NEWS ADVISORY Contact: Lauri Apple or Kevin Martin

May 21, 2001 202-232-8997 or 219-035-1110

NATIONAL COALITION DEMANDS BUSH TO STOP THE "NEW" ARMS RACE

Project Abolition to rally against Star Wars “national missile defense” and nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON, DC - The Bush Administration's plans to implement a "Star Wars" missile defense system promises to engage the U.S. in a new arms race that will cost billions and disrupt international stability. On Sunday, June 10 at 2 p.m., Project Abolition will organize and stage a rally to speak out against Bush's flawed plans at Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House.

WHAT: Rally Against Star Wars and a New Arms Race

WHERE: Lafayette Park, Washington, DC

WHEN: Rally Sunday, June 10 at 2 p.m.

Activist Training and Congressional Education Days, June 11-12

President Bush and his chief Star Warrior, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, have made clear their determination to deploy "National Missile Defense." But American taxpayers already have spent over $120 billion on missile defense schemes – at least $60 billion since Reagan proposed Star Wars in 1983 -- with absolutely nothing to show for it. The cost of a "layered" land-, sea- and space-based Star Wars system, as Bush favors, could cost over $200 billion on top of what's already been spent. That's our tax money that won't go for education, health care, affordable housing or the environment.

"Far from making us more secure, a Star Wars missile system will make the world a more dangerous place by igniting a new arms race," says Kevin Martin, director of Project Abolition. "Even the CIA has acknowledged that Russia and China will beef up their offensive nuclear arsenals if we move to deploy a missile defense. The U.S. would so the same if the situation were reversed. And 'missile defense' is only the beginning of U.S. Space Command's plans for the weaponization of outer space.

“President Bush’ speech earlier this week made it official: his Administration is moving forward with this reckless and exorbitant plan”, continues Martin. “The events in June will be but the beginning of a strong national grassroots movement against Star Wars and a new arms race and for the only solution to the problem of nuclear weapons – their complete, global elimination."

Project Abolition, which includes the Fourth Freedom Forum, Global Security Institute, the Nation Institute, Peace Action, Peace Links, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Women's Actions for New Directions, was founded in 1999 to increase public awareness of nuclear weapons. Past projects include the "Wall of Denial," a 200-foot long replica of the Berlin Wall erected in November of 1999 to remind the public that, despite the end of the Cold War, huge arsenals of nuclear weapons remain on hair trigger alert.

For more information about Project Abolition or the June 10 rally, please call Lauri Apple at 202-232-8997 or Kevin Martin at 219-535-1110, or visit www.projectabolition.org.

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