As Australia gets American nuclear-capable bombers, it risks becoming a dangerous military mess and target – like Guam
China’s furious reaction as Australia gets US nuclear-capable bombers A furious Beijing has blasted reports of the US gifting Australia nuclear-capable bombers, prompting a concerning warning from China.
https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/chinas-ominous-threat-to-australia-over-us-nuclearcapable-bombers/news-story/ca67d55d29ef716883078e4fb8e2101f Ally Foster and Frank Chung, November 1, 2022 –
Australia has been issued an ominous threat, after China lashed out at reports of the US sending nuclear-capable bombers to the Northern Territory.
According to an investigation by the ABC’s Four Cornersthat aired on Monday, Washington has drawn up plans to build a dedicated a “squadron operations facility” at the Tindal air base south of Darwin that will house “six B-52s”.
These aircraft are capable of delivering both nuclear and conventional weapons, with a combat range of more than 14,000km.
The news has prompted a furious response from Beijing, with the former editor-in-chief of the CCP-run Global Times issuing an ominous warning to Australia.military
Commentator Hu Xijin said Australia would need to “bear the risks” of this move.
“The PLA’s Dongfeng missiles definitely fly faster than the B-52 bombers,” he wrote on Twitter.
“If Australia wants to become a “big Guam,” then it must bear the corresponding strategic risks.”
There have even been warnings that accepting these bombers could “trigger a regional arms race”.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian said by sending the bombers to Australia, the US had “increased regional tensions, seriously undermined regional peace and stability, and may trigger a regional arms race”.
“Defence and security co-operation between any countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability and not target or harm the interests of third parties,” he told reporters in Beijing.
Mr Zhao said Beijing was urging all the countries concerned to “abandon the old Cold War zero-sum thinking and narrow geopolitical concepts”.
The focus should instead be on contributing more to regional peace and stability and enhancing “mutual trust”, he said.
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The climate crisis and the danger of nuclear war are deeply intertwined
A lesson from the TPNW. by beyondnuclearinternational
A Fossil-Fuel Non-ProliferationTreaty will save lives, By Ira Helfand and Marjaneh Moini
“…………………………………………………………………………The two overriding issues of our era—the climate crisis and the danger of nuclear war—are deeply intertwined. The climate crisis is leading to greater international conflict and stockpiling nuclear weapons redirects precious resources away from equitable climate actions while increasing risk of a nuclear conflict. A nuclear war, in addition to killing billions of people and disrupting all aspects of our economy, would also cause abrupt and catastrophic climate disruption.
How are the politicians running our governments on the global stage responding to these threats? The policies our governments are implementing will lead to fossil fuel production in 2030 that is double the cap we need to maintain to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Carbon dioxide emissions in 2021 were 36.3 billion tonnes, the highest ever. They are also stockpiling nuclear weapons and will not even promise not to start a nuclear war in Ukraine.
How is our government responding? The United States continues to increase subsidies to fossil fuel operations and expands its investments in nuclear weapons, reinforcing the two existential threats faced by humanity today. In turn, fossil fuel companies and the military industrial complex use their profits in lobbying efforts…………………more https://beyondnuclearinternational.org/2022/10/31/a-lesson-from-the-tpnw/
This week’s Australian nuclear news – heavy stuff!
some bits of good news. India headed towards 100% renewables power by 2050. Mini Wind Turbines For Rooftops: ‘Up to 50% More Power’ and No Spinning Blades Ozone Hole Continues Shrinking in 2022.
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Oh dear. This newsletter is miles too long. I have put the most interesting items in larger, bold, green. Perhaps you might read just those, and any other topics of interest to you.
This week, I have been overwhelmed with the media tsunami of war-mongering events and articles – all gearing up to the supposedly inevitable war against China !!
But at the same time – are you noticing climate change, -global heating events and research? We might escape nuclear apocalypse, BUT – I urge you to pay attention to Alex Smith’s Radio Ecoshock, the world-leading coverage of things climate . This week’s episode is CLIMATE ENDGAME – “irreversible transition to Hothouse Earth”? – Greenland sea-level rise – and a worrying Culture of Underestimation.
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AUSTRALIA
The Pentagon builds a network in our Australian Department of Defence amidst media silence. With nuclear-capable B-52 bombers in Australia, USA could make lethal nuclear attack on mainland China. US Air Force to deploy nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Australia. US deployment of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Australia’s north likely to fuel China tensions.
Nuclear zealot Jonathon Mead – in charge of the nuclear submarine deliberations? Wants to “cultivate a nuclear mindset”. Wong, Marles schedule US trip as nuclear submarine deadline nears. Captive media: what does the submarine scandal tell us about our “defence correspondents”?
Australia changes policy tack – moves in the direction of supporting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ‘Small but important step’: Australia’s shift on treaty banning nuclear weapons applauded.
Government Confirms No Nuclear for Australia. Rather than an endlessly reheated nuclear debate, politicians should be powered by the evidence. Rex Patrick: has the Australian Senate lost its mojo?.
INTERNATIONAL
Read more: This week’s Australian nuclear news – heavy stuff!CLIMATE. Climate summit – window for avoiding catastrophe is closing fast. Global heating levels threaten to destroy economies. “The voices in this world which have the most power belong to those who are destroying it”, writes Greta Thunberg.
