CREDO Action -- Signature needed: Stop Trump from starting a nuclear war

Action alert from Tessa Levine at CREDO Action:

He’s at it again … (emphasis ours)

“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”¹

That’s what Donald Trump said Tuesday afternoon from his golf resort in New Jersey, following tweets bragging about how much he has increased the U.S. nuclear arsenal since the election.

Some days it’s hard to tell if he is acting out of incompetence or a true desire to drive us toward nuclear war, but the effect is the same either way. Trump is provoking Kim Jun Un, and it’s working. Following Trump’s statements, a North Korean official said that they are “carefully examining” plans to launch missiles at the U.S. island territory of Guam.²

We cannot trust Trump with unrestricted power to launch thousands of nuclear weapons – which is what he has right now. Over 233,000 CREDO activists have already joined you in signing our petition to Congress asking them to pass the Restricting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act – will you help us get to 250,000 to demonstrate the true urgency of the issue by sharing this petition with your friends and family?

Can you share this action with your friends and family via email, Facebook or Twitter? Or just forward the email below.

Thank you for standing up for peace,

– Tessa

P.S. You can go directly to our petition demanding Congress to take away Trump’s “nuclear football” by clicking here.

1. Ali Vitali, "Trump Vows North Korea Threat Will Be Met With ‘Fire and Fury,'" NBC News, Aug. 9, 2017.
2. CNBC, "North Korea seriously considering strike on Guam, state media outlet says," Aug. 8, 2017.

CREDO Action

Stop Trump from starting a nuclear war

The petition to Congress reads:
Donald Trump currently has unrestricted power to launch thousands of nuclear weapons at will. Support H.R. 669, the Restricting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act, to stop him from starting a nuclear war.

Add your name

Sign the petition

Donald Trump has shocked the nation with his flagrant disregard for national security. While hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Florida resort, he held national security strategy sessions and received confidential security briefings while an army officer carried the “nuclear football” ¹ around in plain sight and earshot of paying club members.

This behavior is not rational or safe. Trump could start a nuclear war today. And frankly, he might. Right now, Trump has unrestricted power to launch thousands of nuclear weapons at will. Fortunately, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ted Lieu have now introduced legislation – the Restricting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act – that would limit Trump’s ability to launch nuclear weapons without an act of Congress.² We need to let Congress know with a massive showing of public support that we are counting on them to support this legislation before it’s too late.

Tell Congress: Stop Trump from starting a nuclear war. Click here to sign the petition.

The Restricting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act would require a congressional declaration of war in order to use nuclear weapons, except in response to an incoming nuclear attack, effectively blocking Trump from starting a nuclear war on a whim or because someone hurts his feelings on Twitter.

Under the current system, the president has unchecked authority to use the thousands of nuclear weapons at his command - a process that takes less than five minutes. Trump has already expressed his dangerous views on the use of nuclear weapons, including a complete lack of understanding of the nuclear triad, casual threats regarding using nuclear weapons on the battlefield or to combat terrorists and a desire to be “unpredictable” in his use of nuclear weapons.³

Trump’s first few weeks in office have been a series of horrifying demonstrations of this administration’s recklessness and incompetence. Just this week he publicly handled classified information about North Korea’s missile launch at his Mar-a-Largo hotel, ⁴ and his top national security adviser resigned in disgrace after lying about his contact with the Russian government.⁵

We cannot trust Trump to make rational or informed decisions about the safety of our country and the world. That’s why we’re joining with our friends at Win Without War, Daily Kos and other progressive allies to tell Congress that they must keep us safe by supporting the Restricting the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act.

Tell Congress: Stop Trump from starting a nuclear war. Click here to sign the petition.

Trump and his dangerous cronies in the White House cannot stop himself from making bad decisions. We must pressure Congress now to take away the blank check to stop him from making the biggest one. It is time to take the “nuclear football” away from Trump. Click the link below to sign the petition:

https://act.credoaction.com/sign/restrict_nuclear_war?t=12&akid=24457%2E1585881%2EEfyDTS

Thank you for everything that you do,

Tessa Levine, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets

Add your name

Sign the petition

References:
1. Kathleen Parker, “America, meet the nuclear ‘football,” The Washington Post, Feb. 14, 2017.
2. Emily Tamkin, “Lawmakers Introduce Bill Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons,” Foreign Policy, Jan. 24, 2017.
3. Ibid
4. Michael D. Shear and Maggie Haberman, “From Trump’s Mar-a-Lago to Facebook, a National Security Crisis in the Open,” The New York Times, Feb. 13, 2017.
5. Maggie Haberman, Matthew Rosenberg, Matt Apuzzo, and Glenn Thrush, “Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser,” The New York Times, Feb. 13, 2017.

CAP: Escalating tensions cause concern [re: North Korea]

The Center for American Progress (CAP) published the following on August 9th:

"Fire and Fury"

President Trump needlessly escalated tensions with North Korea yesterday when he said that any continued threats to the U.S. by North Korea would be “met with fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.” The statement was met with immediate criticism from members of Congress, including those in his own party, and other policy makers, who warned that such rhetoric was “not helpful,” especially when the administration has no clear strategy. But the threats continued this morning, this time on Twitter, as Trump tweeted that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is “far stronger and more powerful than ever before,” without recognizing that it was the Obama Administration that had begun the nuclear modernization project.

Today marks 72 years after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, and the Trump administration should learn from the lessons of the past. Nuclear war with North Korea could be devastating and kill millions, including hundreds of thousands of Americans who live and are stationed in nearby South Korea. It's time for Trump to utilize smart, clear policy tools and diplomacy to forge a long-term strategy that will keep the U.S.—and so many others—safe.

First, it’s crucial that Trump fill the key positions in that area that are still vacant, including the Ambassador to South Korea and the Head of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and the Pentagon. Trump has not even nominated an Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security to handle global nonproliferation. Then, it’s time to incorporate the following eight components into a new strategy for North Korea: strengthen alliances; strengthen U.S. military posture; get specific with China about what the U.S. expects them to do; use existing international sanctions effectively; revive diplomacy; partner with Congress; remember the North Korean people; and, coordinate internationally. To learn more about how this strategy could be effective, check out this article from the Center for American Progress. And to learn about the origins of this conflict, listen to a podcast from the Center for American Progress, Thinking CAP!

Global Zero: Emergency rally at White House tonight

Subject: Emergency rally at White House tonight

Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2017 12:49:03 -0400

From: Lillyanne Daigle

Hi everyone --

In light of the unfolding nuclear crisis, Global Zero is teaming up with several organizations (MoveOn, Win Without War, CodePink, and several others) to organize an emergency rally tonight in front of the White House from 6-7:30pm to stand against nuclear war. We'll be having a moment of silence at the end of the event to commemorate the Nagasaki bombings.

FB event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/113891462605461

We'd love your help! Putting on last minute events is tough, so we need all the help we can get. Sharing the event, inviting your DC members, and showing up after work would all be incredibly helpful.

This is a big moment -- our issue is in the spotlight; people are (rightfully) freaked out; and we need to give them something to do. I think this rally is a good first step in getting people out in the streets against nukes.

I hope you can join us at the rally tonight and help recruit folks to join in. 

Ping me with any questions!

- Lilly & the GZ team

Trump’s top evangelical ally: God supports bombing North Korea

Pastor Robert Jeffress says the Bible gives the government “the authority to do whatever.” As reported by Vox.

‘God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un,’ evangelical adviser says

As reported by the Washington Post.