AN OPEN LETTER TO PM PAUL MARTIN: "
Right-Hon. Paul Martin , Prime Minister of Canada
November 20, 2004
Dear Mr. Martin:
Canada is at a crossroads – and under heavy pressure from the United
States – with respect to the U.S.’s ‘missile defence’ program. This
program should be seen clearly – and assertively and publicly
acknowledged by Canada – for what it is, nothing less than a
pre-emptive action by the United States to dictate how space is to be
used and controlled to benefit and advance American interests.
As the Iraq war and its aftermath have borne out, pre-emptive action
by one player in the arena of international affairs is not only
immoral, it has wholly unpredictable and tragic consequences.
As noted recently by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, in a 1997 U.S. Space Command planning document entitled 'Vision for 2020',
the military outlined its plan to control and dominate space. 'Control
of space,' the blueprint noted, 'is the ability to assure access to
space, freedom of operations within the space medium, and an ability to
deny others the use of space.' The back cover of the document features
a picture of the planet surrounded by space satellites and space-based
laser weapons with the words 'Space...the war fighters' edge.'
2020 is not some indefinite point in the future. It is just over 15 years from now. Is this the vision that Canada wants?
Further, as the CCPA notes, in August 2, 2004 the U.S. Air Force quietly published a new doctrine called Counterspace Operations.
In the Foreword to the document, General John Jumper, Chief of Staff of
the Air Force, stated: 'The development of offensive counterspace
capabilities provides combatant commanders with new tools for
counterspace operations. These operations may be utilized throughout
the spectrum of conflict and may achieve a variety of effects from
temporary denial to complete destruction of the adversary's space
capability.'
This document shows that the U.S. remains undeterred in its mission,
despite the blindingly unethical foundation for its position.
Canada must show leadership in providing a deterrent. Canada must
not only categorically refuse to be involved in any way in the
weaponization of space, it should provide the same kind of vision it
did in leading the initiative to ban landmines.
A 1,300-page report released
November 18th, 2004 by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
notes that since the international treaty prohibiting antipersonnel
landmines took effect five years ago, use of the weapon around the
world has fallen dramatically, global funding for mine action programs
has increased more than 80 percent, more than 1,100 square kilometres
of land have been cleared, and the number of new mine victims each year
has decreased markedly.
‘The international norm established by the Mine Ban Treaty is
rapidly taking firm hold around the world, especially in the heavily
mine-contaminated countries where it matters the most,’ said ICBL
Ambassador Jody Williams, who shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize with
the ICBL.
Note use of the term ‘international norm established.’ As success of
the movement worldwide to ban production, purchase, use, trade and
stockpiling of antipersonnel devices is demonstrating, a new way of
thinking based on peace has taken root, and is flourishing.
A new international norm with respect to space as a global commons
to be protected and used for the benefit of all the earth’s peoples
must similarly be established, and Canada must be unwavering in moving
such a positive, inclusive agenda forward.
Canada must enlist the support of other countries to place
weaponization of space squarely on the U.N. agenda. One way to do this
is to request that the U.N. General Assembly have a Space Preservation Treaty
permanently banning all space-based weapons and warfare in space ready
for signature by all U.N. Member Nations by United Nations Day, 2005
(October 24, 2005).
If the United Nations General Assembly fails to approve a Space
Preservation Treaty by October 24, 2005, then Canada should petition
the General Assembly to convene a Space Preservation Treaty Conference
to ban all space-based weapons and warfare in space, as with the 1997
Ottawa Land Mines Treaty Conference. Such a conference could be held in
Victoria-Vancouver, B.C. in June 2006, as part of the World Peace Forum 2006.
In the meantime, and beginning now, as Canada distances itself from
the American military agenda, our government must also move proactively
on trade and economic initiatives directed toward lessening Canada’s
dependence on the U.S. Canada’s companies, peoples and way of life must
not be beholden to the United States in any way. We must always remain
the true North, strong and free.
Sincerely,
Avery Ascher, Manitoba, Canada
cc. Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Manitoba Campaign to Ban Landmines
Institute for Cooperation in Space
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Click here to Sign Our U.N. Petition to ban Space-based weapons and warfare in space.
"
AN OPEN LETTER TO PM PAUL MARTIN