CONTACT: Bud Boothe (805) 688-7610
The Pentagon has announced plans for the second test of the destabilizing
and expensive Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system. The test will be held
on January 18 at Vandenberg AFB in California and the Kwajalein Atoll in the
Pacific Ocean. The Kwajalein missile will attempt to intercept the missile
fired from Vandenberg. President Clinton is expected to give final approval
on BMD deployment by June, 2000.
A protest vigil will be held at the main gate of Vandenberg A.F.B. on
Tuesday, January 18 from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. The following groups are
sponsoring the event:
"An international campaign to protest BMD is now underway," said Bruce
Gagnon, Coordinator of the Global Network. "People all over the world are
now vigorously organizing to stop BMD. We cannot allow the Pentagon and
aerospace corporations to move the arms race into space. There must be a
ban on all weapons in space."
The Global Network will hold four days of protest events in Washington DC in
mid-April to build pressure on President Clinton and Congress.
See also the transcript from the Pentagon BMD briefing on the up-coming test.
Carah Ong (805) 965-3443
Sheila Baker (805) 544-1744
Bruce Gagnon (352) 337-9274