"Today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."
President Obama cannot do this alone. He needs our support. Please call your Senators and urge them to support President Obama's call for a world free of nuclear weapons.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long envisioned a world without nuclear weapons [PDF]. From 1946 through 2003, the General Assembly, acting out of faith in Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace, has recognized that working for God's intended order and life abundant involves seeking international disarmament and arms control measures. In this effort, the General Assembly has opposed specific weapons programs and various measures that they believed stood in the way of disarmament and peace. At the same time, the General Assembly has advocated positive steps to control, reduce, and eliminate nuclear weapons. Always the General Assembly has understood that while eliminating nuclear weapons will not achieve the wholeness, well being, and justice of God's shalom, so doing is a crucial, necessary step in bringing God's shalom into being.
Speaking to Europe and the world, Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to declare that the U.S. will seek a world without nuclear weapons. The president noted that the building blocks of nuclear disarmament will include a new national security strategy free of nuclear weapons, a new agreement with Russia to cut the size of U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, and ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Although many prominent analysts of both major political parties have embraced Obama's call for nuclear disarmament, some in Congress are saying that total nuclear disarmament is unrealistic. There is concern that some senators may seek to block ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and other components of the president's nuclear disarmament goal.
Take action now for a world without nuclear weapons. Call your Senators and urge them to support President Obama's efforts.