Washington, D.C. - Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) today, sent a letter to President Bush opposing the National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction (NSCWMD) that includes the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons against states and terrorist groups. The White House released the NSCWMD earlier this week. Colleagues that have signed onto Woolsey’s letter include Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA) and Sam Farr (D-CA).

“I am angered and outraged that the use of nuclear weapons is being considered by this administration,” said Rep. Woolsey. “If we want real national and international security, we must decide to put our strength, our energy and our creativity behind a policy for peace, rather than a policy of destruction.”

In the letter to President Bush, Woolsey states that the new strategy “is morally unacceptable, politically destabilizing, and poses a real threat to the safety of Americans and our allies” and she urged the President to “return our nation to a path of diplomacy and peace.”

The following is the text of the letter:

We are writing to share our strong opposition to the National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction (NSCWMD).

“Nuclear weapons kill indiscriminately -- women and children, enemies and allies. A civilized nation like ours has no place threatening to slaughter civilians for the crimes of their leaders. It is appalling that you would threaten the safety of citizens struggling under the rule of rogue nation dictators. This is no way for a democracy to behave.

“Furthermore, this policy is likely to promote proliferation and undermine the security of all Americans. The NSCWMD paves the way for other nuclear nations-such as India and Pakistan-to lower their threshold for using nuclear weapons. Worldwide moral condemnation has helped keep nuclear weapons in storerooms and silos and off of battlefields. The NSCWMD undermines those norms and takes the world one step closer to another Hiroshima. The NSCWMD also validates the desires of non-nuclear nations who wish to join the nuclear club, while undermining our authority to stop them. This policy is likely to promote proliferation and undermine the security of all Americans.

“Mr. President, we believe that the NSCWMD is morally unacceptable, politically destabilizing, and poses a real threat to the safety of Americans and our allies. This policy puts Americans in more danger, not less. We urge you to return our nation to a path of diplomacy and peace.”

Rep. Lynn Woolsey introduced a resolution on nuclear disarmament, H.Res. 17. The resolution urges the President to initiate multilateral negotiations for a nuclear weapons convention that leads to disarmament.

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