Atmospheric levels of all three greenhouse gases hit record high. Rising Sea Levels Spell Disaster For America’s Coastal Nuclear Plants. Insect apocalypse looms as world warms
CIVIL LIBERTIES. Reporters Without Borders leads 16 organisations urging UK Home Secretary to intervene in extradition of Julian Assange.
ECONOMICS . French nuclear power group EDF to have a bigger loss than previously expected. Scotland ‘could fund England’s nuclear plants after independence‘ under “regulated asset base” (RAB) model. Sizewell C nuclear station to be funded 20% by French taxpayers, and 20% by British taxpayers. Rooppur nuclear power plant (Bangladesh) : Cost may rise for multiple factors. USA’s Westingouse likely to build and fund 49% of Poland’s first nuclear power station
EMPLOYMENT. About 100 Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant employees, including senior managers, agree to collaborate with Russian occupiers.
ENERGY. Nuclear power – a ‘religion’ in France. now turning out to be a curse..
ENVIRONMENT. This Abandoned Nuclear City Is Trapped Under Ice, What Happens If It Thaws? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9uW-8vPpAU Dounreay nuclear plant radiation scare over high numbers of ‘harmful’ radioactive particles. The Fukushima Area Has Seen Better Days as Nobuhiko Ito Shows. Long-lived radionuclides from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, and consequences for Pacific ecosystems and seafood consumers.
HEALTH. ‘The nuclear bomb was so bright I could see the bones in my fingers’: The atomic veterans fighting for justice. Meetings scheduled on compensation for Utah’s ‘downwinders‘ affected by nuclear testing.
LEGAL. US nuclear firm Westinghouse sues South Korean supplier over Poland reactor deal. Together Against Sizewell and other groups to fight on, despite legal setback.
MEDIA. All at once corporate media pundits push for World War III. Western military-industrial corporate-media show only the NATO-USA war-mongering side of the news. The biggest lie – ADDICTED TO WAR – what most American people don’t know and don’t want to know. Steps towards multilateral nuclear disarmament – but media silence.
POLITICS. Kucinich Says Call for Diplomacy to end Ukraine-Russia War Must be Heard; Silencing of Congressional Progressive Caucus Casts Democrats as the “War Party” Progressives retract Ukraine letter to Biden after uproar. Worthless House Progressives Retract Mild Peace Advocacy Under Pressure From Warmongers. Democrats Should Not Make Support for War a Test of Party Loyalty – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f76p7NUbV5M Dennis Kucinich: Where Are the Pro-Peace Democrats?
Crushing blow to French President Macron as EDF braces for £28billion hit over nuclear shortfall. Academics and industry questioned on UK nuclear power supply. Sizewell C nuclear could become low on the priority list of UK government projects. Minister Vows Response to Fukushima Reputational Damage.
POLITICS INTERNATIONAL and DIPLOMACY. New Study Finds The Rest Of The World Supports China And Russia. West must stop blocking negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Kremlin reveals possible basis for Putin-Biden talks. Zelenskyy blasts Israel, suggests Russia-Iran nuclear collusion. Russia suspends participation in grain deal after Ukrainian attack.
SAFETY. Ukraine’s Biggest Nuclear Plant Needs a Safety Zone. France discovers ominous cracks in dozens of nuclear reactors. Every nuclear power plant is a ‘dirty bomb’ in waiting: watchdog. Cracks found in all four Olkiluoto Nuclear 3 feedwater pumps. Bulgarian nuclear reactor shut down after technical glitch. ‘Swarm’ of drones spotted flying above UK nuclear plan.
SECRETS and LIES. Meet the spooks, mercenaries s and chickenhawk politicos enlisting as “North Atlantic Fellas Organization” (NAFO) trolls. Criminals in Finland obtain weapons from Ukraine – police.
SPACE. EXPLORATION, WEAPONS. Rocket Lab: Helping the US wage endless wars from space. Rocket Report: Norway’s nuclear rocket concerns. Russian delegation at UN calls on USA to join initiative to renounce weapons in space.
SPINBUSTER. War, propaganda, and blindness. George Monbiot leads the “left” into being cheer- leaders for USA’s endless wars.
WASTES and REACTOR SHUTDOWNS. Cocooning the past – Plutonium reactor in Eastern Washington encased in steel to protect the river. Bring voices from the coast into the Fukushima treated water debate.
WAR and CONFLICT. EU ‘dancing on edge of volcano’ with Ukraine – French ex-president. Allegations fly about plans to use “dirty bomb” and nuclear weapons in Ukraine war. ‘No need’ for nuclear strikes on Ukraine, Putin says. Kremlin diplomat assures that Russia has no intention of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. NATO primes 20 prospective new members for global strike force. NATO could deploy nuclear warheads to Poland: official. 60 years ago today, this man stopped the Cuban missile crisis from going nuclear. Cuban missile crisis, 60 years on: new papers reveal how close the world came to nuclear disaster.
WEAPONS and WEAPONS SALES. Cities should increase role in effort to abolish nuclear weapons.24 – 30 October UN Disarmament Week – don’t let the world powers normalise “tactical” nuclear weapons – demand abolition of nuclear weapons now! Tactical Nuclear Fantasists. Spokane poised to declare city a nuclear free zone. US, Japan, S Korea vow response if N Korea tests nuclear bomb. USA upgrades its B61-12 nuclear bombs in Europe. Biden to scrap Trump missile project but critics attack US ‘nuclear overkill’/ NATO adds to warplane, missile defense assets in Baltic Sea. A failure to review America’s nuclear posture.
Antinuclear 