A CALL TO ACTION TO PREVENT THE WEAPONIZATION OF SPACE 
Date: 4/8/2002 
 


INFO: http://www.peaceinspace.com
CONTACT:  Dr. Carol Rosin, Ventura, California, 805-641-1999,
P.O. Box 25040, Ventura, CA. 93001, Email: rosin@west.net

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE - RULES COMMITTEE

TESTIMONY OF DR CAROL ROSIN, DANIEL SHEEHAN, JD, & ALFRED WEBRE, JD, MEd IN OPPOSITION TO CALIFORNIA
Senate Joint Resolution No. 33                     
WEDNESDAY APRIL 10, 2002

A CALL TO ACTION TO PREVENT THE WEAPONIZATION OF SPACE

We present this testimony in opposition to CALIFORNIA Senate Joint Resolution No. 33, which supports federal legislation to implement a national missile defense that would inevitably lead to the weaponization of space. 

We are opposed to the weaponization of space, and we support H.R. 3636, the Space Preservation Act of 2002 and call on you, respected Senators, to do the same.  We have only one chance in history to prevent the weaponization of space.  We choose to ban space-based weapons, and to build a grand space program that will stimulate our economy in California as we build a world cooperative civil, commercial and military space program.  We don't need to shut down bases - there is a new role for the military to play in space - of a non-space-based weapons nature.  We don't need to cut back jobs, we can stimulate the job market in California with the commitment to a huge space program.  Space-based weapons, and weapons aimed at objects in space that are in orbit, will only limit our opportunities, forever, in California.  This is the time to choose to expand the space program, not in the context of a war mentality, but in the context of what exists in space now  - cooperation, communication, surveillance, reconnaissance, navigation, information and technology sharing, etc..  For our economy to excel in California, we call on you to commit to stopping the Senate Joint Resolution No. 33 and to support H.R. 3616 immediately.

With the expiration of the ABM Treaty on June 13, 2002, following its unilateral termination by the U.S. administration, an international legal void will arise and allow the weaponization of space. The termination of the ABM Treaty permits research, development, testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of space-based weapons, and space-based components of the U.S. National Missile Defense (NMD) System to go forward instigating a destabilizing, costly and dangerous, unprecedented arms race in space. The stated objectives of United States Space Command in "Vision for 2020" are to seize the strategic high ground of space to control and dominate space - and that means this system would dominate and control all on earth - which is not acceptable to most people and leaders in the U.S. and around our world.

The Space Preservation Act of 2002 introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 3616 by Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Co-Chair of the House Space and Aviation Caucus and Chair of the House Progressive Caucus, on January 23, 2002, is legislation that provides a win-win for everyone.   H.R. 3616 will preserve the ongoing cooperative, peaceful use of space for all humankind.  H.R. 3616 states, "The President shall"

(1) implement a ban on space-based weapons of the United States and the use of weapons of the United States to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and (2) immediately order the termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production, and deployment of all space-based weapons of the United States.

H.R.3616 also directs the President to work toward "negotiating, adopting and implementing an international treaty banning space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit."
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A worldwide movement is rapidly growing of American and world citizens who intend to prevent the weaponization of space by supporting U.S. and nation-state leaders who will co-sponsor the legislation and sign and deposit the companion world treaty to H.R. 3616, the Space Preservation Treaty, with the U.N. Secretary General's office as Treaty Depositary. The Space Preservation Treaty is an effective and verifiable, multilateral agreement that will prevent a worldwide arms race in space as it provides that - Each State Party to this Treaty shall:

(1) implement a ban on space-based weapons;

(2) implement a ban on the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and

(3) immediately order the permanent termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of all space-based weapons of such State Party.

The Space Preservation Treaty also establishes an outer space peacekeeping agency to monitor and enforce the ban on space-based weapons.

Under the terms of the Treaty, each State Party having signed the Treaty shall immediately work toward supporting other non-signatory State Parties in signing, ratifying and implementing the Treaty.  Once three nations sign it and deposit it at the United Nations depositary, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is required to report publicly to the U.N. General Assembly every 90 days on the progress of implementing a permanent ban on space-based weapons and on the progress of signing and ratifying of the Treaty by State Parties.  Once 20 nations have signed and ratified the Space Preservation Treaty, it will go into force, the world space peacekeeping agency will be funded and empowered to monitor and enforce the ban on space-based weapons.  You can access a copy of the Space Preservation Treaty at www.peaceinspace.com.

