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Commentary :: Civil & Human Rights
BTL:Use of Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Iran Would Kill Hundreds of Thousands
Author
- Scott Harris
Date Created
- 21 Apr 2006
Date Edited
- 21 Apr 2006 02:11:48 PM
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Copyright by the author. All rights reserved.
Interview with Dr. Kurt Gottfried, chairman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris
Use of Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Iran Would Kill Hundreds of Thousands
Interview with Dr. Kurt Gottfried, chairman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, conducted by Scott Harris
News reports by Seymour Hersh and other media outlets that the U.S. is planning for an attack against Iran's nuclear research facilities, included the prospect that the Bush administration was considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons to destroy underground bunkers. While the story made headlines across the world, much of the reporting on this issue within the United States had a kind of unconcerned tone and avoided looking into the grave consequences of their use.
The U.S. is the only nation in the world to have ever used nuclear weapons when it attacked the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the conclusion of World War II. But apart from the deployment of thousands of nuclear missiles and threat of mutual annihilation used as a deterrent during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, successive American governments have rarely used the threat of atomic attack as part of the nation's military doctrine. But since coming into office, President Bush has pursued funding for the development of a new class of battlefield nuclear weapons, while lowering the threshold for their use.
Between The Lines Scott Harris spoke with Dr. Kurt Gottfried, chairman of the Union of Concerned Scientists and emeritus professor of Physics at Cornell University, about U.S. planning for the use of nuclear weapons against Iran. Gottfried warns of the incentive such threats provide weaker nations to obtain nuclear weapons and the massive casualties that could result from a limited nuclear attack.
Contact Union of Concerned Scientists by calling (202) 331-5420 or visit their website at www.ucsusa.org
Related links:
"The Nuclear Bunker Buster: Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator," animation from the Union of Concerned Scientists at www.ucsusa.org
"Reports Say Pentagon Planning Attack on Iran," Interview with Robert Scheer, journalist and author, conducted by Scott Harris, Between The Lines, Week Ending 4/21/06
" Parallel Deceptions: The Bush Agenda for War in Iraq and Iran," Former U.N. Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter's speech in audio CD or video DVD format
"U.S. Is Studying Military Strike Options on Iran: Any Mix of Tact, Threats Alarms Critics," by Peter Baker, Dafna Linzer and Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post , April 9, 2006
"The Iran Plans: Would President Bush go to war to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?" by Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker, April 17, 2006
"U.S. Plans Strike to Topple Iran Regime - Report," The Guardian, April 10, 2006
"How Crazy Are They?" by William Rivers Pitt, www.truthout.org, April 11, 2006
"Yes He Would," by Paul Krugman,The New York Times, April 10, 2006
LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines-AT-snet.net
*
www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2006 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.
Interview with Dr. Kurt Gottfried, chairman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, conducted by Scott Harris
News reports by Seymour Hersh and other media outlets that the U.S. is planning for an attack against Iran's nuclear research facilities, included the prospect that the Bush administration was considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons to destroy underground bunkers. While the story made headlines across the world, much of the reporting on this issue within the United States had a kind of unconcerned tone and avoided looking into the grave consequences of their use.
The U.S. is the only nation in the world to have ever used nuclear weapons when it attacked the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the conclusion of World War II. But apart from the deployment of thousands of nuclear missiles and threat of mutual annihilation used as a deterrent during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, successive American governments have rarely used the threat of atomic attack as part of the nation's military doctrine. But since coming into office, President Bush has pursued funding for the development of a new class of battlefield nuclear weapons, while lowering the threshold for their use.
Between The Lines Scott Harris spoke with Dr. Kurt Gottfried, chairman of the Union of Concerned Scientists and emeritus professor of Physics at Cornell University, about U.S. planning for the use of nuclear weapons against Iran. Gottfried warns of the incentive such threats provide weaker nations to obtain nuclear weapons and the massive casualties that could result from a limited nuclear attack.
Contact Union of Concerned Scientists by calling (202) 331-5420 or visit their website at www.ucsusa.org
Related links:
"The Nuclear Bunker Buster: Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator," animation from the Union of Concerned Scientists at www.ucsusa.org
"Reports Say Pentagon Planning Attack on Iran," Interview with Robert Scheer, journalist and author, conducted by Scott Harris, Between The Lines, Week Ending 4/21/06
" Parallel Deceptions: The Bush Agenda for War in Iraq and Iran," Former U.N. Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter's speech in audio CD or video DVD format
"U.S. Is Studying Military Strike Options on Iran: Any Mix of Tact, Threats Alarms Critics," by Peter Baker, Dafna Linzer and Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post , April 9, 2006
"The Iran Plans: Would President Bush go to war to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?" by Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker, April 17, 2006
"U.S. Plans Strike to Topple Iran Regime - Report," The Guardian, April 10, 2006
"How Crazy Are They?" by William Rivers Pitt, www.truthout.org, April 11, 2006
"Yes He Would," by Paul Krugman,The New York Times, April 10, 2006
LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines-AT-snet.net
*
www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2006 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.
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