It's seven minutes to midnight

[KansDem]

From the Board of Directors
March/April 2002, pp. 4-7 (vol. 58, No. 2). © 2002 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Chicago, February 27, 2002: Today, the Board of Directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the minute hand of the "Doomsday Clock," the symbol of nuclear danger, from nine to seven minutes to midnight, the same setting at which the clock debuted 55 years ago. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, this is the third time the hand has moved forward.

We move the hands taking into account both negative and positive developments. The negative developments include too little progress on global nuclear disarmament; growing concerns about the security of nuclear weapons materials worldwide; the continuing U.S. preference for unilateral action rather than cooperative international diplomacy; U.S. abandonment of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and U.S. efforts to thwart the enactment of international agreements designed to constrain proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; the crisis between India and Pakistan; terrorist efforts to acquire and use nuclear and biological weapons; and the growing inequality between rich and poor around the world that increases the potential for violence and war. If it were not for the positive changes highlighted later in this statement, the hands of the clock might have moved closer still.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, founded by a group of World War II-era Manhattan Project scientists, has warned the world of nuclear dangers since 1945. The September 11 attacks, and the subsequent and probably unrelated use of the mail to deliver deadly anthrax spores, breached previous boundaries for terrorist acts and should have been a global wake-up call. Moving the clock's hands at this time reflects our growing concern that the international community has hit the "snooze" button rather than respond to the alarm.

http://www.thebulletin.org/doomsday_clock/

Also consider these articles today on DU:
13 U.S. Physicists-Letter to Bush-Take Nuclear Option Off The Table!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x956478
Bush won't rule out nuclear strike on Iran
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2233346


I wonder with all this posturing on the part of Bush and his threats of "tactical nuclear strikes" in Iran if the BAS board of directors will consider moving the minute hand a little closer to midnight.

[wakeme2008]

1. IMHO it is time to move to 6 minutes until midnight

:cry:

[gordianot]

2. These people do not intend to leave office.

My theory is they will strike when they see no hope in their poll numbers. Bush dismissal of public opinion is another lie.