The U.S. currently has a nuclear stockpile of 3,750 nuclear warheads. There are 2,000 additional warheads that are retired and scheduled for dismantlement according to Transparency in the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile, Fact Sheet published October 5, 2021.
The extension of the new START treaty between Russia and the U.S. was signed in February, 2021 and limits each side to not more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads per the Congressional Research Service.
The Wilton Quaker Meeting asks that the Biden administration (1) accelerate the dismantlement of the retired weapons (2) immediately retire an additional 2,200 nuclear weapons since we are still well above the limits set in new START treaty and (3) urge the Russians to do the same in the near term to reduce the risk that nuclear weapons will be used.
We consider climate action urgent and are troubled by the inadequate response of Congress. The executive branch needs to move forward much needed clean energy and energy efficiency programs proposed in the Build Back Better bill without delay.
We ask that the Biden administration act by executive order to use cost savings achieved through reduced nuclear and other weapons programs to fund additional climate change response programs because our national security depends on fighting the global scourge of climate change.
We support at least a 10% redeployment of the military budget (Congress approved a $768 billion military budget in the recently passed NDAA) and a redirection of the additional $76 billion to addressing climate change. As we saw in Boulder, Colorado and in other parts of our country, our lives and the lives of our neighbors depend on federal action now.
Diane Keefe writes on behalf of the Peace & Service Committee of the Wilton Quaker Meeting.