Most leaders of the world are on record as wanting to ban space-based weapons.  On April 12, 2001, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan announced his support of a ban on space-based weapons. Secretary General Annan stated that the international community recognized early on that a legal regime for outer space was needed to prevent space from becoming another arena of military confrontation. On November 29, 2001, the U.N. General Assembly approved by a 156-0 vote the basis for a treaty establishing a permanent ban on space-based weapons (Resolution 56/535). Deputy Prime Minister John Manley of Canada on July 26, 2001 stated, "Canada would be very happy" to launch an initiative to see an international convention preventing the weaponization of space-Canada first called for a ban on space-based weapons 20 years ago in 1982 and again in 1998 and 1999. On September 28, 2001, just two weeks after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, in a major speech at the United Nations in New York, Russia's Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stated, "Russia invites the world community to start working out a comprehensive agreement on the non-deployment of weapons in outer space and on the non-use of force against space objects."

The Space Preservation Act of 2002 (H.R.3616) and the forthcoming Space Preservation Treaty facilitate future public and
private investment in non-weapons, world cooperative space ventures, and the consequent stimulation of the California, national and world economy. Section 6 of the Space Preservation Act of 2002 specifically permits "the use of funds for:

(1) space exploration;
(2) space research and development
(3) testing, manufacturing, or production that is not related to space-based weapons or systems; or
(4) civil, commercial, or defense activities (including communications, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early warning, or remote sensing) that are not related to space-based weapons or systems."

Public, private and other investment in non-weapons related space activities will open the way to significant, unlimited positive impacts in California, national and world economies as job and investments expand to meet the demand for non-weapons, clean and safe, Space Age technology, products and services that can be applied directly to solving urgent human and environmental problems.  It is time to Invest in a non-weapons Space Age economy and security system, and to transform the war industry into a space industry - without space-based weapons - as a first step to opening the marketplace in the context of a new space paradigm. Instead of from intentions to build space-based weapons, space battle-stations, and space bombers, research and development of capital goods and services will now come from space habitats, space hospitals, hotels and resorts, labs, industries and businesses, farms schools and universities, and craft for traveling the universe will create economic multiplier effects than during any hot or cold wartime that will stimulate jobs and training programs, and an expanding consumer and producer economy that will provide an abundance of benefits and opportunities for all. We need jobs and a stimulated economy in California.  We want a grand space program, not a limited space-based weapons program.  Our security system will now be based on enhancing communication, on sharing information, on applying Space Age technology in ways that will bring the world together, including adversaries.

We all know that space-based weapons and a National Missile Defense program based on "seizing the high ground" will not protect anyone or anything from inexpensive and accessible suitcase bombs, biological or chemical weapons.  Why waste another penny on testing this technology? We know it would be impossible to reverse the momentum of vested interests in moving into space.  Aikido style, therefore, we call on you to continue to move into space - but, without space-based weapons.  We call on you to cap the arms race before it escalates into space, and to allowing R&D programs to continue that are not related non-space-based weapons.

We urge the California State Senate Rules Committee to reject Senate Joint Resolution No. 33 and to support the Space Preservation Act of 2002 (H.R.3616) to ban space-based weapons and to open the aerospace defense industries and the military to new non-space-based related R&D programs that will greatly benefit all in our state.  We must keep space weapons-free and we choose to have an expanded space industry and economy, a security system based on cooperative world space ventures that will benefit all of us in California, around the nation and around the world.

Dr. Carol Rosin is an award-winning educator, author, leading aerospace executive and space and missile defense consultant. Rosin is the founder and former director of the Institute for Security and Cooperation in Outer Space (ISCOS), an NGO in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Counsel. According to Military Space, "Rosin is regarded to be the original political architect of the move to stop the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) and ASATs (anti-satellite weapons)." Dr. Rosin has testified before Congress and has presented worldwide against the weaponization of space and for a world cooperative military, civil and commercial space research and development, applications and exploration program, and for the transformation of the war industry into a space industry without space-based weapons.

Alfred Lambremont Webre, JD, MEd is a Fulbright Scholar and graduate of Yale University, Yale Law School (Yale Law School National Scholar), and the University of Texas Counseling Program. Webre was General Counsel to the NYC Environmental Protection Administration and environmental consultant to the Ford Foundation, futurist at Stanford Research Institute, and author.  Mr. Webre taught at Yale University and the University of Texas.  Webre has been a delegate to the UNISPACE Outer Space Conference, and NGO representative at the United Nations.

Daniel Sheehan, JD is a graduate of Harvard Law School, former Director of the Christic Institute, and is a Professor of World Politics at the University of California.  Mr. Sheehan has a long and distinguished history as public interest counsel in milestone cases, such as the Pentagon Papers, Iran-Contra, Three Mile Island, and Karen Silkwood.

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