Draft Resolution opposing continued development of national ballistic missile defense systems in Alaska

 

Fairbanks resident M. Welsh presented this draft resolution at the Alaska State Democratic Convention in May, 2002. He reported that it was one of the most popular & contentious issues debated at the meeting, and noted widespread anger among Democrats with the Bush administration’s decision to abandon the ABM Treaty. Because labor unions and Fran Ulmer’s campaign members took issue with it, the resolution was tabled -- but NOT repudiated.

Whereas the U.S. Department of Defense has spent more than $100 Billion on national ballistic missile defense (BMD) since 1983, and

Whereas the BMD system currently envisioned by the Bush administration is estimated to cost $240 Billion and will almost certainly cost more, and

Whereas the enormous sums that have been spent in the past, are being spent presently, and will be spent in the future on BMD are a gross misallocation of national resources, and

Whereas the BMD system may never be technically feasible and would be easily defeated with relatively simple and inexpensive countermeasures, and

Whereas the BMD development program has been plagued with numerous failures, unrealistic test conditions and fraudulent reporting of test results, and

Whereas on the spectrum of threats facing the U.S., the use of ballistic missiles as a means of delivering weapons of mass destruction is the least likely to occur, and

Whereas the BMD system does not address the more realistic threats posed by nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons smuggled into the U.S. by boat, ground vehicle, or cruise missiles, and

Whereas the national security of the U.S. is diminished in the pursuit of the BMD system while competing defense programs addressing more realistic threats are being inadequately funded, and

Whereas the willingness of the U.S. to abrogate the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in order to pursue development of the BMD system undermines the confidence of the nations of the world that the U.S. is a reliable partner, and

Whereas the BMD system is universally perceived by other nations as intended to give the U.S. a first-strike nuclear offensive capability, i.e. the ability to strike other countries with nuclear weapons without the fear of retaliation, and

Whereas possession of a first-strike nuclear offensive capability by any country can only lead to the destabilization of the system of nuclear
deterrence which has existed since the early 1950’s, inevitably provoking a new nuclear arms race among such nations as China, India and Pakistan, and

Whereas the dangers to human civilization of a nuclear arms race are unacceptable, and

Whereas significant components of the BMD system will be deployed in the State of Alaska:

Be it Hereby Resolved:

That the Alaska Democratic Party opposes the continued development of the BMD system and the deployment of component subsystems in the State of Alaska.

Be It Further Resolved:

That the Alaska Democratic Party is dedicated to the principle of eliminating weapons of mass destruction and calls for the negotiation of international treaties, consistent with the national security, towards that principle.