Sir, - Your correspondent of June 12th is correct in stating that the JFK is not nuclear powered. However, it is certainly nuclear armed. The Strike aircraft which it carries are capable of delivering both tactical and theatre nuclear missiles. The JFK is also armed with cannon that fire depleted uranium shells. Are we really expected to believe that this arsenal has been left at home while the death ship has gone to Ireland for its holidays?
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Clinton administration has announced plans to conduct six hydro nuclear tests. The first two are scheduled for June 18th, 1996 and September 12th, 1996. Hydro nuclear tests are very low yield nuclear test explosions. They are conducted underground in a similar manner to full yield nuclear weapon tests.
Currently, the US, Russia, France and Britain favour exempting hydro nuclear tests from a future Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The official US position is that the CTBT should ban all tests exceeding four pounds fission yield. But the Pentagon want to allow tests of up to 500 tons. France favours a threshold of 200 tons.
The Campaign Against Nuclear Testing believes exempting hydro nuclear testing from a CTBT will make it more difficult to verify than a test ban that prohibits all nuclear explosions. Preparations for a hydro nuclear test are difficult to distinguish from preparations for a tactical nuclear weapon test.
In protest at this series of tests CANT is organising a demonstration at the US Embassy on Tuesday, June 18th, from 5.30 pm until 7 pm. - Yours, etc.,
Campaign Against Nuclear
Testing
North Brunswick St.,
Dublin 7.