Tony Blair is rushing through a vote in the Brittish parliament
next month to build a replacement for Trident - a new generation of
nuclear weapons. The outcome of the vote will have severe
implications not just for the UK, but also for the rest of the
world.
That's why peace campaigners from around the world gathered
aboard our flotilla to prevent the HMS Vigilant from leaving the
Faslane naval base. There's been mayhem in the Gareloch while our
boats tried to get close to the pontoon that protects the Trident
submarine. One person managed to get on to the pontoon; he held up
a banner reading NO NEW NUKES before being arrested.
Besides renewing Trident, Blair is also in talks with President
Bush to allow bases in the UK to be used as part of the Star Wars
system, a policy that will encourage non-nuclear countries to
engage in a new international arms race.
Watch the highlights from today's blockade:
Building new nuclear weapons is against international law, and
politically sends a clear message to other countries that they also
need them. Not only will it undermine international disarmament
treaties, it comes with a massive price tag, diverting funds away
from other issues for decades to come.
The government white paper on Trident replacement stated that
the new nuclear weapons would cost £15-£20($29-$39) billion to
manufacture, but ignored the running costs. We believe total
manufacturing, maintenance and operating costs for a new UK nuclear
weapons system will be more like £76($149) billion.
Greenpeace campaigner Louise Edge, who is onboard the Arctic
Sunrise, said: "We're blockading the base because these nuclear
arms submarines pose a threat to the security of the world, by
encouraging other countries to go nuclear in the future. Tony Blair
is playing a dangerous game by saying to countries like North Korea
that nuclear weapons are necessary for national defense, that the
UK doesn't care about its international legal obligations, and that
nuclear proliferation is the way forward. He is sending a message
to the world that might be welcomed in the capitals of North Korea
and Iran, but will be widely condemned by people who want to end
nuclear proliferation."
Read our weblog with updates from the scene
outside Faslane
See photos from the action on Flickr
Or visit our
moblog with photos and images sent by mobile phone throughout
the day
Opposition is growing around the world at the determination of
the U.S. and the UK to undermine global security. The UN's nuclear
watchdog, Mohammed El-Baradei, said earlier this week that Britain
cannot 'modernize its Trident submarines and then tell everyone
else that nuclear weapons are not needed in the future.' He added,
'We need to treat nuclear weapons the way we treat slavery or
genocide. There needs to be a taboo over possessing them.'
UPDATE: Twenty military police stormed the ship and smashed
their way onto the bridge of the Arctic Sunrise shortly after 5pm
following the day-long stand-off. The military police cut the
anchor chain and towed the ship into the nuclear base. All onboard
were arrested for being in a restricted area, and held in custody
before being released this morning. A motion congratulating the
Greenpeace action has been lodged by MSPs in the Scottish
Parliament.