistic Missile Defense. We must work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to reinstate the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. The treaty prevents both the United States and Russia from developing nationwide ABM defense systems and limits employment of new ABM technologies. Consequently, the ballistic missile defense program must be cancelled.

Meet all requirements of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We must work to ensure that the United States leads the world again in fulfilling all requirements of the treaty. This means the United States must negotiate the complete elimination of its nuclear arsenal.

Commit to greatly expanding inspections. We must work with the 188 signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency to greatly expand the use of inspections in all nations.

Lead an international effort to bring terrorists to justice. The United States must participate in a cooperative world effort to track down terrorists who are seeking to acquire nuclear weapons capability.

The U.S. needs a new foreign policy of “Strength Through Peace” to reverse the disastrous neo-conservative doctrine of “peace through strength”, as well as a President who is not afraid to pursue diplomatic negotiations with all countries. Dennis Kucinich will be this President; aggressively pursuing multilateral and diplomatic solutions and establishing practical relationships, based upon open dialogue and fair negotiations, with countries that are currently being isolated and thus more hostile.

We need to meet with Iran, as well as Syria and all of the surrounding countries. We must support a diplomatic approach in dealing with Iran. According to the IAEA we have at least five years before a nuclear Iran, giving us adequate time to reach a solution; though, only if we open dialogue and abandon the isolationist policies currently in action.

We need a new foreign policy towards Korea and a President who will visit both Koreas, meet personally with Kim Jong Il, and strive to block the self-fulfilling prophecy of the Bush administration's "axis of evil." The U.S. should develop diplomatic and humanitarian relations with North Korea, with the goals of assisting the Korean people, furthering reunification, and advancing disarmament. We should engage in direct negotiations with North Korea, and in a multilateral peace conference involving both Koreas and the surrounding states, to pursue a permanent peace settlement. As a part of this process, we should consult closely with our South Korean allies, to evaluate appropriate conditions for a reduction or eventual withdrawal of U.S. forces.

By engaging in direct negotiations with North Korea and in a multilateral peace conference involving both Koreas and the surrounding states, the U.S. could pursue a permanent peace settlement. This settlement would include a non-aggression agreement and a nuclear weapons-free zone.

Dennis Kucinich will take this country in a new direction. We only need support him!